Best Practices For Business Emails
We all know, through others or from experience, that communication in text form may not always convey a message correctly. When it comes to business emails namely, you want to be very careful because one misstep can potentially make or break your career. Here are some tips to improve your business email communications and deliver your messages effectively.
- Keep the subject line short and sweet.
A clear, concise subject line is more effective than an unnecessarily long one (no one wants to waste time reading it if they don’t have to). Also, no one likes to see “(no subject).” You should also avoid “Hi,” “FYI” and “Touching Base.” Lastly, capital letters are often interpreted as screaming, thus subject lines in all capital letters come across as confrontational to the recipient. You should avoid emailing in all caps (subject line or body), especially if you’ve never met the recipient before.
- Be mindful of who you’re writing to.
Keep your recipient in mind as they may interpret your message differently than you did while writing it. When sending email to people from indirect cultures, it is proper protocol to research country customs to avoid any (potentially offensive) miscommunications. Better to err on the side of caution than have to apologize later.
- Don’t send all recipients the same message.
When sending thank you notes after an interview, avoid sending everyone you spoke with the same message. They may compare notes so instead, each note should be tailored to that person.
- Your work email is NOT your personal email.
Do not use your work email for non-business related messages. Just don’t. Doing so could cost you your job so it’s best to keep these things separate.
- Make sure that attachment is actually attached.
Forgetting to add an attachment can be detrimental for important or time-sensitive matters. Always double-check that you edited your message and that all necessary documents or files are attached.
In relation, try to avoid using your company logo in your signature as these often come across as attachments. As a recipient, it is hard to tell the real attachment from a meaningless graphic.
- Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want the world to know.
Does that sentence have the power to jeopardize or end your career? It might, it might not. It depends on the nature of the content, but when it comes down to it, business is business. Keep it professional so no one has the opportunity to bring to light any unethical or inappropriate messages made by you.
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Increasing Safety For Mobile Workers
Mobile workers are on the rise and are expected to keep increasing. By 2020, over half of the U.S. workforce is expected to be mobile. Mobile workers are enjoying flexibility and freedom while businesses are reaping the benefits of increased productivity and employee satisfaction.
But when employees are not operating in an office or controlled environment, it is a challenge for businesses to manage risks that workers may encounter. And it is difficult to know when a worker needs emergency assistance. Thus, the need for new safety protocols and new technologies to ensure the safety of mobile workers is necessary.
Aside from proper training in safety procedures, mobile workers also require the right tools to request and receive help in an emergency situation. Our ever-present cell phones and smartphones will not suffice – these devices can be limited in emergency situations as they are vulnerable to poor reception and may not be within reach to operate.
For example, a cell phone is not able to detect when someone has slipped and fallen, or caught a limb in a piece of machinery. Cell phones require a user that is conscious and within range of the phone to make a call for help.
And when it comes to tracking and monitoring the safety and health of mobile workers and lone workers, cell phones are not the most reliable and may lack the necessary features and functions. In addition, if a lone worker is confronted by a hostile third party, the cell phone is often the first item taken.
Wearables
Unlike traditional cell phones or smartphones, wearables or wearable devices can automatically report changes that would indicate an emergency. Because these devices are easily worn, they could easily dispatch an emergency call as needed, without having to speak or make much movement.
Smart hard hats, smart safety vests, smart eyewear, and even stick-on patches already exist and can monitor employee location, body temperature, and even positioning. While they eliminate the need for a worker to proactively report an emergency, they have their limitations as well.
For example, in an emergency, the devices are able to relay certain information about a situation to a manager or the human resources department. They do not, however, create a direct line of communication between the worker and the responder. The worker would still need to place a call on the phone.
Personal Emergency Response Devices
These may be a better option and are similar to those used by seniors. Essentially, these are help buttons that you can wear and can be pressed to alert emergency responders that assistance is needed. Before, they needed a base station device to place calls, which limited their range of use. Thanks to advanced technology, the base stations are no longer necessary making them much more convenient and functional. Much like wearables, these devices are small, lightweight, and provide location technologies as well as built-in fall advisory capabilities.
Personal emergency response devices allow workers to trigger the call for help automatically rather than having to initiate a call. Cloud-based technologies make it possible for supervisors and managers to respond immediately.
