Choosing the Right Videoconferencing Technology

Featured article by Sarah Landrum, freelance writer and blogger

Businesses big and small frequently rely on videoconferencing solutions to improve collaboration and communication, especially when they have teams spread across a great distance. In fact, the technology has become so popular that nearly three-quarters of workers believe it will replace traditional conference calls.

It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Traditional conferences are nothing more than group-wide voice chats, while videoconferencing allows you to see the person – or team – you are communicating with. This makes it much more efficient. Not to mention more focused, the average attention span for most telephone calls is only 23 minutes, while the attention span for videoconferencing is 35 minutes or more.

According to Wainhouse Research and Polycom, 94 percent of businesses that use videoconferencing technology claim it increases worker productivity.

Furthermore, if you have some kind of demonstration or visual element to share, you can do this easily via videoconferencing. Through voice, visual elements are much harder to dictate and present, if not altogether impossible. Did you know more than half of the way we interpret messages comes from facial expressions and body language?

It pays to have good videoconferencing tools, but how do you know which tool is the right solution for your business? How can you be sure you choose the right videoconferencing technology?

1. Consider How It Will Be Used

Before you do anything or make any decisions, confer with your team – and anyone you’re going to connect with – to get the full picture of how you will use a videoconferencing solution.

There are a few things you should consider while doing so. How many employees or clients will be present during a session? Will the technology need to accommodate a large group of people? Will you need a wide viewing space? What kind of network quality is required? Are the meetings planned ahead of time or are they spontaneous? Do you need to record these sessions?

Of course, these are merely a few considerations – you may need to know more. The point is that you should have a full map of your videoconferencing needs. This will largely determine what kind of solution or service you adopt.

2. Acquire the Necessary Equipment and Hardware

There are a wide variety of videoconferencing tools, but there will be plenty of other hardware you’ll need too. For example, you need a decent router and sustainable internet connection to keep a session going, especially over an extended period.

If you subscribe to a videoconferencing application or purchase software, you’ll need the necessary equipment to use it. This would include hardware like a webcam, microphone and conferencing gear. Sometimes traditional teleconferencing equipment can be used, and other times it cannot. It depends on the system you implement.

Do a bit of research and make sure you have all the necessary equipment and hardware for the system you choose.

Keep in mind, not all of the equipment has to be brand new or expensive, either. It is certainly possible to acquire preowned telecommunications equipment that is of the highest quality. With a cost-savings of 60 to 90 percent below the traditional price, it’s worth it to consider like-new refurbished equipment.

3. Make Sure the Technology Is Accessible for Your Team

As you probably know, not everyone is good with technology. You need to make sure the videoconferencing solution you choose is accessible to everyone on your team, especially remote workers. You can’t always be around to show them how to use the equipment, nor can tech support.

A great way to test this is to rent the videoconferencing equipment you need for a small trial period. If everything works out, then you can implement a more permanent solution.

4. Double Check Support and Maintenance Options

When there is a problem with your videoconferencing solution, who can you turn to? Is there a support or maintenance crew that will walk you through troubleshooting? Will you need to rely on an internal IT team? Are you on your own?

This is something you absolutely need to consider before you get into a rough situation. No one has the time to wait around for a support team when you’re supposed to be part of a scheduled conference. You want everything to go smoothly during zero hour.

5. Consider the Alternatives

Videoconferencing tech is not the only tool for remote collaboration. Even if you have already made up your mind, take some time to consider the alternatives. Are there any features you need that will be missing? Is there another, more efficient system your business can take advantage of? Do you have the budget to pay for a videoconferencing service?

We’re not trying to scare you away from the technology because it’s a real game-changer. Sometimes, before you can truly understand what you need or want from a solution, you must also consider the competition.

This also allows you to see the true benefits of the technology you are adopting. For example, if you didn’t have experience traveling for face-to-face business meetings, you might not know videoconferencing can result in a serious reduction in travel costs.

6. How Compatible Is the System?

Finally, you must also consider what kind of compatibility options are available to you.

Why?

This can be explained with a hypothetical scenario. Let’s say you’re trying to schedule a videoconference with a potential client. The technology you plan to use must be compatible not only with the equipment you have, but also with the equipment the client has. If your client’s team uses only mobile devices and tablets but the videoconferencing tool you rely on is not compatible with those devices, you’re going to run into a lot of problems.

The solution is to make sure the technology you implement is compatible with a variety of platforms and devices.

When you use the right videoconference technology, your meetings will run smoother and you’ll up your productivity. That’s a good way to do business.