A practical guide to video conferencing

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to quickly adapt to technologies that help them get on with their day to day. Whether that’s continuing to work as an effective team or stay in touch with their clients, good communication is vital in times of uncertainty.

Video chat is a powerful communication platform that allows you to tap into the best elements of face to face interaction when doing so is not possible. 

If video chat is new to your business, this guide will help you get set up and ready to communicate.

What video chat tools are available?

Video conferencing software has seen surges in popularity during the pandemic; here are a few popular choices to help you find the best services for your business:

• Adobe Connect
• Amazon Chime
• AnyMeeting
• BlueJeans
• Cisco Webex
• Fuze
• Google Hangouts
• GoToMeeting
• Join.me
• Polycom
• Skype for Business
• Zoom

Read more: How brokers can still support clients by staying active online

What to consider

Before deciding if video conferencing is for you, here are some thoughts to consider:

• Integration: video chat scheduling works best when done through your calendar with invites sent to those attending, so they’ll be just one click away from joining you. Make sure your chosen video chat tool integrates with your email client.
• Compatibility: having a video conference tool that you use with colleagues and clients alike means you’ll need the technology to be compatible with most systems and hardware. 
• Video quality: poor image quality is frustrating to users and while most modern tech will deliver good results, it is worth checking that everybody in your business has a good webcam and a good internet connection before they reach out to clients.
• Camera shyness: some clients won’t want to appear on camera so being able to adapt is important. For instance, you could offer to conduct the meeting with audio only.

Read more: The broker’s guide to effective communication tools

Some best practices

• Use a headset in a crowded space or if you expect distractions.

If you’re in a noisy environment, you don’t want distractions getting in the way of a conference call. So it’s worth investing in a decent headset.

• Use your mute button.

If you’re in a loud area, a conference call in which you’re not saying much, or a client call while you have a cough, your mute button will ensure others on the call don’t get distracted by sounds your microphone will pick up.

• Don’t have a window behind you or sit in direct sunlight.

This is to do with how your camera picks out your silhouette. A window behind you will negatively impact the quality of your appearance as your camera will balance the brightness of the window by making you appear very dark. Instead, sit against a wall or close the blinds.

With the surge in popularity for video conferencing during the pandemic, we anticipate some habits to stick once we get back to normal. It’s worth, therefore, investing the time in building a professional appearance that becomes a natural extension of your workplace. After all, it could be what sets you apart from the competition in years to come.

For more information on how brokers can respond to the Covid-19 challenges to business, check out our resources.