In 2021, the video conferencing industry was worth an impressive $6 billion globally. Thanks in large part to the pandemic, experts anticipate an 85% increase in remote work through 2025.
Whether your organization is already remote or trying to design a hybrid work environment, it’s clear that you need the right technology to make remote workers just as productive as in-office employees. Video conferencing for small business mimics the face-to-face interactions of office work—regardless of where your employees are located.
While most organizations were forced to choose a video conferencing system during the pandemic, now it’s important to put more secure, permanent systems in place. But how do you find the right video conferencing system for your brand?
It’s time to rethink video conferencing. Follow this guide to find a robust, right-sized video conferencing system that keeps your team connected, no matter what.
What is video conferencing?
Video conferencing is a type of synchronous communication technology, which means all of your interactions are happening live. Most video conferencing systems include audio and video, although some teams prefer to turn their cameras off to minimize distractions.
Video conferencing is usually part of a business’s unified communications solution, deployed as SaaS or an application. Video conferencing has been around since the early 2000s, but during the pandemic, it was a godsend for productivity.
Depending on your organization, you could use video conferencing for all sorts of reasons, including:
- Team meetings.
- Client presentations.
- Vendor meetings.
- Product demonstrations.
- Internal town halls.
- Webinars.
- Training.
- Social events and team building.
- Job interviews.
How to set up video conferencing for your small business?
Setting up secure video conferencing for your team is much more complicated than buying a software subscription. Your organization will likely need to:
- Choose a video conferencing solution: Some businesses design a custom video conferencing small business solution However, it’s usually better to go with an existing provider instead of doing it yourself. This will allow your team to get started more quickly and avoid the headaches of maintaining your own system. Choose a solution out of the box, whether that’s Zoom, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, or Webex.
- Establish meeting best practices: Even if you’ve been using video conferencing for a while, it’s a good idea to coach your team on appropriate behavior. Rules of etiquette will keep your meetings as productive and useful as possible, ensuring you see ROI on video conferencing. This might mean asking employees to mute themselves when they aren’t speaking or limiting meetings to 30 minutes instead of an hour.
- Purchase the right equipment: Even if you have a video conferencing subscription, you’ll need the right equipment to take full advantage of its features. Ensure your team has screens, microphones, cameras, and speakers either in their home office or in-office conference rooms.
3 things to consider for video conferencing software for small business
Video conferencing gives your team the chance to connect face-to-face, which is a powerful way to boost productivity. However, it’s important to keep these 3 factors in mind when you’re looking for a video conferencing system.
1 – Security
Is your IT infrastructure secure enough to protect your team? Zoom bombing is a real threat that can derail your team’s productivity, so secure video conferencing is a must. Ensure that your security system is robust enough to facilitate collaboration without compromising employee access.
2 – Mobile availability for BYOD
80% of participants join video calls from their laptop or desktop. However, it’s still important to ensure that your video conferencing system allows for mobile access, too—especially if you allow Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).
Does your video conferencing system have a mobile app? Is the interface mobile-friendly? Some of your employees will need to dial in on the go, so test a few options to make sure they will work for your distributed team.
3 – Available integrations
Will you use video conferencing as a standalone solution, or will it integrate with your other tools? Some video conferencing providers only offer video conferencing while others offer more holistic unified communications solutions. A unified platform certainly makes it easier to manage phone calls, voicemail, faxes, voice to email, and more. Choose a solution that solves as many problems as possible to streamline your tech stack.
Trust Dice to overhaul your video conferencing system
Your employees likely already know how to use a video conferencing system. At this stage, your business needs thoughtful, strategic video conferencing for small business that solves communication headaches. Remember to consider security, mobile availability, and integrations when it’s time to overhaul your video conferencing system.
