Video conferencing used to require expensive hardware that was installed only in the largest conference rooms and boardrooms. Today, cloud-based technologies have made video conferencing so affordable that organizations are implementing it throughout their facilities. Many organizations with open office plans are even putting webcams and video conferencing apps in the smallest meeting rooms and huddle rooms. Plus, individual employees have easy access to video conferencing on their laptops.

The need for video conferencing has never been greater. Organizations are allowing more and more employees to work remotely, and they rely on video conferencing to keep meetings productive and remote and mobile workers engaged. And with low unemployment and high demand for skilled workers, video conferencing enables organizations to attract and retain top talent regardless of location.

But just because you can roll out video conferencing to more spaces and more users doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily get value from it. If people go into a conference room and it’s an issue to jump on a call or share content, they’re going to go back to an audio call that is less engaging and collaborative. People aren’t going to put up with a lot of grief just trying to connect.

It’s important to recognize that the return on investment (ROI) for video conferencing and other collaborative technologies is directly linked to user adoption. Simply put, if your employees aren’t using the video conferencing platform you won’t achieve the desired ROI. In light of that, ease of use should be a key consideration. Your video conferencing platform and the calendar software you use to book rooms should have an intuitive user interface.

It should also be easy to join a call and share content. A few systems still require a physical cable, but most solutions allow users to walk into a meeting and seamlessly connect via Wi-Fi. Also, peripherals are getting much better. Smart cameras can track who’s speaking and audio fidelity has come a long way. The Rahi team can implement microphone arrays that filter out background noise and zero in on the speaker so meeting participants feel like they’re in the room.

If your organization implemented video conferencing several years ago or installed a cloud-based solution without an overarching plan, it may be time to take a fresh look. At Rahi, we often work with enterprise clients that still have an expensive physical codec and help them transition to a cloud-based solution running on mini PCs. Instead of a large, depreciating asset, you gain a more flexible solution that pays for itself because it minimizes employee travel and the associated costs. It also better connects remote teams to help accelerate time-to-market for products and services.

If video conferencing is important to your culture or productivity, you need to stay up to date with the latest solutions. You need to consider how your staff is using video conferencing and whether a more intuitive solution with state-of-the-art peripherals could add value to your environment. Rahi’s team of experienced A/V specialists can assess your needs and help you maximize the benefits of video conferencing.

Michael has been an A/V Engineer throughout his two-decade career, seeing firsthand the sea change in A/V technologies in the past several years. Today, he is one of the senior members of the Rahi A/V engineering team, focusing primarily on A/V integration but also maintaining his expertise in audio.

About Rahi

Rahi is a subsidiary of Wesco Distribution, a Fortune 200 Company with operations in 50+ countries and annual revenues over USD 19B. Rahi delivers comprehensive data centre solutions for global enterprises, hyperscalers, and multi-tenant data centres. Rahi provides IOR, local currency billing, and RMA services, enabling businesses to operate efficiently anywhere.
Since being acquired in Nov. 2022, Rahi’s global presence and analytical expertise help clients achieve their business and IT requirements.

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