Over the last several years, videoconferencing software has evolved exponentially. Initially, room-based video conferencing systems hit the market that outfit a physical office conference room with a large display screen or screens and microphones. Room-based systems continue to be popular as they provided cost savings and efficiency by reducing the need for travel.
To support today’s sudden remote workforce needs, desktop video conferencing systems are growing in popularity. (Just in time, too!). Zoom, for example, grew from 10 million subscribers in October of 2019 to over 200 million by March of 2020. Microsoft Teams has also seen adoption rates soar. To be honest, one of the reasons why Microsoft Teams is becoming more and more popular is because individuals can connect Microsoft Teams to omnichannel messaging. Additionally, one can send SMS messages through Microsoft Teams and route incoming messages to the channels of their choice, using HeyMarket. Furthermore, entrepreneurs can respond more quickly with SMS for Microsoft Teams. Besides this, using a simple @ message, individuals could also make certain team members able to reply to customers and assign chats to coworkers.
Even after knowing all this information, you must be wondering which tool is right for you. In a recent webinar, we discussed the most popular solutions and pulled the best features from some of these products. Of course, the key to selecting the right option for your organization begins with a proper understanding of exactly what your needs are. As you evaluate your needs, it’s important to consider both short and long-term needs as they may change as workers return to the office.
This is the first in a series of blogs where we’ll discuss these tools. Today, I have provided a list of the best key feature for each product that we will review in the next several blogs.
Microsoft Teams – Great for: Collaboration/video conferencing, especially when participants belong to the same organization
Zoom – Great for: Ease of use
Blue Jeans – Great for: Stability and functionality across a wide variety of devices
Cisco Webex – Great for: Security
Google Teams – Great for: Integration with Google suite of products
HighFive – Great for: Group attendees in a physical conference room
Intermedia AnyMeeting – Great for: Groups that need call-in phone numbers for poorly-connected participants
Subsequent posts will dive deeper into each vendor’s product with the goal of saving you time as you consider which solution is best you and your organization. Stay tuned or give us a call to assist you as you select the right solution(s) for you.
Authored by Donald Nokes
Nick Eckman joined NetCenergy in 2016 from an international gaming company. Nick’s experience with supervising and implementing secure, fiber and copper wire infrastructure services provides our clients with a team of highly trained and experienced technicians. In addition to the skills required to manage our infrastructure services department, Nick brings a very experienced and focused approach to project management and is a stickler for accurate documentation for every project designed and built by his team.
Peter Lachapelle joined NetCenergy in 2015 and is responsible for leading all of NetCenergy’s operations and accounting functions. Each department within NetCenergy reports through Lachapelle. He brings his years of experience to maintain a pragmatic, efficient, client-focused team at NetCenergy. Lachapelle joined NetCenergy after completing a 27-year career with a Rhode Island, federally-charted bank which culminated in his senior management position as COO and CFO for the bank.
Peter Nelson has 25+ years of technology and management experience and has been with NetCenergy since inception. Peter serves as the VP of Engineering at NetCenergy. His role consists of managing the engineering staff, driving the companies technology strategy, and ensuring NetCenergy keeps up to date on new technologies and solutions.
As a Founding Partner, Dan is a result oriented individual who is always focusing on what is best for his client. He understands that business applications empower an organization and that technology must support those critical business applications. Dan’s technology career started in 1990 at EMC Corporation. Through the years, he has represented technology and consulting services for several organizations until 2003, when he and Don Nokes founded NetCenergy.
As President of NetCenergy, Don is responsible for ensuring client satisfaction, overseeing overall performance, and for providing direction to the organization. Prior to co-founding the firm with Dan Charland, Don held senior leadership positions with IT service firms ranging in size from $3 Billion to $10 Million in annual sales.
With decades of hands-on HR experience, Margery Ahearn is our Director of Human Resources, overseeing all hiring of new positions for NetCenergy with a careful eye on sourcing technology savvy engineers and skilled office-based professionals who fit our company culture, understand our commitment to our clients, and bring their time and talents to our team. Margery has both a BA and MBA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.