We know the importance of video conferencing in this new age of global, digital, mobile, and flexible working in environments that are of global, digital, and flexible. However, the “how” is not as easy as the “why” when implementing modern collaboration solutions.
Modern mobile workers want to use their own devices, applications, etc., but legacy systems are not able to accommodate the wide range of connections, devices, etc. So whether you need an update or an overhaul, you need to decide on one of three types of communication and collaboration solutions: on-premise, cloud, or a hybrid of both.
The right solution will depend on your company’s needs, but since two of these options rely on cloud technologies, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of cloud-based solutions. They require a low initial investment, and monthly fees are usually based on the number of users. Cloud services are easy to deploy and scale, and maintenance and technical issues are managed by the service provider. The evolution of cloud-based services resulted in the virtual meeting room (VMR). A VMR has a unique identifier so it exists as a place in the virtual realm—the same way your conference room exists at your physical offices. These “spaces” allow for any-to-any connections, the choice of device, and the choice of communication tool. Participants join through a browser, an application (like Skype), a personal device, etc. Users can video conference while viewing and collaborating on documents.
Many executives have questions surrounding control, as well as valid concerns about security. But avoiding the cloud does not mean you don’t have to address security issues, since one study revealed that 86 percent of cloud applications in enterprises are “Shadow IT”—or unsanctioned by their IT departments.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to the cloud, so ask yourself 10 key questions when determining the best collaboration solution for your company. In our last post, we provided the first five. Here are the next five so you can begin the evaluation process.
- What collaborative applications do employees use now?
- Are different departments using their own collaboration applications?
- Are CAPEX projects difficult to get approved?
- Does your organization have experience with cloud services?
- What do you see as the biggest roadblock to mobile collaboration capabilities?
