Video communications is here to stay, but are you using it right?

Kavita Lakhani, Executive Director, GolinOpinion – MullenLowe Lintas Group, writes about the growing use of video conferencing for work and for education purposes. She also has several helpful suggestions on how to use these platforms for business meetings and get the maximum out of it.

In the last few months, millions of employees and students around the world were asked to work and study from home due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.  Suddenly, all of us rediscovered video conferencing software.

In a span of a month, video chatting has gone from a futuristic-feeling way to keep in touch, to an essential part of our daily lives. Zoom and other digital communication tools are seeing a sharp spike in both usage and stock price.

In the comfort of our own homes, from couches, recliners, beds and kitchen tables, people and children across the world are firing up video meetings, virtual conferences, e-classrooms, online music and yoga classes to replace the meetings and classes that are not happening in-person.

But the reality of video conferencing is a mix of confusing software, subpar hardware, and the awkwardness of still-developing social norms. For people thrust into the work-from-home life for the first time, learning how to act on video communication platforms can be as much of a struggle, as figuring out how to dial-in.

However, the interesting bit is that once you get started, you actually are hooked. There is no stopping. Unlike phone calls, on video chats you can see people’s faces and read their expressions and some body language.  And so can they. It’s almost like suddenly being a star on live TV.

With the ability to loop in entire departments, even classrooms worth of people, these virtual meet-ups can replicate the feeling of being part of a group and the productive energy that generates. So often after work or education sessions, many just use video platforms to hang out with each other over a drink or to celebrate a birthday or a month of lockdown!

There are many choices for video conferences. Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, BlueJeans and Cisco’s WebEx designed for the conference room first are mostly favoured by corporates. However, San Francisco-based Zoom is the one that has really exploded during this lockdown period among the masses. Zoom, the third most popular app in the Apple App Store, is very user friendly and works the best on slow connections. So much so that national TV channels have been conducting live telecast interviews with business leaders, who are connecting through Zoom.

How can business leaders and professionals use video communications to maximum advantage? At GolinOpinion, we help clients to speak for impact through our ‘Leader Speak’ training programs. The sharp focus is on helping them deliver their message, layered with an understanding of some do’s and don’ts of video communications, new age media and TV.

Many of the issues with video conferencing are not the applications themselves, but our own devices and connections. Microphone quality varies wildly across smartphones and laptops, leaving some people sounding crystal clear like they are hanging out on the other end of your sofa, and others sounding like they are mumbling in the middle of an empty tunnel miles away. To avoid co-workers asking you to repeat things over and over, do not rely on built-in computer microphones. Use headphones with a microphone instead.

Camera quality is equally all over the place, though phones are often better than laptops. Just making sure there is enough light can make up for a low-quality camera. One common mistake people new to video conferencing make is not spending time trying to find the perfect lighting in their houses, settling for any angle that does not reveal messes or the fact that they are still in their shorts.  When you are looking at someone’s ceiling fan or bedroom, it doesn’t feel like you’re at work, it doesn’t feel like you’re in the right context. Dark shadows/ ill lit co-workers, unflattering face angles are completely avoidable. Microsoft Teams has an interesting feature that allows you to change your background to a professional or casual one, which essentially suits the occasion. An option I recommend for maximum professionalism is using a virtual backdrop, like a company logo or a plain color, instead of showing everyone your home. Zoom includes touches like a hand-raising icon so you do not talk over each other. There is even a much loved feature called “Touch Up My Appearance” to hide any minor skin flaws and add a subtle glow.

In addition to a platform’s features, you could use a few third-party tools to get the highest quality video experience. Krisp is a third-party app that cancels out background noise, like crinkling candy wrappers or construction work. Muzzle silences pop-up notifications during screen sharing, so a reminder from your partner to buy a floor mop does not show up in the middle of a presentation to the entire company. You could also use Snapchat’s desktop app to access even more filters during a Zoom call.

An interesting fallout from the new ubiquity of Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom amidst COVID-19 is that it has influenced the marketing strategy of brands. With millions of people now working from home – a trend that is here to stay – companies that never would have been associated with video conferencing, are suddenly finding advertising opportunities and consumer engagement opportunities in this emerging space.

The COVID-19 outbreak has created a new space for video conferencing, and potentially changed the way people will communicate going forward. A whole new generation of business and schooling behaviour is adjusting here. As the pandemic spreads, a growing number of high schools and universities are considering closing schools for the remainder of the year. Likewise, corporations are making remote work and flexible schedules the new norm.

Each of the players in the video communications technology space is getting a lot more traffic. The critical question is – are they prepared for it? As more students and workers shift to online communications, questions are emerging about whether the world’s digital technology infrastructure has the capacity to handle such a strong spike in usage. Equally important, when the dust settles and the economy stabilises post-COVID-19, how will they ensure more user growth and that corporations and schools continue to use them at an elevated level?