4 ways to improve the productivity of video conferencing
Effective communication is crucial for the running of any business. In fact, efficiency in all spheres of business helps sharpen the all-important competitive edge. Video conferencing assists in eliminating many of the physical barriers separating people and their ideas. Along with reducing business travel and accommodating conflicting work schedules, there are also other ways to further benefit from hosting a video conference. The following tips will help you host the most productive video conference:
1. Your video conference is only good as your preparation.
If you don’t prepare, you’re preparing yourself to fail. Hosting a video conference that flows efficiently, from beginning to end, lends itself to fewer interruptions and subsequently less time away from work duties. Achieving this, however, requires thorough preparation and setup of the conference equipment. Any last minute changes or updates during the conference wastes valuable time and only serves to interrupt the flow of your meeting.
Ensuring that all relevant material is collected and uploaded ahead of the video conference, results in less time spent searching for documents or trying to recall information that is missing from the presentation. Going through the running order of the conference ahead of time will also help to determine any faulty documents, equipment or connectivity issues.
2. Sourcing the right equipment and having it set up properly saves time and embarrassment.
There’s nothing more embarrassing than starting a video conference only to discover you have incorrectly set up the equipment. It wastes valuable time to find someone with technical expertise to come and correct it. Other aspects like the positioning of the camera, microphone and lighting of the boardroom should also be taken into consideration when setting up a video conference. Not being able to see or hear each other properly can lead to serious miscommunication. Many businesses sight cost as a deterring factor in investing in the latest VC equipment, but when considering how the technology aids in bringing about more efficient ways of conducting meetings, the fiscal cost becomes less of a factor.
Although high definition video conferencing equipment is more expensive and requires more data to operate, it is the best option for a clear display of facial expressions and body language. This can be especially useful in conducting accurate interviews with prospective employees, saving time and resources required for face-to-face meetings.
3. Make sure you have a good connection – no one likes to wait.
Video Conferencing, especially when using high definition video quality, is a bandwidth-heavy application. The quality of your video streaming is reliant on your bandwidth. Thus, ensuring that there is more bandwidth available than the standard requirement to host the video conference will ensure that there are no delays.
Delays not only slow down the video conference itself, but also the sharing of information between participants. Slow connections are annoying and also increase the time needed to run the conference, limiting productivity. This will require some trial and error testing from your IT department and your VC provider, but thorough testing and analysis will result in more productive and collaborative meetings void of the dreaded technical glitch.
4. Being polite can save you time – always adhere to video conferencing etiquette.
Would you respond to an email or update your Facebook status while sitting in a meeting? No. Video conferencing is the closest thing to a face-to-face meeting, so the same social protocol should apply. The person on the other end of the screen can see everything that you are doing – most likely in high definition.
Although no travel expenses have been incurred, participants are sacrificing time away from other responsibilities to take part in the video conference. Attention focused elsewhere lead to people having to repeat themselves, and even worse, scheduling another video conference to relay the same information.
Don’t interrupt whoever is speaking and wait until they have finished talking before sharing your thoughts. If all participants speak at the same time, crucial information might be missed and people will be forced to constantly repeat themselves.
Make sure your next video conference runs smoothly. Let our team of experts assist you in selecting and setting up the right equipment to host your most productive video conference yet.