We are all living in a new normal these days, but thankfully platforms like Mersive provide virtual meeting environments to keep us connected and collaborating. We have gotten so used to working from home over the past year that many companies have opted to keep remote work environments in place, at least for the near future.
If your company or school has decided to allow employees or students to work in a remote environment, here are the 5 things you should look for in software and cloud services to help your meetings and lessons run smoothly and stay collaborative.
1. Can you share wirelessly with a large group of people?
Large groups that sit in different locations often work on different operating systems that do not communicate well in concert. There are technology companies, like Mersive, that offer advanced wireless software systems that will allow a limitless number of users to connect and participate in your meeting, even if they have different conferencing services.
2. Can they collaborate and engage as if they are in the same room?
If one person needs to move content around, or you are trying to run a video, it can be frustrating to experience frozen screens or cumbersome sharing capabilities. Look for platforms that allow anyone on the call to shift content and see video, regardless of the type of device they are using.
3. Can the platform connect with other users’ conferencing service technologies?
Not everyone uses the same platform and often it becomes a hassle to make sure all of your participants can join a meeting without downloading another video conferencing app. For instance, some people use Android and others iOS. Companies like Mersive Technologies offer the ability to connect with other users’ platforms and devices to send invites that show up on their calendars, connect to conferencing that is synched to their conferencing apps and share multi-source content that they can download.
4. Can you gain analytic results to measure productivity from your meetings?
Sometimes it is difficult to gauge productivity from your employees when working in a remote environment. Just like when you are physically in an office, some meetings can be very productive, and others offer no solutions at the end…just more meetings. The good thing about conferencing platforms is that some, like Mersive, offer the ability to literally keep track of your meetings over a period of time. So, you will know how many people join a call, how long the average call lasts, what level of collaboration and participation takes place and how the conference “room” is being utilized. This is a great way to understand how beneficial meetings are and will help to better organize time and efficiencies of your employees.
5. Is the software secure?
One of the biggest issues that many companies worry about with remote meetings focuses on security. Whether your employees are located in the same town or around the world, cyber security has become a concern. After all, your teams are sharing information that is vital to running your business and hackers are getting more proficient at sleuthing into cloud-based software systems. Work with an experienced AV integrator to make sure the chosen software has multiple security checkpoints built in to ensure that any updates to your software are safe.
How do you evaluate the best system for your business?
Now that you realize you need more than just a Zoom app, figuring out the best software system and integration tools can be confusing. Here are a few points to consider:
Size and Scope Matter:
The type of system that you need will depend on the number of people who will be utilizing it, the amount of teleconferencing you conduct, and the geographical coverage you will need. Obviously, if you are a global company with locations in dozens of countries, the configuration and requirements will be extremely detailed. You may also need language adaptations and security systems.
Location. Location. Location.:
If you are thinking that at some point during the next year, your offices will reopen, will all of your employees be back in the office or will some remain remote? Taking into account the installation needs at your physical office now can save transition time when you welcome employees back. And if you have decided that remote work is here to stay for your business, then the technology in each employees’ home office should be evaluated to determine if their connectivity is conducive to the system you want to put into place.
Training:
While most software systems are pretty intuitive, employees may find it takes some adjustment to learning a new way to schedule and run meetings. Even if your team is working at home, a reputable AV integrator can offer ongoing support and services like training to make sure everyone knows how to use the systems and that the software is properly installed.
The company you keep:
There are many companies out there that promote the ability to solve COVID solutions for A/V and tele conferencing. Make sure they know exactly what your needs are before committing to one. You may need flexible products like the ones that Mersive offers to handle the diversity of platforms.
Everything you need to keep your business or school up and running is available to you in a virtual world. Working with a reputable AV integrator will help you determine what you need, how it works and how it can benefit your organization.