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If your business has been using freemium versions of multiple video conferencing applications, now is the time to bite the bullet and sign-up for a single, paid service. If different departments are using different platforms, you have less ability to regulate attendees, increasing your security risks. Free models usually limit the number of guests who can join, the meeting's maximum duration, and moderation features. And with these limits, your employees cannot collaborate as effectively, meaning you won't be as productive. And in uncertain economic times, that's simply something you cannot afford.
Required Hardware
Before you start buying random video conferencing tools for your business, first assess your needs. How many users need access, and of those users, how many will be scheduling and moderating meetings? This information will help you determine how many licenses you'll need to buy.
You'll also want to determine whether you'll want to video conference from your business office. If so, you'll need to purchase and install hardware. If you expect to broadcast your meetings to co-workers or clients in remote locations, your office space should be equipped, at minimum, with a:
● Large TV screen or projector
● High-resolution omnidirectional webcam
● Omnidirectional microphone
● Dedicated computer (preferably one with 2 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor)
● Internet connection with appropriate bandwidth (about 4 Mbps per attendee for solid quality)
Of course, depending on your intended usage, you may need to make adjustments. For example, if you're helping your employees equip home offices, then you may only need to ensure they have a laptop with a high-quality graphics card and sufficient RAM, as well as a reliable router.
Video Conferencing Software
When you've determined your hardware needs, you'll need to examine the video conference software options for business out there. You'll want a system that's simple to set up, as well as easy for users to use. You'll need a secure system as well, given that you'll be transmitting private, sometimes sensitive audio, text, and video data. The most secure solutions encrypt data before transmission and have robust user authentication options to protect your data.
For example, BlueJeans only stores very basic customer information to protect your information. All BlueJeans transmissions are encrypted using AES-256 GCM encryption — a broadly trusted and reliable encryption solution. Meeting credentials are kept private by way of randomized nine-digit IDs. Moderators can also require passwords to make meetings even more secure. And that's not all. Moderators can share information only with specific participants, rather than all meeting attendees. They can prevent new attendees from joining using ‘quick lock’ and can expel unwanted guests. And for the most secure meetings, they can require all users to enable AES encryption on their device before gaining access.
Internal Management Policies
When you've installed your hardware and purchased your Enterprise video conferencing system, you'll want to establish protocols for managing the system. Start with security protocols. For example, will all moderators be required to enable the password function for every meeting? Check with your data security staff to help you come up with some best practices.
Next, consider your expectations for staff while they're on video conference. Are they allowed to have their cameras off? Should they be prohibited from having certain content on their virtual backgrounds — or prohibited from using them at all? Work with other managers and HR to develop appropriate guidelines for staff behavior in online meetings.
You'll also want to identify a staff member or two who can help staff members troubleshoot common video conferencing programs, as well as interface with your software provider's technical support staff on behalf of your company. And you'll also need to figure out a scheduling system, presuming you've purchased a limited number of licenses. You could set up a form that staff fills out to request a meeting. A dedicated staff member could schedule the requests on a centralized Google or Outlook calendar that everyone could see, based on which license is available.
Equipping your business with standardized video conferencing equipment will take time, effort, and money, but you'll find the results well worth it. To easily set up video conferencing for your business, consider BlueJeans for your video conferencing software needs. Our secure and feature-filled solution will have you collaborating more effectively in no time. Contact us today for more information on video conferencing solutions for your business.
Check out our BlueJeans Meetings page or try BlueJeans Meetings for free.
About the Author
Priyanka is a customer centric and data driven Product Marketing Manager with a diverse experience. At BlueJeans, she is responsible for driving marketing strategy for the BlueJeans Meetings platform focused on go-to-market activities and product messaging. Prior to BlueJeans, Priyanka was responsible for driving strategy and direction for multiple product families at Fujitsu, intimately involved in creating optimal GTM strategy to achieve business goals. Priyanka has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University and an MBA in Marketing & Business Analytics from SMU in Dallas, Texas. Outside of work, Priyanka loves spending time with her family and traveling the world.
Priyanka Mehta
