How to organize a videoconference in good conditions?

Already popular in international companies whose teams are often geographically dispersed, videoconferencing is a fantastic communication tool that has been widely deployed with the lockdown.

Not only can you chat in real time with your interlocutors, whether they are employees, customers, suppliers or partners, wherever they are, but above all you can see them on video. Video conferencing is therefore an effective way to maintain a link between remote teams or to remove geographic boundaries between employees working in remote offices.

It is also a great way to save on travel expenses since your colleagues no longer need to take the car, train, or plane to get to your premises. Now, a few clicks are all it takes to organize a meeting between your headquarters and your regional branches. We can even say that organizing a videoconference is ecological because by reducing travel, you reduce your carbon footprint.

However, to ensure that a videoconference takes place in the best possible conditions, it is important to follow these few rules and tips.

1. Equip yourself well

It all starts with the acquisition of essential tools to organize a videoconference. It is a simple means of communication to set up because it requires little equipment.

You need:

• A webcam to ensure that each participant will be visible to others. It is often already integrated into your computer;
• A microphone to be heard by all. Recent computers are also equipped with it;
• A helmet or headphones are essential to hear other participants clearly. Avoid speakers that can create an echo;
• a video conferencing system coming from software installed on your computer, from an online service or from the videoconferencing functionality offered by your project management software or your collaborative platform such as Wimi ;
• a good Internet connection.

2. Prepare in advance

As with a traditional meeting, there are rules to follow for a video conference to go well and be effective. As an organizer, you must:

• Define the objective of the meeting;
• invite participants in advance;
• transmit the agenda and the items that will be dealt with;
• start and finish at the scheduled time;
• animate the meeting, encourage exchanges and encourage all participants to speak out;
• do not deviate from the goal;
• end by recalling the decisions taken;
• send a report to all participants.

As a participant, take 15 minutes before a video conference to prepare the documents you will need, review the agenda and the items that will be addressed. In this way, you will be ready to answer the questions and requests of your manager and your collaborators.

Also, make sure you have all the equipment you need on hand (notepads, working pens, work documents, etc.) to avoid getting up in the middle of a virtual conference.

3. Adjust technical details

One of the main obstacles to the smooth running of a “conf call” is often the technical aspect. Participants are unable to connect, the microphone or camera does not launch, etc. These technical problems are wasting time and delaying the start of the meeting.

To avoid this, be sure to check the status of the hardware and the quality of the connection before the meeting. Make sure everything is plugged in, that you are well framed, that the sound on your computer is working and that you are familiar with the video tool.

To make it easier to start videoconferences and allow you to quickly get started with the equipment, write a short practical guide to the procedures to follow for all your employees. So, the uninitiated won't panic alone in front of their screen at the idea of participating in a virtual meeting.

4. Choosing the right place

In videoconferencing, the choice of location is essential to ensure the smooth running of the meeting. You've certainly seen one of the many videos where children unexpectedly appear during a video conference from one of their parents, embarrassing the parent.

To avoid this kind of annoying situation and stay focused as much as possible, choosing the location for your virtual meeting is essential. If you regularly work from home, move into the workspace you created for yourself or isolate yourself in a room away from home and lock the door to avoid interruptions. If possible, choose a quiet place, without noise pollution to be clearly heard and to hear others easily.

Finally, the visual aspect is also important. Prefer a bright place with natural lighting, avoiding direct sun and backlighting.

5. Pay attention to body language

Did you know that only 7% of communication is verbal (and concerns the meaning of words)? This is according to studies published by Professor Albert Mehrabian in 1967. According to him, 38% of communication is vocal (in other words the intonation and sound of the voice) and 55% is visual (i.e. facial expression and body language), or 93% of the communication would be non-verbal.

Your attitude and body language are therefore very important when interacting face-to-face with your employees.

In videoconferences as well as during more traditional meetings, it is therefore essential to follow these best practices:

• be punctual;
• dress as for a working day, do not stay in your pajamas and avoid stripes or too flashy colors that can have a negative effect through a screen;
• stay calm, focused, and attentive
• Adjust the camera to your eye level to give the impression of looking at your interlocutors;
• speak clearly and intelligibly;
• listen to others and speak after they are done to avoid a general cacophony where no one listens to each other;

Conclusion

For several weeks, the coronavirus and lockdown have completely changed our working habits, and videoconferences are now punctuating our days spent working from home. Follow these 5 tips to organize your virtual meetings in the best conditions.