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February 14, 2008

THU 14 FEB

10 Tips For Getting The Most Out of Your Videoconferences By marketing team

Meeting is the word with which every one does hate in an organization. Time is precious for everyone so to save the time is the best option to do with today’s technology, there’s more than one way to conduct a meeting. For a long time the Telephone conferences have been taking the place of face-to-face meetings, but they leave a lot to be desired.

If you are able interact the peoples then it will give lot of satisfaction. E-mail chat is also supporting for some useful message communication but the purpose of conference meeting is not solved with it. In business the voice is most important thing.

 

Now the 500 fortune companies are using the Videoconferencing to communicate their business. The planning and preparation is always required discussing some useful points.

 

1. The Hardware

Video teleconferencing systems are complex because they transmit both video and audio streams in real time, and in most cases, these streams are compressed and decompressed for more efficient travel over the network. Good quality hardware equipment can make the difference between a productive conference and one in which you spend so much time adjusting the equipment and trying to get a good picture or sound that you miss the content of the conference.

 

To input the data each participant should have a video camera or webcam, microphone and projector with speakers for output of incoming data. The quality of the hardware must be good. You will get frustrated if there is some important video conferencing is taking place and your hardware gives error at the same time. It’s very important to have

Webcams and the other necessary peripherals put videoconferencing of best quality.

 

2. The Software

The most important factor in choosing software is to ensure that it will do what you need. Some conferencing software limits the number of conference participants, for example. If you need to be able to give PowerPoint presentations, transmit whiteboard diagrams, share applications or the desktop, distribute files to participants, etc., be sure that the software you pick supports those options.

 

Dedicated systems will come with their own software, but if you’re going the poor-man’s route with webcam-equipped PCs, you can choose from a variety of software programs. If you’re meeting with one person, you can use free software, such as Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, or Skype, among many others.

 

3: Do Advance Checking

To save the time of you and others it is good if you check equipment and test it before the video conferencing network. Let’s take a example, A pilot goes through a preflight checklist prior to every takeoff, you should test your equipment prior to every conference. This advance checking will save your time and give the best impression on your conferencing group members.

 

4: Check The Firewall

A common cause for failure of videoconferencing software is that the protocols it uses are being blocked by the firewall. If you don’t have sole control over your company’s firewalls, you could find yourself in this position at any time.

 

5: Bandwidth Speed

For Videoconferencing the good bandwidth is min 128 Kbps and it puts big bandwidth demands on your Internet connection. If the bandwidth is low then you may have trouble transmitting clear video and audio signals.

 

6: Use The Self-View Window

See you’re self in monitor before starting videoconferencing with client. See yourself in a self-view window. Use this feature to check how you appear to others in the conference. If you know that how you are looking the other side then your confidence will also increase. You must have the professional appearance and between the meetings it will be good if you keep checking the self-view window.

 

7: Remove distractions ahead of time

The video conferencing is very costly and effective. Suppose you are busy with the conference and someone distract you when you are giving some useful information to the clients. Think what kind of impression they will get about you. So it’s very important to distraction before you start the video conferencing.

 

If you’re at your desk at work, close your office door and lock it if possible or consider placing a sign on it to prevent co-workers from bursting in during the conference. Turn off the ringers on your mobile phones. And give instruction to your secretary that no one disturb you.
 

If you are video conferencing from home. It is important to inform your spouse and kids know that you’re going to be in a business meeting and should not be disturbed for anything short of a real emergency. Lock pets out of the room; even the best-behaved animals seem to have a knack for barking/meowing or jumping up onto your lap at just the wrong time when you’re on camera.

 

8: Dress Code

The dress which you are wearing in video conferencing must be professional and neat and clean. Yes it is the true that a telephone conference take place with voice but such thighs like dress code are not important in telephonic conference look. You can conduct telephonic conference even you are not looking good and your hair’s a mess and you’re wearing your grungiest sweats. That’s not so for a videoconference. Even if you’re working from home, the best practice is to dress professionally, as you would if you were meeting with these people face to face. Choose the liter color clothing.

 

9:  Avoid Multitask

You are doing the important task when you are in video conferencing so try to avoid the other works. It may happen that you are surfing net or using some other gadgets for communication while conference is on. But remember it will give the negative impact on other group members of video conferencing, so be careful. Sometime we think that when my turn will come then I will share the point meanwhile I can do some other things. So, again it is very important to take care of these things because it may happen that you miss some important point of the meeting.   

 

10: Show etiquette

Your patience is important in the video conferencing meeting. The same rules apply as when attending a “real” meeting: Don’t be late; don’t interrupt or speak when others are speaking; don’t get emotional. Introduce yourself the first time you speak State your positions or comments clearly and concisely — don’t ramble on or hog the floor, and don’t bring up issues that aren’t related to the agenda of the conference.

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