The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of situations for many, many people. One way it changed businesses is that they had to find a way to conduct business when their business models had been upheaved by the need to support newly remote workforces. One solution that most businesses (and individuals for that matter) found was video conferencing. This month we will tell you why the video conference is not just a remote solution, but also the new normal for businesses.
A Technology That Sums Up the Times
With the need for technologies to support state and federally-mandated social distancing guidelines, video conferencing was a clear choice to be utilized as a core component of a business’ coordination and communication strategies. It quickly became way more than that as people used the technology to stay in touch with loved ones and friends as the pandemic made it risky and irresponsible to gather together.
For the business, the video conferencing tool became one of its core technologies. Except, many businesses went into the pandemic with a video conferencing solution that wasn’t going to work for the needs of a business with a dispersed workforce. Let’s take a look at five of the features that a business needs out of a video conferencing solution if it is going to be an effective tool used to conduct business:
- Voice over Internet Protocol - VoIP is one of the most valuable tools a business can adopt as it uses your business’ Internet connection to fuel an enterprise-level telephone system. Some hosted-VoIP platforms make available one-button video conferencing that makes it super simple for your staff to utilize to have meetings, get clear communication, and still have the capabilities to run the communications platform your business needs.
- Supports Multiple Users - Standard messaging platforms provide the ability to video chat with someone, but for the business, you need to be able to support as many people as you expect to meet at one time. Sometimes that can be 20 or more people. While many of today’s top solutions support multiple webcams and have a feature that automatically switches to the person that is talking/presenting, you will want a video conferencing solution that can hold its own so that your organization’s remote meetings don’t suffer.
- Recording Capabilities - It may be overlooked, but being able to record and save all meetings is a big factor for businesses. Companies should look for a solution that saves your recordings to the cloud where more of your staff can benefit from them.
- Screen Sharing - Many people need visual representation of concepts for them to be effective. Any good video conferencing solution will provide the ability for users to quickly and easily share their screens. This is great for presentations or just times when your team can benefit from a visual aid.
- HD Video - Speaking of presentations, having the ability to have your meeting come through in HD makes for a much better and more professional-feeling experience.
There are plenty more options that you can get in today’s video conferencing solutions. In fact, some solutions are customizable with integrations that can give your business the most bang for its buck, especially if your staff is working remotely more often than you’d like.
To talk to one of our consultants about getting a solution that is right for your business, don’t hesitate to give the IT experts at Grove Networks a call at (305) 448-6126 today.
