For many companies, running a successful and informative business meeting can be a challenge. Getting everyone connected, focusing on the most important issues, and keeping the meeting on schedule while covering all necessary topics is difficult. But there’s a better way. Great conferencing software can improve meetings, keep companies focused on the task at hand, and ensure everyone has the same information. RingCentral’s conferencing software is one example that can serve multiple purposes and be used in multiple ways.
Center the speaker
When you’re speaking with a co-worker face to face, it’s obvious who is doing the talking; in general, you exchange ideas and share options back and forth. But when you’re holding a large meeting – especially if you have a hundred or more stakeholders at the table – keeping track of who’s speaking can be a challenge. High quality digital meeting software can pull the speaker’s face to the front and center, cueing everyone else to pay attention.
Hold side conversations without interrupting the flow
Sometimes you have a crucial question based on what the presenter is saying – but interrupting the speaker to ask it would waste everyone’s time. Great software offers a side chat function, which allows you to ask your team members a question without stopping the presentation flow. You can then determine if you have a general question to ask or if later follow-up is more appropriate.
Use cloud services to create and share presentations
Remember those years of hooking your laptop up to a projector and using click slides to go through your PowerPoint? No more. Modern conferencing software can connect to cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and more. You can create your presentation in the cloud and show it off without needing to download it to a hard drive.
Connect from any device, anywhere
One challenge with many conference programs is the inability to connect from any device. At one point, video conferences were just held between two different conference rooms in two different locations. But modern business needs much more than that. With high quality conference software, people can connect from anywhere and from any device. Their phone, their tablet, their home computer, or even the conference room, can all be ways to join and participate in the meeting. This helps salespeople on the road and companies that offer flex time and work from home days to keep office costs down. It keeps employees engaged and appreciative of their ability to work in the best space for them.
Create communication with remote teams
More companies than ever are relying on remote teams in order to create an ideal business environment. Stakeholders may be spread around the globe; team members may be in a dozen different countries. Getting everyone in the same physical location may be impossible, but using robust conferencing software to pull everyone together is a great way to make sure everyone’s on the same page. And as the Harvard Business Review pointed out, video conferencing takes about half the time as conference calls. Besides, these meetings can also help with team building; one challenge with remote teams is that individuals may only know someone by their email signature. Putting a name to a face can keep teams working in the same direction.
Employees have too much to do to spend their time in meetings where they don’t learn anything that couldn’t be covered in an email – and 35% of your employees think that meetings are a waste of time. Businesses should look at meetings as a time for employees and teams to connect, share information, brainstorm, and create new ideas by breaking down silos and fostering collaborative processes. High quality conferencing software supports high quality meetings.