These devices also boast a long battery life since they have fewer functions than phones and do not need to be fully functional all the time. They need not be worn all the time and can be placed in hibernation mode until the SOS button is pressed. When this happens, location information can be sent to a central reporting destination and an emergency call can be placed. Depending on the configuration and use of the device, these may last up to a month on a single charge.
Regardless of the devices you employ for your remote workers, it is important that business owners take advantage of the new technologies that can improve the safety and health of their lone workers and mobile employees.
How does your business provide safety and security to remote workers? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
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Modern Business Communication
As you may have noticed or even experienced, business communication and the way we work are undergoing some changes. Many factors, such as digital transformation, advancing technologies, and a diverse workforce, are influencing the direction in which we are headed. Here are some of the ways these communication trends are making an impact.
The Cloud
Because of its excellent benefits, such as lower costs and greater flexibility, cloud communications is quickly becoming a business favorite. Thanks to its affordability, ease of use, and faster deployments, many businesses are adopting cloud-based systems.
Initially, the security of the public and private cloud raised concerns. However, since then, new technologies and protocols, including end-to-end encryption, have boosted security and have calmed worries and fears.
Mobility
Most companies will provide company-issued phones and laptops, especially for those frequently on the field. Mobile apps for businesses have become the new norm, keeping employees connected anytime, anywhere. Thanks to the emergence of 5G technology, communication and data exchange is faster and coverage is wider, thus expanding further capabilities.
Mobility gives employees more freedom, allowing them to work more independently with flexible hours. This also helps to increase employee satisfaction which can positively affect employee retention rates.
Collaboration
Although instant messaging has been around for a while, its abilities are somewhat limited. With dedicated workplace chat and collaboration tools, workers are able to use advanced features such as video conferencing, document sharing, instant connectivity, and task management.
Team collaboration tools are often cloud-based and internet-powered, meaning they can work across different devices and platforms. This offers a more seamless transition between devices, enabling increased productivity.
Business Integration
Originally business software was designed to be standalone, however, the business world realized that connecting business applications is more convenient. Therefore, application integration and automation services came about and have grown in demand.
Now most companies are enjoying the benefits of system integration and increasing efficiency in the workplace. For example, connecting CRM systems to communication platforms is helping to improve customer service and employee productivity. Customer service representatives are able to pull up information via CRM, and whether they need to contact that person through voice, email, or chat, the app will start up instantly.
Remote Internal Communications
As the demand for remote work increases, communication providers are working to cater to these needs. Many popular tools are upping their advanced features to facilitate ways to better connect remote workers and help to increase productivity and efficiency.
Which of these business communication trends do you find the most rewarding? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!
Visit Startechtel.com to browse our wide inventory of new and refurbished business phone systems and accessories from top manufacturers. If you have any questions or need help locating a specific product, please feel free to call us at 800-564-8045.
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Distributed Workforce
Whether your employees telecommute occasionally or permanently, there are both advantages and disadvantages to this type of work culture. For those companies struggling with building a team with specific skill sets, a distributed workforce can help solve this issue. On the other hand, some companies prefer to keep staff on site to enhance collaboration and creativity via direct person-to-person interaction. These pros and cons may give you better insight and help you decide if remote work is right for your business.
- Drive Employee Productivity
Giving employees the freedom to set their own hours helps to increase productivity. Not everyone is their most productive during typical work hours. Some prefer getting an early start while others need a leisurely morning. However, some boundaries must be set as some workers are not as self-motivated to work without some type of management.
- Retain Knowledge & Investment
Sometimes key players wish to move to other locations in the world. For example, if your employee’s spouse receives a great opportunity in a new location and thus the whole family is moving to support the opportunity, you could be losing a wealth of knowledge and investment. By utilizing a work-from-home policy, you may retain that valuable worker while allowing them to maintain their home-life.
- Ensure Diversity
Being able to successfully organize and put a distributed team in place takes hard work from both the company and the worker. This effort is rewarded with a diverse work team with differing opinions, viewpoints, and work styles which feed into a more creative group for solving problems and connecting with customers.
- Open Up Potential Security Issues
When you have employees working remotely, security may be overlooked, making the company vulnerable to cybercriminals .Neglecting this step can be catastrophic for the business and customers alike. Luckily, there are many ways to secure your data and protect your business, including cloud solutions to make remote work easier.
