The restrictions of COVID-19 have forced millions of workers to stay at home, thus prompting businesses across the country to rely on video conferencing to bring people together. Whether they are hosting a team meeting or meeting with a prospective client, video conferencing platforms have allowed businesses to have face-to-face meetings without posing a health risk. Video conferencing has become one of the fastest-growing and most utilized tools in the communication landscape. It is the only way to allow employees to have face-to-face interactions without the travel. When used correctly, video conferencing can add more context to a meeting, eliminate the feeling of isolation for remote workers, and improve company culture. That said, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to selecting a video conferencing platform. With so many choices each offering its own unique options, it can be challenging to know which is right for your business. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice. 

1. Consider the Cost

All video conferencing services allow you to meet and collaborate with others, but like anything else, the cost can vary from one platform to another. As with all software services, pricing and packages will vary widely. Some services offer entirely free plans, but they tend to lack special features that many businesses will find useful. Furthermore, they may limit the number of users allowed to enter the meeting. Other video conferencing services will charge on a per-host basis, meaning that if you have multiple employees that need to host their own meetings, they will each need a license. Other platforms offer various service tiers that will vary in price based on the number of participants you can host and special features. In order to determine which platform is best for you, you will need to consider how many hosts will be using the service, how many participants will need to be included, and how long the meetings will last. The good news is that most video conferencing platforms offer 30-day free trials so you can make sure the service fits your needs before you commit. 

2. Look for Additional Features

Having the ability to load a face-to-face meeting with the click of a button is an excellent feature, but sometimes you will need more than just a  face-to-face connection to get the most out of your virtual meetings. For starters, you want to consider the quality of the video resolution. Nothing is more frustrating than a frozen screen or a blurry video when you are in the middle of a meeting. You want to make sure the quality of your conferencing tools matches your needs. There are also additional features that may be very useful for your business. For instance, you may want to be able to share documents during your virtual meetings you may want to have the capability to send an email to a coworker during the meeting. You may also want to screen-share while your video is running so you can talk with a colleague at the same time. All of these additional features can be used to enhance your virtual meetings so consider the needs of your specific business. 

3. Consider Security and Privacy

This is a biggie and should not be overlooked. Just as you want to be sure your documents and information are secure within your business, you want to be sure they are secure during a video conference. You want to be sure your video streams are encrypted to ensure all communication remains secure. You also want to have privacy settings such as the ability to control who can enter your meetings at a given time. Be sure to research all this information before selecting a video conferencing provider. 

4. Ease of Use

It’s great to have a video conference platform with all the bells and whistles but it does you no good if no one can figure out how to work it. You can’t improve your workplace efficiency if your team members can’t operate the software correctly. You want to choose a video conferencing platform that not only offers the features you want, but is also user-friendly and easy for employees and customers to adopt. 

5. Customer Support

Don’t overlook the quality of a provider’s customer service. There will inevitably be a time when you need to contact tech support and you want to feel confident that your issue will be resolved in a timely manner. It is worth your while to contact the customer support department to get a feel for the customer service you will be getting. Are they friendly and helpful? Did they respond accurately and quickly? This will mean a lot when you find yourself in need of support.