Developers of video calling programs are actively competing with each other, offering the necessary and useful services. So, in this article, we will analyze the best boardroom portals.
Organize your work more efficiently with usage board portals
Video communication technology is today positioned around the world primarily as an effective tool for optimizing business processes, including reducing the number of business trips, saving on hospitality, transportation, and overhead costs. Nowadays, video conferencing is no longer as expensive technology as it was several years ago, and not only large but also quite limited in means of the company can afford it.
Today on the market two technologies coexist that provide the possibility of video communication and video conferencing – software and hardware (video conferencing devices and systems). Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, not all messengers and boardrooms have the same functionality. There are universal, there are sharpened for video conferencing, mobile communication, etc.
All that is required for software solutions, and for video communication is a personal computer, tablet, or smartphone with a camera and a microphone. The board portals themselves are mostly free, which means several tangible advantages:
- Availability: minimum initial investment (PC + webcam + microphone / smartphone / tablet)
- The ability to conduct video conferencing with several participants at once: it is enough for everyone to have their own device with a camera.
Basic principles of software selection for boardroom
Construction of corporate video communication systems requires careful planning, including – the selection of software that meets the objectives, goals of the system, modes, and type of video conferencing, conditions, number of expected users, the nature of the data they will be exchanged.
In general, we can identify the following main selection criteria:
- convenience, adaptability, “multilingual” interface;
- optimal video and audio quality; availability of chat for text messaging;
- end-to-end encryption;
- availability of mobile applications on popular operating systems;
- the ability to interact with the office digital environment, software, messengers, solutions from other manufacturers;
- possibility of remote access to the functionality of the desktop and controls;
- availability of a common working virtual space for conference participants;
- availability of functionality for surveys;
- the ability to record conferences on a desktop PC or in the cloud service;
- conference branding solutions;
- integration with various CRM;
- collection, processing, and provision of statistical data;
- visual, easy to use, reporting.
The best options of board portals in the marketplace
There are the following applications:
- Google Hangouts. If you have Gmail, this tool is suitable for meetings of 25 people. You can keep track of who enters the hangouts via a calendar or by monitoring who you invite.
- Google Meet. If you are planning an event in advance, then you should first create an event in Google Calendar. The link to the event where participants can join the video call is created automatically. Google Meet has no time limit. Up to 100 people can take part in the online event.
- YouTube live. The advantage of this service is in reaching the audience, better visibility of content, effective interaction with the audience on social networks. When the broadcast is over, you can select the publishing function.
- LickClickMeeting. This platform has a variety of tariff plans based on the expected number of visitors up to 5,000 people. It allows you to create surveys and conduct research, has a chat function and a screen demonstration. There is also tracking of webinar statistics. And you can record a webinar.
- Zoom. At the basic level, the software is free. You can involve up to 100 participants and hold a group meeting for up to 40 minutes. It is possible to share a screen and set up meeting rooms.