- Attract More Talent
While most would prefer employees to work on site, the remote option is available in order to attract employees who may go elsewhere. Remote work has its advantages, and companies provide the necessary tools to keep workers connected, but there are also distinct benefits of face-to-face interaction in the office that cannot be achieved remotely.
- Allow Improved Focus With Fewer Distractions
There can be a number of distractions when working remotely, but employees can usually figure out where and what works best for them. However, remote workers usually perform better than those who work in the office because meetings and common, shared office interruptions were omitted. They are able to collaborate with colleagues over video, chat, and project management software and are held accountable for their productivity.
- Lose The Interaction Effect
Sometimes it is easier to speak in person rather than complicating things with back and forth messaging. As convenient as technology can be, some people need the face-to-face interaction. In addition, working from home may blur the line between your work and home life.
- Expand Geographic Limitations
You are no longer limited to your local talent pool if you allow remote workers. Those companies with distributed workforces tend to have a larger pool of quality workers and talent.
- Build a Strong Culture
Starting with a strong company culture will lessen the impact on productivity when environments change from in office to remote work. Starting from the top, executives must ensure all employees are included in all activities (ex. all-hands meetings, events, parties).
- Improve Record Keeping
Because workers are split up and may be in different time zones, the need to transcribe all discussions is high. By keeping record of communications, you are enabling your workers to keep up with happenings and you are affording your business an easy way of pulling up information as needed.
- Weaken Communication
Because remote employees often have flexible hours, it can be difficult for spontaneous meetings. Also, when meetings are conducted over video rather than in person, it is hard to gauge reactions without seeing complete body language.
- Endanger Efficiency, Synergy, & Collaboration
When the idea of a distributed team came about, a main concern was whether or not the work would get done. Time showed that yes, the work could be done. The potential downfall was the lack of collaboration and synergy within the team, which could negatively affect employee enthusiasm.
- Enhance Innovation
With the right technology and tools, a well-designed distributed workplace could become a breeding ground for innovation and highly productive work.
All things considered, is a distributed workforce right for you? Share your thoughts and experiences with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Find a great selection of new and refurbished business phones and phone systems for your office at Startechtel.com. Call 800-564-8045 if you have any questions or need assistance.
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All-Hands Meetings
Company-wide meetings can be tricky, time-consuming, and costly, but they can also reflect positively on the company. By holding such an event, you are portraying to employees that your business cares enough to keep everyone informed of major company updates and emotionally connected to the company’s goals, while openly listening to honest, unfiltered feedback and questions.
Staying Transparent
This practice is reflective of how our society has evolved over time. Rather than sending messages down the rankings, business communication should be frequent and open, and not only flow top-down, but bottom-up as well. Achieving this can be challenging, but if done properly, it can be met with great benefits and success. Here are some common traits of successful all-hands meetings.
- The CEO Really Cares
In order for transparency and bottom-up communication to be successful, you need a CEO who truly cares and sees this as a priority, rather than a CEO trying to simply make it appear so. Inauthentic efforts are obvious and may have a negative impact your employees.
CEOs that truly care put in the energy and effort to keep their teams in the know on what’s important and what they should care about. Enthusiasm for the common end goal comes across as genuine and makes employees feel valued, spurring their motivation.
The true willingness to foster open communication will show itself when the tough questions surface. They will exist whether they are addressed or not, so in order to gain the best insight from your team, CEOs should find ways to address all topics.
- They Are Well Executed
A big, important event should be treated as one, and within companies who truly value all-hands meetings, this is exactly what is done. These companies have stadium-sized conference rooms with the best remote connectivity software for remote workers. They put lots of thought and care to the content being presented, with proper preparation for a near-flawless execution. There is no way that these meetings will seem like they were put together last minute, because, honestly, these meetings were planned well in advance.
- Their Frequency Is Predictable
It is important to address employees often, whether it is annually, quarterly, monthly or weekly. However, it seems that companies in which CEOs address employees on a weekly or bi-weekly basis emphasize the importance of all-hands meetings and tend to have the most success. Rather than feeling like a hierarchy, these work environments foster a more cohesive team atmosphere.
- They Are Not Contrived
When meetings are infrequent, they tend seem insincere and forced. Employees take notice when companies make the effort to demonstrate that they are important enough to communicate with directly.
