If your business has employees who are always on the go, you know how hard it is to get everyone together for a team meeting. Many businesses have considered implementing a video conferencing solution to solve the problem of conflicting schedules. But, since there are so many programs out there, how do you know which is the best?
How to Choose the Right Video Conferencing Solution
Just like any other office technology, there are several things you want to keep in mind when choosing a video conference solution.
Pricing
Needless to say, don’t go after a solution that’s out of your price range. The good news is that the majority of video conferencing services offer cost-free packages or at least trial versions.
User Experience
A complicated interface will lead to delayed meeting times. Ease of use is also a prime factor to look for.
Support
Even the most reliable solutions go haywire sometimes, and you can’t plan for tech disasters. What you can do is choose a software that has a track record of solid customer support to quickly get your meetings back on track if your software crashes.
3 Examples of Solid Solutions
Fuze
For small businesses who need a reliable yet affordable video conferencing solution, Fuze (formerly known as ThinkingPhones) is a top choice. Its free plan generously allows you to host an unlimited number of meetings with up to 25 participants each. With features such as file transfers, desktop sharing, instant messaging and much more, it’s one of our top choices.
If your business grows, Fuze’s Pro plan costs about $10 a month, and enables 125 people to attend each meeting. All of Fuze’s plans, free or paid, include 1GB of cloud space for storage of important documents.
The cons of Fuze include a lack of a browser-based version and a counterintuitive screen sharing system.
Cisco WebEx
Cisco is huge into business communications, especially VoIP. Their WebEx video conferencing software is a solid choice for businesses who have a little bit of a budget to spend. There is a free version, which allows for meetings of up to three people, and paid packages that allow for meetings of up to eight, 25 or 100 people. Prices increase as conference capacity does.
WebEx can be integrated with Microsoft Outlook to remind attendees about upcoming meetings. Full-featured mobile tools are available, so participants can be just as involved in meetings even if they’re on their mobile devices.
The main knock against WebEx is the price. The full premium version costs just under $600 per year.
GoToMeeting
With HD-quality video, browser-based functionality and free multi-national, toll-free calling, GoToMeeting is a tough competitor on this list. Screen sharing is remarkably easy, and the presenter of the meeting can be changed with the click of a button. GoToMeeting also uses 128-bit encryption to keep your meetings secure.
The cons include a lack of cloud compatibility and a high price tag, which starts at $56 per month for the Plus version for up to 100 participants.
If you’re unsure about whether or not a certain video conferencing solution is right for your business, don’t hesitate to make use of the free trial that many of them come with.{{cta(‘3f34df5b-6523-4cd9-bf59-56cb40bb137c’,’justifycenter’)}}
