Meetings and conferences are highly beneficial for progress in large-scale projects and collaborations with lots of players. The internet has made it easier for such multi-player collectives to meet up, regardless of where they are physically. When everyone who is involved is in contact, decisions can be reached much more quickly.
However, we’d like to point out that the emphasis is on being in contact. To ensure that all participants in a meeting are on the same page, you’ll need the right tools. Factors like the venue – for those who will be in attendance in situ – and the food on offer do determine the productivity of a conference.
So does the conferencing technology. If you, as the host, are basing everything on outdated methods of communication, such as a whiteboard and a speakerphone, you are looking at an unsuccessful meeting!
You shouldn’t be thinking of them at all, especially when you have interactive, user-friendly wireless technology available to you. Once you realize how crucial such adaptive technology is, you will look for the best resources out there.
Why is it so important that you choose the right AV system for your business conference?
As with any other purchases you have made in a professional capacity, it’s essential to know what you need from the av production company of your choice before you pick an AV system. For example, you’ll know how many participants will be attending that conference. Therefore, you can also determine how many users you’d need to loop in at once. For small-sized discussions, a one-on-one connection would be enough. But will that be sufficient for yours?
Besides the number of participants, you may need to consider these other factors:
Video feeds
Many AV makers certainly boast that their systems can host hundreds of participants in one go. However, before buying, make sure that the system won’t limit the number of video streams. If it does that, hosting innumerable participants won’t be of any use. Moreover, ensure that both the audio and video are of top-notch quality. For instance, HD video is a great choice.
Ease of use
Purchasing a system that has all the best features, but isn’t user-friendly is a bad idea! It will hold your business back and interfere with the conference’s flow. Make sure that it is easy to operate and the person responsible for it knows how to work with the system. Otherwise, your meeting will run into problems, such as presentations starting without essential participants included or late connections, etc.
Types of meetings
Based on the kind of session you will be having; you may need some additional features. Every AV system won’t offer them, so check before you purchase. For instance, many high-end services allow users to launch multiple types of rooms. If you want to mute the other participants during the CEO’s presentation, the AV system should give you that option.
Similarly, your system should be capable of running an open-forum Q&As if that is what you need from it. During one such session, all the participants may give their feedback.
Screen sharing
For interactive meetings, you may consider buying an AV that allows screen sharing. This feature will ensure that your participants remain engaged throughout the session. It is also highly useful in situations where you want to expound on the finer points of a presentation. Alternatively, showing the way to accessing certain documents to a remote employee also becomes easier with the option of screen sharing.
Application integration
During a meeting, participants may need to show graphs, documents, and other types of supplementary data to support their claims. In that case, they would benefit from your choice of an AV system that integrates with third-party applications. Look for a system that will work with Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Google Docs, etc.
Moreover, you can also pick a system that allows the attendees to add notes of their own during the meeting. Look for a service that comes with note-taking capabilities. To ensure things go smoothly, you should also consider how much influence you want the attendees to have during a meeting.
Finally, by integrating your calendar or email client during the meeting, you can painlessly schedule other sessions for the future. You may not want to invite all the attendees because of relevance, performance, etc. So, connecting with programs like Outlook or Google Calendar will help you customize your invites.
Parting thoughts
A productive meeting requires that a great AV system be in place. You shouldn’t have to go in blind when choosing one, though. You can work with the company of choice and come up with a free trial run opportunity.
Do a test run on a smaller scale or in an in-house event. When you operate the AV system, you can make sure it truly addresses your priorities satisfactorily. If it fulfills your needs, why not buy it?
Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