In the same vein, opening the floor to employees can be scary for some. Some companies may filter questions, only allowing the ones in which they feel competent enough to address. Doing this, using a script, or all together avoiding Q&A can end up hurting the business. It may seem like a safe bet, but there’s no way around openly listening to the team if that’s the message you would like to relay.
- Anyone Can Speak Up
Bottom line, everyone should be able to direct a question. However, this doesn’t mean that employees should be forced to raise their hands and participate, as some may have a significant fear of public speaking. With that said, every question, good or bad, should be welcome, from the most extroverted and risk-tolerant employees to the soft-spoken ones.
The use of a tool to gather and curate questions (anonymous or not) during the days or weeks leading up to the meeting could help generate more success. That way, the entire team may vote on which topics are the most important and the top-voted questions may be addressed in order of popularity.
On the surface, these meetings are expensive, time-consuming, and can be disruptive to work. However, these meetings are also necessary and vital in keeping your team well-informed, focused and engaged. They also give your executive team great insight into every level of your organization without rankings getting in the way.
Share your own business meeting tips with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
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The Latest Business IT Trends
From startup companies to enterprises, business IT trends are important to know and understand in order for your business to succeed and thrive. These are some of the major trends impacting the business world and workplace today.
Always On & Everywhere
It seems “business hours” and “acceptable outages” are slowly fading away. Because our culture has evolved to be always on and accessible at all times, customers expect this from your business as well. Any technologies for your business should be designed to be available at all hours every day, and accessible from wherever the person may be.
You Can’t Assume The End Point
There was a time when you could predict which kind of device end users would have. But thanks to the advancement and abundance of smart devices, along with the increase in BYOD and CYOD (Choose Your Own Device), devices are ranging from smartphones to monitors to big screen TV displays for work. Along with that, interfaces and operating systems vary, thus businesses must make their systems as platform-independent as possible.
DIY Is Dying
Before, businesses would build and manage their own phone systems and technologies on-site. With the advent of the cloud and other hosted solutions, on-premise systems are declining. Because these systems can be complicated and expensive, most businesses are investing in cloud services (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) instead.
This means skill sets will need to change and evolve to include contract management and integration between different providers. And the development and delivery of applications are changing, from virtualization to the collapse of the serving operating system, which are being delivered by cloud services.
Engagement Is Critical
Businesses need to embrace social media as another form of engaging and connecting with customers. Aside from Facebook and Twitter, customers want new ways to communicate online, such as chat (possibly via chatbot).
More and more, employees are working together in teams rather than working independently. Productivity apps should allow staff to interact in real-time remotely. Whether it is your workers or your customers, they should be able to communicate and collaborate regardless of time and location.
Privacy & Security Are The Core Business For Everyone
You are responsible for protecting and securing any customer data that your business holds. There have been enough stories in the news lately to know that hackers and cyber attacks can happen to anyone.
Various critical security measures can be taken to ensure that business and customer data is safe and secure. And remember that other countries have their own laws when it comes to protecting information and data sovereignty.
Which business trends do you think will make the biggest impact? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
For a great selection of new and refurbished business phone systems and equipment, please visit Startechtel.com and browse our inventory. Can’t find what you need? Feel free to contact us at 800-564-8045 and we will do our best to assist you.
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Enterprise VoIP
When shopping for a VoIP phone system, you want to be sure you are getting the right system that suits your specific needs. If your company has 100+ users, you will likely need an enterprise-level VoIP system to accommodate your demands. Unfortunately, most hosted VoIP solutions are designed for smaller scale companies.
Look for these top four features to determine whether or not the provider and system is suited for enterprise companies with 100+users.
Customizable User Templates
In a large company, new hires and promotions happen fairly often, which means that access and permissions will change with each role. Rather than having the IT staff manually enable and disable features and functions every time, a template should be available. Enterprise phone systems allow for customizable templates, while most big-name hosted VoIP solutions do not.
Professional Installation, Training, & Support
A company with 100+ employees likely does not have the time or proficiency to install a hosted phone system themselves, nor would it make sense to hire a third party to do the work. Also, it simply would not be feasible for your IT department to conduct a company-wide training session on the new phone system. And lastly, you should not have to call a third-party vendor to troubleshoot your VoIP phone issues.
Providers who offer enterprise-grade hosted VoIP solutions understand this, thus cover all the bases for your company. They have professional, on-site installation and support as well as training available for your organization.
