Best Practices for Effective Unified Communications Video Conferencing
January 29, 2015 by
If many industry experts are to be believed, video conferencing may well be the primary communication channel for businesses in the not-so-distant future. Video conferencing allows employees to engage in a way that is personal and minimizes the risk of miscommunication. This is not just good for business - professionals actively appreciate the benefits of video conferencing as well.
However, to get the most value out of a video conferencing solution, business leaders need to follow best practices. Here are just a few of the most significant.
1. Train users
One of the most important and most frequently overlooked steps for achieving video conferencing success is user training. Because video conferencing tools typically seem fairly straightforward and intuitive on the surface, business leaders often assume that nothing more than a quick demo is needed by employees.To a certain extent, this is true. But to mine the maximum value from a solution, employees need to know not just the basics, but also the advanced functionality that a high-quality video conferencing solution will have to offer, such as screen sharing and file transfers. This requires more in-depth training and education - many employees will not discover these features on their own, or will struggle to use them effectively without guidance.
2. Set policy
Business decision-makers also need to institute policies that encourage high-quality use of video conferencing tools. For example, Entrepreneur Magazine emphasized the importance of users muting their microphones whenever they are not speaking. This reduces the chances that distracting background noise will interrupt the virtual meeting.Similarly, the source noted that users should always test their microphones prior to beginning a video conference. Failure to do so will waste the user's time, as well as the other virtual meeting attendees.
In both cases, encouraging best practices is not enough. Business leaders should establish official policy guidelines that address these and other habits that will lead to an optimal video conferencing experience for all participants.