Blog post by: Ashley Sledge, Baer Performance Marketing Intern
With it sometimes being a challenge to hold meetings and conferences in person—especially in 2020—there are many tools that have been developed to allow people to connect virtually. Video conferencing software provides many benefits:
- It allows for “face-to-face” communication.
- Many studies have shown that communication is much more effective when you can see the person you are talking to. This allows you to see mannerisms and the facial expressions that are being used.
- Maintaining virtual eye contact can promote the same level of engagement as speaking in person.
- It’s environmentally friendly.
- A recent study conducted by George Mason University found that driving an hour in a car to attend a meeting uses the equivalent electrical power of 1,000 hours of video conferencing.
- It connects teams and allows collaboration regardless of where in the world each team member is located.
Some of the top video conferencing apps include Zoom, BlueJeans, and Microsoft Teams.
Zoom
Zoom is one of the most used virtual meeting apps in the world. It is easy to use, up to 100 people can join in on one call and it includes a chat feature, allowing meeting attendees to communicate without interrupting the speaker. The software also offers HD video and audio with screen-sharing capabilities and works with all operating systems: PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. However, due to the fact that one just needs a simple code to join a meeting, they can easily be hacked. Anyone can enter the call if they put in the correct code. Overall, Zoom is a great choice for virtual team meetings. It allows for easy collaboration and team brainstorming, but classified information should not be shared during a call.
BlueJeans
BlueJeans Meetings has Dolby voice delivery which has been made to give the best audio experience by amplifying the speaker’s voice and cancelling out background noise. The app will also detect spotty network connection and recommend actions to mitigate meeting disruptions. Other features include screen- and calendar-sharing capabilities as well as a chat function. BlueJeans Meetings is used by Facebook, Red Hat, and LinkedIn for employee collaboration and large-scale meeting productivity. Overall, the software’s ratings are very high. Users believe it is easy to use and schedule appointments.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is another popular video conferencing app that many companies use. One of the major advantages of Microsoft Teams is that it is a feature of Office 365, and many users won’t need to switch between different platforms to use it. Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote can be quickly accessed, allowing for enhanced collaboration and communication through shared documents, calendars and files.
With so much uncertainty in the world right now, many businesses are trying to find ways to be innovative with communication to keep staff, clients and partners safe. With the help of video conferencing software, teams can continue to collaborate and support one another. However, each video conferencing tool has its own unique qualities, and businesses should identify what they wish to accomplish during their virtual meetings and conduct research to find the software that is best suited for their culture and goals.
If you’re looking for help pinpointing the right video conferencing software for your company, contact Baer Performance Marketing today.
Sources
Cameron, Ashley. “Why Zoom became so popular” The Verge April 3, 2019. Retrieved from
“Blue Jeans is the Choice for Enterprise collaborations and productivity” April 3, 2019.
Retrieved from https://www.bluejeans.com/press-releases/bluejeans-choice-enterprise-collaboration-and-productivity
“L’Oreal rapidly adopts Microsoft Teams, inspires global conversations and innovation” October
30, 2019 retrieved from https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/760464-loreal-
Blue Jeans Reviews. Retrieved from
https://www.trustradius.com/products/bluejeans/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons
Blue Jeans by Verizon. Retrieved from https://www.bluejeans.com/mobile
