As businesses become increasingly more reliant on a mobile workforce, remote collaboration tools are more important than ever. Video conferencing is evolving to keep up with these demands, and many services now offer free and low-cost solutions for companies of all sizes. Here are five popular video conferencing tools for business to help you find one that meets your business needs.
With free 40-minute meetings for up to 50 people, Zoom is a useful solution for small businesses. The HD audio and video provide a high-quality meeting environment that includes group messaging and screen sharing between device types. A phone dial-in option allows you to include team members who don’t have access to video. Paid upgrades are available for companies requiring more versatility in meeting sizes.
If your company has international offices or regularly sends employees overseas, GoToMeeting can help you stay in touch. Controls can be set to each user’s native language, and call-in is free using a designated PIN number. Hosts pay $24 per month for up to five participants, $39 for up to 25 and $49 for up to 100. Screen sharing, calendar integration, conference recording and whiteboard annotations create an interactive meeting environment.
Join.me offers phone numbers in over 40 countries, making mobile collaboration possible even if your team members are halfway around the world. Both VoIP and phone dial-in options are included along with conference recording, file transfer and screen sharing. The professional design can be enhanced using custom backgrounds and dedicated URLs. Smooth transitions between presenters allow everyone to participate without buffering, lag time or loss of important information.
Although Google Hangouts is often used for personal communication, it’s also a handy tool for businesses. Video conferencing is free for up to 20 people at a time. Fifty people can participate with the $9 per month pro version, and larger businesses can get space for up to 100 people for $49 per month. Hangouts is accessible from any web-connected device, so team members can participate using a computer, tablet or smartphone. Speaker identification helps everyone to focus on the current presenter, and screen sharing ensures that all participants understand what’s being discussed.
If your team is often scattered and relies on mobile devices as their primary source of communication, the cloud-based platform offered by Lifesize can help bring everyone together. No special software is required, and the service is free to try for 14 days. After that, hosts pay $25 per month for 25 users or $40 per month for 40 users. Enterprise level solutions are also available. All levels include unlimited meetings so that you can get in touch as often as necessary without incurring extra fees.
These services support mobile communications with clear audio and video, minimal dropping of calls and interactive collaboration tools to keep teams connected both in and out of the office. Take advantage of free trials to find the solution that allows your team to be as efficient and productive as possible.
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