Videoconferencing – Where do you Want to Talk?

The concept of video conferencing was once the sole domain of science fiction as you are no doubt aware, but things have changed considerably since the days of old, and with good reason. Technology has marched forward at a considerable pace, and with smart devices at everyone’s disposal, it should be no surprise that companies like the BlueJeans are taking clear advantage of it. There are a few things that you must understand about the new video conferencing software, particularly how it will help you to connect to your employees or co-workers better.

We’ve Come this Far

How far have we come with video conferencing exactly? What changes have been made? Do you remember software like Netmeeting? Do you remember how difficult it could be to arrange a meeting with that software? Yes it was lightweight and it did come pre-installed on every machine from Windows 98 all the way to Windows XP, but it did have its share of limitations, for example the ability to run solely on Windows which created compatibility issues. For many years companies have dreamed of having the ability to connect anywhere regardless of the device or operating system. Just imagine being able to video conference through a web browser back in the nineties – that would definitely take the cake. These days, believe it or not, web browsers are very much able to perform tasks such as chat, video conferencing, file transfers, etc. The changes in web browsers have given them so much more capability than the HTML display application they used to be. Now, a web browser can be your portal to the world, at least with the right plugins.

What Device do you Want?

The most important question right now, is where do you want to chat from? Where do you want your employees to chat from? Holding a conference has never been easier, and the available software supports a number of different platforms. Whether you want to bring a smartphone to the table, or perhaps want to chat from your computer, all you need to do is click a button. The video conferencing software today even supports Google Hangouts, meaning you never have to install any software – it just works.

Imagine a scenario where you have several employees out of the office and you need to hold an emergency meeting. In the old days you would need to coral everyone into one place, which can be quite inconvenient, and it can be bad for business. There are several commodities in business that cannot be measured tangibly but are critical nonetheless:

• Money
• Employees
• Time

Notice how we have bolded the last point: time. When they say that time is money, they aren’t kidding. Without time you would be unable to complete even the most basic of tasks, and the more time you waste, the less you will be able to accomplish. The more time your employees spend in the office having meetings, the less time they will be spending with clients, and that’s really bad for business. That being said, now would be a great time to start looking into a better video conferencing software. Remember, videoconferencing is not necessarily JUST for contacting foreign investors or customers in other states, though it is most certainly useful for that. Conferencing software can be focused on employees as well as outside contacts, and the newest software can save more time than you realize.

So long as everyone in your office has a compatible device and a good connection, they will be able to participate in your meetings, and soon enough, you will have a much higher level of productivity. It might seem like a small change, but a good software for online conferencing like Blue Jeans UK can literally change the way you do business, and that’s definitely worth looking into.

Go to the Cloud

Author Stream recently published a paper outlining some of the benefits of cloud computing, and particularly, moving video services to the cloud. Rather than relying on software that is installed locally, make sure that you find a company who can provide you with a cloud solution.

The cloud is an amazing innovation, and a great way to save money according to Tech Target, though not new by any means. In terms of video conferencing, it means that you will not have to deal with the administration of the software, and it means that you will not have to worry about compatibility issues. A piece of software served from another location will be compatible with all browsers and all operating systems across the board. Going to the cloud is one of the best things that you could possibly do for your company. Start looking into the benefits of taking your video to the cloud and it won’t be long before you’re saving both time and money.