The laundry list of advantages video conferencing offers is enough to make any company give it a try. However, not all video communication systems will work for your business, much less provide for all your organizational needs. If you want to make sure you choose the system that’s ideal for your company, here are a number of things you should consider before you take your final pick:
Determine usage
The first thing you need to know, before you buy, is how you and your employees are going to use it, says the Information Age. What features will make a difference? What are non-negotiable? You wouldn’t want to pay for a service, only to find out that it can’t accommodate everyone on your team. So know how much a system can accommodate and be sure that everyone on your team can use the system. After all, you want video conferencing to be a part of their daily routine. If use is limited to a select few, then that won’t work. Connectivity must be constant and thorough to include everyone.
Go for compatibility
Be on the lookout for video systems that work for all end points. That way, employees and clients alike can access the system, using whatever device they have handy, from a tablet, mobile phone or laptop. Need a high resolution system? No worries. You can have a video conferencing room built, outfitted with HD monitors along with voice locating cameras and excellent stereo audio systems to ensure the best video conferencing experience.
Look for collaboration features
Video conferencing is the perfect way to improve the way your teams work. If you have remote staff, and you want them to work with onsite employees on a project, campaign or launch, make sure you pick out a system that’s rich in collaboration features. It doesn’t have to come with all the bells and whistles but it must have features that allow your employees to send and share content. From images to PDF files and even video, along with everything else in between, the video communication solution you choose should make it easy for you to send, share or pour over these content.
Make sure it’s easy to use
It used to be that you had to have costly hardware, a complex system and even more costly hardware upgrades before you could have a working video communication system. These days, though, video calls are much more compact and convenient. No need for any costly hardware in the first place or to even worry about hefty upgrades that take out a good chunk of your company’s resources. Opt for a video conference software from a reliable company like BlueJeans. With a slew of features that make meetings convenient and hassle-free, the name should definitely go on top of your list.
Look for a cloud-based service
Don’t have the capital? You don’t have to pay a ton of upfront fees just to get your video communication system up and running. You can go for cloud-based systems which are a great fit for business that aren’t ready to sink money in the technology, says Search Unified Communications. This way, you can pursue growth and expansion, even without spending a fortune on the technology. This makes it a great tool for startups as well as small and midsize organizations who want to revamp their video communication system but don’t have quite the funds to cover upfront costs and fees.
Decide on infrastructure
You’ll need to invest in one or more bridges. Management services are also needed along with remote access tools. You’ll need to read up on these to make sure you aren’t making an expensive purchase for nothing. Consider the level and quality of integration your business requires and go from there. Also, ask yourself if you need additional support to take care of the system. These should help you figure out what kind of system you need.
Offer training
It’s not enough to simply download the software, install it and hope for the best. You want to make sure user adoption picks up. You want your employees to pay attention, to use it, and that’s not going to happen—or at least it’ll happen at a slower rate—if you don’t take measures to help out. So make sure you provide training in the use of the system as well. This way, employees are confident about approaching the technology and using it in their everyday routine. This also helps manage their fears and anxieties about using the technology. The more they know how to use the system, the less stressed they are and more confident they feel.
Finding the right video conferencing system for your business matters. So take a look at this list to make sure you remember essential factors you’ll need to consider before you settle on a final pick.
