As the last decade came to a close nobody could have predicted what 2020 had in store for us. In these difficult times, finding a way to maintain routines and relationships in and amongst the madness might be just the silver lining you need.
The global lockdown means many companies and institutions have now had their hands forced and meetings, lectures and conferences have been moved online via conferencing apps such as Zoom. Although this change was drastic and seemed intimidating at the start, unforeseen benefits soon began to emerge.
Meetings and conferences were being held without companies facing huge expense and many of the functions available via these apps made recording and sharing information with participants much easier and better organised. When the new normal brings such benefits with it, the question of how to continue beyond the pandemic arises; nobody wants to sacrifice a new-found benefit for the sake of tradition.
Through video-communication software such as Zoom, you can host conferences with up to 1,000 viewers and 49 onscreen videos. Personal meetings or online training sessions of up to 500 people. One to one sessions with peers or catching up on pre-recorded seminars from university.
Making the best use of the technology at your fingertips has never been more important. Keeping everyone in the loop during the global lockdowns is vital not just for business but for staff morale and motivation. Looking forward, it will also provide a great advantage in preparing for a return to normality.
Armed with just a mobile phone and a steady internet connection you can now make significant changes to your business operations quickly and reliably. With screen share you can run your viewers through power point presentations or have select participants control the screen making live annotations and notes.
It’s All In The Planning
With proper preparation and planning you can make your presentation as though all the right people were with you there in the room. Notable preparation might consist of checking your meeting time suits the time-zone of all your participants. Setting an agenda prior to a meeting may also come in handy. If you haven’t pinged the relevant info out on an email prior to your virtual gathering, set up a waiting room for the meeting you’re hosting. You can post information for participants to view there whilst they wait for it to start.
It’s always a good idea to be acquainted with your software. Getting the audio and visuals right shouldn’t be too difficult a task. A quick soundcheck with your participants will confirm that you’re coming across loud and clear. With your visuals, make sure you’ve angled the camera right and it’s not pointing up your nose.
It is also advisable to make sure everyone in the call is aware of their settings too. You’ll probably want the majority of your viewers to have their microphones muted to save any unnecessary feedback noises or interruptions. At the same time, you may also want people to contribute ideas or ask questions. Making use of Zooms raised hand feature can keep things running smoothly.
Whatever your business goals throughout the pandemic, we’re sure Zoom can help keep your operations in touch and on time. Out the other side, we’d like to hope that you’ve found features that make more business sense and continue to enjoy the benefits of worldwide video conferencing, from the comfort of your own office.
We are the official Zoom Integration Partner in the Middle East. Click here to speak to our sales team about how we can integrate Zoom 5.0 into your business!
