The Benefits, Techniques and Future of Video Conferencing
A high-quality business solution to streamline efficiency and spur collaboration
Is your company expanding, whether nationally or even internationally? Do you often find yourself scrambling to pull everyone together for a meeting? A high-quality video conferencing solution might be the missing component in your business. No other tool can do as much to streamline efficiency and spur collaboration.
What is video conferencing?
We define video conferencing as communication between two or more parties in different locations using audio-visual transmission. This type of communication is typically carried out via an internet connection that transfers both audio and video data in real time.
What are the benefits of video conferencing?
Video communication offers several benefits to boost a company's productivity, efficiency and bottom line. The advantages of video conferencing include:
- Increased productivity. Gain back the time your employees formerly "lost" to travel. Team members can now join in on a video meeting from virtually anywhere.
- Enhanced efficiency. Rather than repeating the same information over and over through separate communication, a video conference meeting allows entire teams or departments to receive updates and information at the same time directly from the source.
- Real-time collaboration. The effectiveness of video conferencing allows people across multiple locations and time zones to come together as if they are in the same room. They can share insights and suggestions, which may even lead to better rapport among long-distance members.
- Travel cost savings. You may be able to hold a productive meeting without everyone physically in the same room, which will cut down on travel costs. Everyone can meet in the comfort and convenience of an online conference room and then go back to their other responsibilities.
- Convenient scheduling. Employees can schedule meetings across multiple time zones, avoiding the hassle of having to book a conference room or rent meeting space.
- Consistent information. Sharing files and documents instantly keeps everyone on the same page.
Video conferencing can benefit your business in a variety of scenarios:
- Coast-to-coast or country-to-country communication. A department head in Boston can use a video conference call to speak to a vendor in LA, or a CEO in New York can get some virtual face time with an executive in Tokyo.
- Managerial meetings across multiple locations. A company with offices in San Francisco, Dallas and Santa Fe can connect managers from each site on a conference call with the CEO at the company's Phoenix headquarters.
- Weekly troubleshooting meetings with remote staff. A company working on integrating a new IT system will be able to touch base weekly with an off-site technical team to resolve coding issues.
The tools required for an online video conference system
What equipment do you need to hold a video conference? At one time, achieving successful video communication required an intricate system. Today's technology is much more sophisticated and streamlined. Now, all you need is:
- Hardware: A high-powered laptop with a webcam, plus headphones and a microphone with good sound quality.
- Software: An online video conferencing system (this can be through a desktop or mobile app or Internet browser).
- Environment: Any quiet room with set-up capabilities and space, preferably with a blank wall as a backdrop.
The necessary techniques to facilitate an online meeting
Send out an engaging invitation to your attendees at least four days before the meeting to accommodate any shifts in scheduling. Make sure your invitation includes:
- Date and time (keeping in mind various time zones) of the conference
- Topics of discussion
- Goals to be achieved
- Environment: Any quiet room with set-up capabilities and space, preferably with a blank wall as a backdrop.
Choose presenters who will add value to the video meeting. Make sure they are set up to participate in voice and video conferencing. Fully brief any presenters on your attendees' needs. You also need to set ground rules for video conferencing. Agree on a scheduled agenda with clear expectations to keep the meeting running smoothly and on time. If the session runs long, participants on a tight schedule will have to leave and may miss out on vital information.
To boost attendance, follow up your initial invitation with a reminder email one or two days before the event, and a final reminder on the morning of the conference. Once the meeting begins, stick to the agenda and timeline, so your attendees remain engaged and leave feeling their time was well spent.
How has video conferencing changed business?
Traditionally, standalone audio conferences have served business well, but the way people collaborate has changed. Online meeting tools have adapted to this shift by offering a video-first approach. Video conferencing allows attendees to establish a rapport with each other and foster stronger peer connections.
Who uses video conferencing?
Video communication has quickly spread across multiple industries, proving valuable to all types of businesses and industries. Video conferencing can help doctors in remote towns or distant countries collaborate to reach a diagnosis, or bring together a company's sales force across many different regions.
How many companies use video conferencing?
In 2018, a study from Polycom revealed that 84% of companies are using not just one, but multiple video conferencing applications.
Why is video conferencing good for employment interviews?
Video conferencing is particularly useful for job interviews, especially if the position requires face-to-face communication with business executives, vendors or customers. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing during interviews, as a visual component may add implicit bias.
What is the impact of video conferencing on air travel?
One of the undisputed pros of video conferencing is its usability in flight, provided the aircraft allows the use of connected devices. Video conferencing allows frequent fliers to stay connected with their teams even on long trips, ensuring that your business moves forward as usual.
The merits of video conferencing are invaluable. Video communication allows your company to work seamlessly with partners, clients and team members across the globe. As a communication tool for business, video conferencing is virtually unmatched and will provide value and benefit to your organization for years to come.
Get answers to all of your questions.
Holding an Online Meeting
- What can I do with GoToMeeting?