Custom Software Integration
For enterprises, simply integrating with other software applications (e.g. Salesforce, Outlook, and Google) will not cut it. An enterprise-grade hosted VoIP provider is ready to accommodate your needs and will build-out any type of software integration your company requires.
Dedicated Circuits
Call quality is a non-negotiable for large companies and enterprise VoIP providers understand this. There is always an option to deliver a dedicated VoIP circuit to your location in order for your provider to control QoS (Quality of Service) and ensure land-line call quality with every call.
If you still cannot find a hosted VoIP provider that offers all of these features, keep looking or enlist help. So long as you’re on a suitable platform, VoIP can work for large enterprises just as well as small businesses.
If you have further questions, or need assistance, please feel free to contact us at 800-564-8045. You may browse our collection of new and refurbished business phones, phone systems, and much more at Startechtel.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
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Don’t Make These Video Conferencing Mistakes
As businesses realize the value of video calls and conferences, we are seeing an increase in adoption of video conferencing solutions. Video conferencing allows for increased productivity and a new level of collaboration among employees, however, these conferences should not be taken lightly. Despite their convenience, a misstep in execution could create an embarrassing situation and a potentially bad experience overall. Here are some major video conferencing mistakes you should actively try to avoid:
Not Playing With The Settings
Default settings are not likely perfect for everyone. Ensure that the camera’s angle is appropriately aimed at your face, not too high or low. Adjust the lighting and audio as necessary and ensure that you fine-tune any additional settings to suit your personal preferences.
Joining A Video Call While Inappropriately Dressed
If you are going to play with the settings of your video conferencing system, be sure to be appropriately dressed in case you accidentally turn on your cameras to an audience.
Not Checking For Bad Angles
Put your best face forward by testing out which angles work best for you. Choose the angle and lighting that is most flattering, allowing you to convey a pleasant and competent demeanor.
Not Fixing The Lighting
As mentioned, lighting also plays an important role. Be sure the place you are conducting your video conference is aptly lit (it should not look like you are in a dark cellar or dungeon). If lighting is out of your control try to find the brightest spot in the room.
Dressing Up In PJs
While you may be conducting your video conference from home, it is still a business meeting so you should dress the part. At the very least, change out of your pajamas and into something more presentable.
Not Picking A Good Spot
By not picking a good spot, you leave yourself susceptible to background noise and distractions. You want to choose your spot ahead of time, preferably somewhere well-lit, quiet and away from any foot traffic or distractions.
Not Knowing Your Tools
Learning to navigate through your video conference software before an actual meeting is a must. If you cannot troubleshoot a minor problem, you run the risk of wasting other conference members’ time and it can reflect poorly on you.
Logging In Too Close To the Meeting
Give yourself ample time to log in and iron out any issues you may have, from updates to adjusting settings and preferences. That way, you can avoid wasting time in the meeting and will not have to worry about delaying the start.
Letting Your Attention Wander
Meetings are not always the most fun and intriguing task ever. However, it is important that you stay focused. Do not play games, check social media, or answer emails while you are attending a video conference. By listening, taking notes, and participating, you can remain engaged in the conversation.
Not Looking At The Camera
Eye contact can make or break a conversation. When speaking to someone in-person, when eye contact is lacking, there is a sort of disconnect. You are left wondering if they are really listening and paying attention to what you have to say. When eye contact is being made, you feel like the other person is really invested in the topic at hand. These same rules apply for video conferences. Be sure to look into the camera and speak clearly with conviction to deliver your message and express your thoughts and ideas.
Try your best to dodge these mistakes and avoid embarrassment in your next video conference. Do you have any video conferencing wisdom you would like to impart upon your peers? Share your advice on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
For the best in business phones, conferencing, and phone systems, visit Startechtel.com or call 800-564-8045 today!
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Protect Yourself From Phone Scams
Have you noticed an increase in the volume of spam calls you receive? Sadly, you are not alone. According to a study of over 1,000 Americans conducted by telecom service company First Orion, in the past six months, about 95% of people say they have gotten call from a telemarketer (it was 84% in 2015).
Not all calls were fraudulent, however, the study revealed a 13% surge in phone scams, with 69% of participants receiving at least one scam call over the past six months. One in eight people report receiving over 20 different scam calls in the same period, which is four times as many people who reported that volume of scam calls in 2015.
