We at OfficePlus are passionate to make your next video conference meeting a great success. Please find below tips that will enhance your videoconferencing experience resulting in a more efficient and productive meeting. Here are a few tips that will help you verify.

PRIOR TO THE VIDEO CONFERENCE MEETING

• While scheduling an international video conferencing call do specify the referred time zone. It is also important that rules of engagement like who dials who is decided well in advance. Other factors that are unique to videoconference session are choice of network (IP or ISDN) and call speeds. As a ground rule speeds above 384 Kbps result are preferred. However if calls are being held on IP networks bandwidths are 1 Mbps are also common resulting in High Definition video call.

• The calling party needs information like dial in number (do not forget to ask for country codes etc) along with any PIN or Extension that would have to be dialled to successfully connect the call. It is recommended that a test call is made to iron out any network issues prior to the actual conference. Also have handy the support personnel contact details should something go wrong during the actual event.

• Your attire is another unique and most commonly over looked aspect when it comes to video conferencing. Choose solid colors (avoid stripes, checks and busy patterns) as the video conferencing system and camera has difficulty in reproducing complicated designs.

10 MINUTES BEFORE THE VIDEO CONFERENCE MEETING

• Arrive early into the meeting room. Pan, Tilt and Zoom the camera to ensure that you are framed correctly. The right framing should have you close up, yet far enough to accommodate the environment in which you are seated. The seat exactly opposite the display is generally considered to be the best seat in a video conferencing environment as it gives the most comfortable view of the far end and also ensures that proper eye contact can be maintained.

• Ensure that the microphones are placed at the most appropriate location. If the meeting attendees are seated all around the conference table, place the videoconferencing microphone right in the centre of the table. If you are the only person in the conference room, you could either bring the microphone closer to you or take a seat closer to the microphone. Make certain that paper or other objects are not blocking the microphone.

DURING THE VIDEO CONFERENCE MEETING

• As per the agreed schedule either dial or receive the video call.

• A formal introduction ensures that everyone knows who is present in the meeting. This is also a good time to set the volume of the call to the right comfortable level. It is good to understand too loud a level increases meeting fatigue and result in unwanted echo.

• Summarizing on the agenda for the video conference meeting right in the beginning virtually guarantees that the meeting stays focused.

• Speak in a clear voice and at all times look into the eyes of the person at the far-end. The camera picks up everything, so avoid distracting movements. The best approach is to be natural and consider the video meeting as if you are talking to a person present in the same room. It is advised to pause prior to adding your comments to take into account the compression and decompression delay.

• It is best to avoid side conversations as the microphones are extremely sensitive and may broadcast your private comments to the far end. To make classified comments, mute the microphones on your videoconference system.

• If the video conferencing call involves multiple sites, it is recommended for passive sites to mute themselves and only un-mute when they want to contribute to the discussions. This reduces the overall passive noise that may be picked up by the microphone resulting in a better video conferencing experience for all users.

• Wrap up the call by thanking the participants and do not forget to disconnect the call before exchanging your meeting notes with your colleagues in the near end.

While preparing this document we have assumed you have a video conferencing system. In case you would like to know more about our video conferencing solutions or upgrade to the latest High Definition endpoints from Vidyo or LifeSize just drop in a line.

To book your free demonstration or request a quotation just call us on +971 2 6767019. Alternatively send an email to video@officeplusuae.com and our representative will be happy to assist you.