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With GoToMeeting, you can deliver presentations, perform product demonstrations, brainstorm with colleagues and securely share confidential information online from anywhere at any time. Your meetings can be one-to-one, or you can meet with multiple people at once.
Presentations: Give a slideshow to your online audience and reduce travel costs.
Demonstrations: Show prospects how your product works by inviting them to view a demo in real time, whether they are across town or a thousand miles away.
Work together: Meet with others online to share, discuss and edit any document. Transfer presentation controls to other attendees.
- How do I start using GoToMeeting?
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Simply register for your free trial now. After the quick automatic setup is completed, you can immediately begin using it.
- Do I have to be at my computer to hold a meeting?
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No, you can hold a meeting from any computer – or even a mobile device – as long as it has Internet access. Just log in with your account email and password at www.gotomeeting.com.
Hold a scheduled meeting: Your scheduled meetings will be listed under My Meetings – just click the Start Meetingbutton next to the meeting you want to start.
Hold an instant meeting: Click the Host a Meeting button, then choose the Meet Now button. Your meeting will start immediately. To invite people to your meeting, click the Invite Others button in the control panel. A window will open with instructions for joining that you can email, instant message or tell your attendees over the phone.
To schedule a meeting: Click the Host a Meeting button, then choose the Schedule Meeting button. Fill out the meeting information and click the Schedule button. A meeting invitation email will launch automatically. - How do I start an impromptu meeting?
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On a PC
There are several ways to start a one-click impromptu meeting:
· Double-click the GoToMeeting system tray icon.
· Click the Meet Now button integrated into Microsoft Outlook and various instant-messaging applications.
· Scheduled meetings can be started with one click from the My Meetings web page after logging in to the GoToMeeting website.
On a Mac
Just click the GoToMeeting icon in the dock and then click the Meet Now button.
Your meeting will start and the GoToMeeting organizer control panel will appear on the right side of your desktop. - How do I schedule a meeting?
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On a PC
To schedule a meeting in advance, right-click the GoToMeeting system tray icon on the bottom-right corner of your screen, select Schedule a Meeting... and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the Schedule Meeting dialog box, enter your meeting information and click the Schedule button.You will be notified that your meeting has been scheduled. If you are using Microsoft Outlook, a meeting reminder will be generated and give you the option of inviting attendees via an Outlook Calendar appointment.
On a Mac
To schedule a meeting in advance, click the GoToMeeting icon in the dock, select Schedule Meeting and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the Schedule Meeting dialog box, enter your meeting information and click the Schedule button. You will be notified that your meeting has been scheduled. - How do I set up recurring meetings that I can use any time?
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On a PC
To set up a recurring meeting, right-click the GoToMeeting system tray icon on the bottom-right corner of your screen, select Schedule a Meeting... and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the Schedule Meeting dialog box, click the check box next to Recurring meeting. This will disable the scheduling settings, keeping the meeting open and available in My Meetings until you delete it. Click the Schedule button.You will be notified that your meeting has been scheduled. If you are using Microsoft Outlook, a meeting reminder will be generated and give you the option of inviting attendees via an Outlook Calendar appointment.
On a Mac
To set up a recurring meeting, click the GoToMeeting icon in the dock, select Schedule Meeting and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the Schedule Meeting dialog box, click the check box next to Recurring meeting. This will disable the scheduling settings, keeping the meeting open and available in My Meetings until you delete it. Click the Schedule button. You will be notified that your meeting has been scheduled. - How do I start a scheduled or recurring meeting?
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On a PC
To start a previously scheduled meeting, right-click the GoToMeeting system tray icon, select My Meetings and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the My Scheduled Meetings dialog box, select the meeting you wish to start and click Start.
On a Mac
To start a previously scheduled meeting, click the GoToMeeting icon in the dock, click the My Meetings button and log in by entering your account information and clicking the Log In button. Then, on the My Meetings – GoToMeeting dialog box, select the meeting you wish to start and click Start. - Can I use GoToMeeting with email or instant-messaging applications?
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GoToMeeting integrates with Microsoft Outlook and other popular email and instant-messaging applications, so you can easily start or schedule meetings while using them.
- How do I save chat sessions from my meetings?
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Under the File menu select Save Chat Log... This opens the "Save Chat Log to a File" dialog that allows you to store it locally.
- How do I share one application and nothing else?
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On a PC
A presenter can share a single application by right-clicking the screen-sharing icon on the control panel grab tab and then selecting the application to share from the list of applications presented.
On a Mac
Since specific screen sharing is not yet available for Mac users, we recommend you close any application you do not want to share before initiating screen sharing. - What do I do if my attendees can't see my screen?
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Screen sharing needs to be turned on after starting a meeting – GoToMeeting starts with it turned off to prevent early attendees from viewing your preparation.
To enable screen sharing, click Show My Screen in the organizer control panel.
If attendees still can't see your screen, please contact Global Customer Support.