Protect Yourself
While regular robocalls are a nuisance, scammers are potentially dangerous. According to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, fraudsters posing as IRS agents have accumulated $54 million from unsuspecting victims since October 2013.
Aside from tax scams, you should be wary of callers posing as debt collectors, employment agencies, or a sweepstakes company. The FTC have recently warned about callers claiming to be with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, demanding “fees” for routine services. They also shared some helpful tips:
- Play hard to get – never give into a caller who pressures you to make up your mind on the spot.
- Be wary of unknown callers offering “free” bonuses or services as bait. Question any fees (e.g. shipping and handling) that you would need to pay in order to get the freebies. Remember, free is free – if you have to pay, it’s a purchase, not a prize or gift.
- Don’t know? Don’t answer! Avoid answering the phone whenever you see an unknown number, it is one of easiest ways to avoid getting caught up in a scam. If it is someone who needs to talk to you, they will leave a message.
Call-Blocker Apps
If you’re receiving these calls on your cell phone, which, within the study, was the case for eight out of 10 scam calls, you can utilize one of several apps that automatically identify incoming spam and fraud calls.
- If you are willing to purchase an app, TrapCall and Truecaller (available for both iPhone and Android phones) are some of the most highly rated call blocking apps.
- If you’re looking for a free service, Android users can try Should I Answer? while iPhone users can try the Hiya app.
- If you want to avoid downloading another app, you can manually block a number on most smartphones.
No matter how you choose to handle these calls, remember to never give personal or private information to anyone over the phone. In addition, never buy a pre-paid gift card for anyone who claims you owe them money.
Share your scam call experiences and tips with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Find incredible prices on new and refurbished business phone systems and telephone equipment from top manufacturers at Startechtel.com. Call 800-564-8045 if you have any questions or would like to place an order.
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Why Video Conferencing Can Be Intimidating
Despite growing adoption of video conferencing technology within various businesses and industries, employees still seem hesitant to turn on their cameras. Here are some common reasons why people are still wary of video conferencing software.
Multi-Tasking
Despite the fact that multi-tasking hurts productivity, many workers still believe they can get more done. A video call or video conference demands a person’s full attention, disrupting or preventing multi-tasking, thus employees tend to avoid them.
To counter these beliefs, try to help your staff understand how multi-tasking can be counter-productive and explain the great benefits of concentrating on a single task. Do they believe they have to multi-task because they are involved in too many meetings? Re-evaluate their importance to certain calls and move toward a more balanced workload.
Eye Contact
Video calls come very close to mimicking in-person conversations, however, the minor details can make a difference. For example, some people shun video calls because of the lack of genuine eye contact.
The way most video conferencing cameras are set up, someone gets left out. If you are looking at the other person on your screen, it looks as if you are not making eye contact. And if you look at your camera so that it appears as if you are making eye contact on their side, you cannot focus on the other person’s face on the screen. This may seem like a minor issue that most people can overlook, but for some, this is a big enough problem for them to forgo the process altogether.
Platform & Network Issues
Not all video conferences run smoothly. Because there are so many different video conferencing software choices, participants may need to download new software in order to partake in the meeting.
There are also the relatively minor issues concerning audio or video, from poor audio quality to choppy video, or maybe the presenter is having trouble sharing their screen. Regardless of what it is, this may leave a bad impression and you can easily lose precious time. Plus, this does not account for the highly technical issues, such as network instability or interruptions.
Personal Appearance
You can take a business phone call virtually anywhere these days, whether in office, on the go, or even at home. However, with video calls, you must make sure that your environment and appearance are presentable.
Something about being on camera tends to make people feel more self-conscious and put on the spot. This may be attributed to the little window where participants can see themselves, intended to ensure proper lighting and angles. Unfortunately, it ends up acting like a mirror and participants may sometimes become fixated on their appearance.
Interruptions
If you work in an open-plan office, video calls can be tricky. You may be in close proximity to coworkers who are on calls as well, while others may interrupt you with no regard to what you are doing. There are numerous ways and things that could cause a distraction, making it difficult to conduct video calls without interruption.
Knowing what causes hesitation in your employees can help you address the issues and create a more effective system, leading to increased participation in video calls and conferences. Have tips to share on how to increase video conferencing adoption? Connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest today!
Shop our great collection of video phones, conferencing systems, and more at Startechtel.com today! If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 800-564-8045.
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