Preparing Your Home Office For Video Conferencing!
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Jan 6 2017, 7:01 AM
If you have used your BlueJeans huddle video sharing at home, you will have already noticed that it is very different from using it at the office or in a meeting room. So when you are making the switch to working from home or are setting up your home office, you need to make the right preparations to ensure you can conduct business calls with professionalism and free from technical errors or embarrassing mistakes. Here are a few things to consider when setting up or adjusting your home office:
The Right Devices
First, you will need to decide which device you will be using to conduct your meetings. Any device with an internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone can be used for video conferencing, but some have different results than others. A mobile device may be useful on the go, but a laptop or desktop computer will have better quality sound and picture that could make all the difference during important meetings.
Internet Connection
Speed is an important consideration because a slow connection speed can hold up all of your meetings and make them difficult to conduct properly. Poor connection speeds are the cause of the majority of technical problems during video meetings, according to The Real Time Report. Thankfully, most new conferencing systems are versatile enough that they can be used even with home routers. But if you have an older router, several people using the same connection at once, or consistent issues with your internet speeds then you will need to double check if it can be used for online meetings. Before you make any important calls, test out your software with your current internet service provider and the help of a friend or colleague to see how it holds up. If it is too slow or causes video glitches, see if you can move your device closer to the router. If this still doesn’t work, you may need to upgrade to a better one before you start making regular video conferences. You will find that this is a worthwhile investment for conducting business calls and deals that will make your daily work operations much smoother.
Perform a Test Run
Small Biz Trends recommends taking your software for a test spin before you roll it out for consistent use. This will allow you to get used to the software before you begin paying for it and eliminate any bugs or problems before you begin using it professionally. Suppliers who provide free trial periods can help you with this, and you can use the software to make test videocast to friends rather than for important meetings to ensure it is working correctly. This will help you to locate the right software for you, learn how to use it, and avoid paying for expensive software or equipment that doesn’t work for your needs.
Setting Up the Room
Wherever you will be making your calls from, ensure that it is optimized for video quality. Too much sunlight will cause your video image to become too saturated, while the lack of light will make your image too dark and difficult to see. You will also need to ensure that there is nothing embarrassing visible in the background of your meetings that could affect your calls and put people off working with you again. Working from home is an attractive option, but it makes it all too easy to reveal something we would rather not have seen by others. If you are unsure about what you should and shouldn't hide, use the rule that anything you wouldn't reveal or display in a regular office shouldn’t be shown on a home videocast either. Again, performing a test run before you make a business call will help you to set up your desk and office correctly so that you always appear professional and can be seen clearly through your webcam.
Establish a Work Space
Even though you will be working from home, you will still need to view your workspace as a professional environment and encourage others in the house to do the same. Even if you are working from a corner of a bedroom or living room, remind yourself and others that it is still your work space and needs to be treated as such. Ask people to give you some distance and keep the noise down during conference calls and not interrupt you while working. Keeping your work space separate from your leisure space will also help you to mentally switch between work mode and free time mode.
By setting up your home office carefully, performing checks before you make your first online meeting from home, and choosing the right devices and internet service provider, you can conduct meetings with as much efficiency and professionalism from home as you did in the board room.
If you have used your BlueJeans huddle video sharing at home, you will have already noticed that it is very different from using it at the office or in a meeting room. So when you are making the switch to working from home or are setting up your home office, you need to make the right preparations to ensure you can conduct business calls with professionalism and free from technical errors or embarrassing mistakes. Here are a few things to consider when setting up or adjusting your home office:
The Right Devices
First, you will need to decide which device you will be using to conduct your meetings. Any device with an internet connection, a webcam, and a microphone can be used for video conferencing, but some have different results than others. A mobile device may be useful on the go, but a laptop or desktop computer will have better quality sound and picture that could make all the difference during important meetings.
Internet Connection
Speed is an important consideration because a slow connection speed can hold up all of your meetings and make them difficult to conduct properly. Poor connection speeds are the cause of the majority of technical problems during video meetings, according to The Real Time Report. Thankfully, most new conferencing systems are versatile enough that they can be used even with home routers. But if you have an older router, several people using the same connection at once, or consistent issues with your internet speeds then you will need to double check if it can be used for online meetings. Before you make any important calls, test out your software with your current internet service provider and the help of a friend or colleague to see how it holds up. If it is too slow or causes video glitches, see if you can move your device closer to the router. If this still doesn’t work, you may need to upgrade to a better one before you start making regular video conferences. You will find that this is a worthwhile investment for conducting business calls and deals that will make your daily work operations much smoother.
Perform a Test Run
Small Biz Trends recommends taking your software for a test spin before you roll it out for consistent use. This will allow you to get used to the software before you begin paying for it and eliminate any bugs or problems before you begin using it professionally. Suppliers who provide free trial periods can help you with this, and you can use the software to make test videocast to friends rather than for important meetings to ensure it is working correctly. This will help you to locate the right software for you, learn how to use it, and avoid paying for expensive software or equipment that doesn’t work for your needs.
Setting Up the Room
Wherever you will be making your calls from, ensure that it is optimized for video quality. Too much sunlight will cause your video image to become too saturated, while the lack of light will make your image too dark and difficult to see. You will also need to ensure that there is nothing embarrassing visible in the background of your meetings that could affect your calls and put people off working with you again. Working from home is an attractive option, but it makes it all too easy to reveal something we would rather not have seen by others. If you are unsure about what you should and shouldn't hide, use the rule that anything you wouldn't reveal or display in a regular office shouldn’t be shown on a home videocast either. Again, performing a test run before you make a business call will help you to set up your desk and office correctly so that you always appear professional and can be seen clearly through your webcam.
Establish a Work Space
Even though you will be working from home, you will still need to view your workspace as a professional environment and encourage others in the house to do the same. Even if you are working from a corner of a bedroom or living room, remind yourself and others that it is still your work space and needs to be treated as such. Ask people to give you some distance and keep the noise down during conference calls and not interrupt you while working. Keeping your work space separate from your leisure space will also help you to mentally switch between work mode and free time mode.
By setting up your home office carefully, performing checks before you make your first online meeting from home, and choosing the right devices and internet service provider, you can conduct meetings with as much efficiency and professionalism from home as you did in the board room.
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