What a Business-Class Cloud Video Conferencing Solution Looks Like

What a Business-Class Cloud Video Conferencing Solution Looks Like

Early video conferencing solutions were major timesavers and money savers. Organizations no longer had to spend days or weeks planning face-to-face meetings, or pay for travel and accommodations. But those early solutions did require expensive on-premises equipment. Outside integrators were needed to install a video conferencing system in a single conference room, and setting up the system for a meeting was a complicated process.

Today, cloud-based video conferencing solutions overcome the shortcomings of earlier systems. You can set up a video conference on any desktop or mobile device in a matter of minutes without specialized expertise. Cameras and microphones are built into the devices and provide superior video and audio quality than equipment from just 10 years ago.

However, not all cloud-based video conferencing solutions have the same features and capabilities. You need to choose a business-class service that aligns with your business requirements. It’s tempting to try out a free, consumer service, but free services typically lack the functionality, quality, security, support and service-level agreement (SLA) you would receive in a business-class service.

Web-based conferencing solutions essentially add a video component to their web-based meeting service, which focus on audio and the ability to view content. “Meet me” video conferencing solutions are slightly different in that they don’t require a reservation. However, both require users to dial into a shared, cloud-based meeting space, where the meeting organizer starts the call.

A business-class video conferencing solution gives you the total package in a cloud service – easy to deploy, easy to connect and use, high-quality video and audio, and highly secure. Of course, some solutions are better than others. There are certain features and characteristics to look for in a business-class cloud video conferencing system.

Ease of use from both an admin perspective and user perspective is critical. Admins should be able to use an online dashboard to generate usage reports, change user and meeting room directories, and manage security permissions. Users should be able to organize and participate in video conferences on any device without interoperability issues. A business-class solution should also support audio calls, chat, screen sharing, file sharing and other collaboration tools that are best-suited to complete the task at hand. A unified solution will reduce complexity and deliver a better, more consistent user experience.

Advanced security tools such as next-generation firewalls, end-to-end encryption, and multifactor authentication allow you to discuss trade secrets and share sensitive information with minimal risk of a breach. Software should be updated automatically, and you should be alerted automatically when new features become available.

Request a demo of any cloud-based video conferencing solution you’re considering so you can verify video and audio quality. Find out what technology the provider uses to deliver the performance required to support HD video and audio. Make sure all performance requirements, and compensation for failure to meet those requirements, are spelled out in a detailed SLA.

How many users and locations need to participate in video conferences? How will they use the service? The solution you choose should offer the scalability to grow with your organizationand the features to support your desired use cases. Of course, video conferencing isn’t just for meetings. Explore ways to incorporate video into other areas of your organization, such as employee training, IT support, sales and marketing, and consulting across distributed locations.

Innovative, cloud-based video conferencing solutions from Verteks allow you to bring together everyone on your team, regardless of location or device. Let us help you implement a cost-efficient system that maximizes productivity and collaboration and drives your business forward.


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