Skip to main content

Effective Video Conferencing Solution For Your Business

Monday, 26th June 2023
Video conferencing software

In today’s fast-paced business world, small business owners are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance communication, collaboration, and cost-effectiveness both internally and externally.
Throughout the last few years, video conferencing has transformed the way businesses connect and interact and has sored in popularity, becoming a solid staple in most business’ communications arsenal.
In this blog post, we delve into the concept of video conferencing, its numerous benefits and features and, as a leading business communications provider, give you our top tips for choosing the best video conferencing solution for your business.

What is video conferencing?

For anyone unfamiliar with video conferencing, it is a live video connection between at least 2 remote parties. It pertains to the transmission of text and static imagery as well as high-quality video imagery and audio.

Video conferences or video calls take place over the internet usually using a desk phone, mobile or laptop. It simulates in-person face-to-face meetings enabling parties who are unable to physically connect to have an effective and productive meeting.

The benefits of video conferencing:

Video conferencing is much more than just another communication tool, it offers a whole host of benefits and features. Below, we explore these in depth.

Save money
One of the key advantages of video conferencing for small businesses is its ability to drive cost-effectiveness. With a reduced need for colleagues to travel to meetings, low cost software options and a reduced need for expensive hardware video conferencing offers a cost effective option. In addition, it reduced the need for physical offices spaces which, in turn, optimised operational efficiencies.

Save time
With the need to travel to meetings being vastly reduced thanks to video conferencing, your team members no longer have to waste time travelling (and often stuck in traffic).

Widened employee pool
By utilising video conferencing as your main form of communication, you widen your employee pool. You’re able to fill vacancies with talented team members from other areas that may potentially not apply if they had to physically attend meetings.

Increased attendance
With meetings available, quite literally, at the touch of a button, attendance is much easier for the majority of colleagues meaning you gain a better attendance when holding a meeting virtually. Furthermore, the analytics that come with the majority of video conferencing software options mean you’re better able to understand your attendance levels. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to record video meetings so that even those colleagues unable to attend in real time can still catch up.

Improve communication
While there’s very much a place for other communication channels including email, phone calling and instant messaging, video calls can offer solutions for a quick catch up to answer a question all the way through to a company wide update.

The face-to-face aspect enables you to still see body language and reactions and ask real time questions.

Improve internal engagement and interaction
It’s often thought that colleagues are more comfortable engaging via a video meeting than an in-person meeting. Features of many video conferencing solutions offer include the ability tor react throughout the meeting which enable you to track engagement levels and opinions. Furthermore, with tools like break out rooms and screen sharing engagement is encouraged, arguably in a more laid-back manner than in-person meetings.

More environmentally friendly
As discussed above, video conferencing reduces travel requirements which makes the move to video calls much more environmentally friendly.

Video Conferencing Software

Features that you should look for when choosing your preferred software 

Screen sharing
Being able to screen share is an essential feature for effective, engaging and productive video conferences. Not only does this encourage participation internally but it is a fantastic tool for communication with prospective customers. For example, your team can pitch to a new client, with an in-depth presentation, without the need to travel to their offices.

Internally, this will also help your technical and IT teams as colleagues are able to screen share to show any issues they’re having and therefore get these fixed much more quickly.

Support for Multiple devices
Most small businesses utilise a range of devices with some colleagues working on Windows PCs, others on MacBooks. Then there’s those who predominantly use their mobiles whether that be Apple or Android. So, it’s crucial that the video conferencing solution you choose is supported on a range of devices.

Analytics
As we mentioned earlier, the ability to view analytics from video calls is a big advantage over traditional, in-person meetings. So, we highly recommend choosing video conferencing software that offers good analytics.

Meeting recording
While video calls make meeting attendance much easier, it’s very rare that you will have a 100% attendance rate every time. Therefore, it’s important to be able to record your meetings and share them with absent team members afterwards.

Various access options
Similar to the need for different device capabilities, it is also significant for your video conferencing solution to be available through different ways such as web browsers, desk top applications and mobile applications. This ensures all of your team members will be able to attend.

Different integrations
When implementing something new, especially video conferencing solution, it’s crucial to ensure it integrates with any existing technology you’re using. This includes your operating system, CRM platform, phone system solution and any other apps you utilise.

Video conferencing
The five key considerations when choosing a solution

As communication experts who provide our own video conferencing software, Enreach Meetings, there are five key questions that we recommend you consider when deciding on your chosen video calling solution.

These five key considerations are;

  • Your budget. There are many video conferencing solutions on the market ranging from a couple of pounds per month to thousands. So, before you start to look, and then make a decision, be clear on the budget you have for your new video conferencing solution.
  • The features that are essential to your business. While we have discussed a number of features in this blog, not all of them will be relevant to your business at this stage. Hence, it’s recommended to be clear on the features that you need and will actually utilise as this may save you money.
  • Your existing technology. It’s crucial to check that the video conferencing solution you choose will seamlessly integrate with the technology your team currently uses.
  • The technical knowledge required. Some video conferencing options require little to know action from your, or your tech/IT team, but others may be a big undertaking to install and set up. It’s important to consider whether you have the capabilities for this before signing up.
  • The scalability of the solution. Your business is likely to have plans to grow. Therefore, it’s important to consider whether the video conferencing software that you’re considering now, will be able to scale with you as you grow over the coming years.

It’s evident that video conferencing software has an important place in almost all organisations but choosing the right one for you can definitely be overwhelming. We hope this blog has helped you to make a choice for your solution but, if you have any questions, or would like to sign up for our own video conferencing software, Enreach Meetings, please contact us using the form below.  

FIND OUT HOW ENREACH CAN HELP YOU

Fill in the form and we will be in touch

I would prefer:(Required)

Improve customer engagement with video conferencing

Want to know how video conferencing can improve customer engagement within your business? Our latest blog tells you how!

Phone etiquette – the good, the bad and the ugly

We’re taking a look at the most common and frustrating phone behaviours in the workplace, and showing you handy tips and tricks to make sure you avoid them, in our latest blog!

Communicating in a remote workspace

We’re exploring how businesses communicate remotely, and what solutions are available to support them.