If your organisation uses Microsoft Teams, you’re already part of the world’s most widely adopted collaboration platform. But what if you could keep that familiar Teams interface and add industry-leading telephony—without the complexity or cost of Microsoft Calling Plans?

Now you can, with RingCentral for Microsoft Teams—a best-in-class integration that brings together two world leaders in business technology.

The Power of Two Global Giants

Microsoft is the world’s largest software company and creator of the dominant operating system in global business. With over 72% of the desktop OS market share, it’s the platform that powers the majority of the world’s workforce.

RingCentral, meanwhile, is globally recognised as the world leader in cloud telephony and unified communications. Consistently ranked in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for UCaaS Leaders. RingCentral is known for its reliability, scalability and innovation—offering voice, video, messaging and contact centre tools to businesses of all sizes.

So if your team is already working in Microsoft Teams on their Windows PCs… why not integrate with the world’s best cloud phone system—RingCentral—for a seamless, powerful communications experience?

Why Choose RingCentral for Microsoft Teams?

This solution lets users stay within the Microsoft Teams interface, but uses RingCentral behind the scenes to handle voice and telephony. That means:

• 99.999% uptime SLA for calls and messaging
• Global calling in 46+ countries
• Built-in analytics, dashboards and quality monitoring
• Smart call routing, voicemail transcription and AI features
• Deployment with or without Microsoft Teams Phone licenses
• Retain your Teams interface and user habits – no retraining needed

Flexible, Scalable & Cost-Effective

Perfect for SMEs, agencies, education providers, retail chains, bureaus, the public sector, and enterprise businesses, this solution is designed to scale. Whether you need just a few licences or a fully virtual global PBX, RingCentral for Microsoft Teams offers:

• Fast, cloud-based deployment
• Flexible licensing and attractive pricing
• Minimal IT overhead and full admin control
• A solution that grows with your business

Ready to Find Out More?

Let us explain the detail, the power, the flexibility, and the pricing — all in a 20-minute call, no obligation.

But Zoom is much more than personal video communication on desktop PCs, laptops, phones and tablets. It is a whole workplace of connected cloud technologies which bring teams of people together. Moving forward, its “AI Companion” will generate meeting agendas, create real time summaries (minutes) and generate live transcriptions. Meeting Rooms equipped with “Zoom Rooms” systems support the traditional one or two displays as found with other cloud providers, but Zoom has taken it one step further with not only 3-display screen support, but also a 4^th confidence monitor for education and training environments, in particular.

“Zoom Workplace” is a set of recently bundled offerings where you can reimagine how your teams will work through an AI-powered platform including:-

• Desktop Meetings
• Rooms and Hybrid workplaces
• Team Chat
• Phone
• Mail
• Calendaring and Scheduling
• Room Booking
• Hot-Desks
• Visitor Management
• Digital Signage
• Whiteboarding
• Recorded Clips
• Task Management
• Surveys and Polls
• Integrated Applications

“Outcomes” are what we ought to be exploring together, not just the technology behind the cloud solution or its connected hardware. Your Return on Investment (RoI) calculations are more complex than simply justifying a capital expenditure and a licence subscription to fit an IT budget; there are benefits over the next three years or so in terms of recruitment, project delivery, real estate, transport and communications cost savings which are often missed and turn out to be the most critical. Your teams’ efficiency, satisfaction and retention rates are often overlooked and VideoCentric urges you to consider how Zoom may assist growth through a wide range of process improvements…

• reducing communication silos
• keeping projects on-track
• accessing centralised project plans and deliverables from a whiteboard
• automating camera switching & microphone technology for improved meeting efficiency
• empowering rather than isolating your remote workforce
• boosting employee satisfaction
• remove barriers to communicate with customers and suppliers
• escalate a simple chat to a phone call, a one-on-one video meeting or a full conference
• let the AI stay on top of actions from meetings assuring 100% follow-up
• make faster decisions
• reduce physical office-footprint requirements
• improve retention of your organisation’s most valuable assets, your employees

Zoom Rooms Solutions

Having looked at the bigger picture of collaboration in your workplace, including flexible and hybrid workers, your meeting rooms will always be a focus of attention for your employees returning to the office, your suppliers and most importantly your customers. What you transmit to them in terms of quality of image, excellence of sound and professionalism of shared content will reflect the quality of your organisation and how it is perceived by others.

We make it simple to bring the very best Zoom Video Conferencing into your Meeting Rooms and Huddle Spaces. Reduce clutter, improve quality, integrate with your business tools and ensure you’re supported.

VideoCentric provide an entire portfolio of tested Zoom Rooms Solutions, from huddle spaces, kiosks, meeting rooms, boardrooms, conference spaces, training facilities and seminar halls. Nowadays, it matters much less as to which manufacturer’s hardware is registered natively to the Zoom cloud but customers sometimes have their preferences for country of origin, historical brand loyalty, or published feature-set and so it is VideoCentic’s intention to show off the majority of them, explain each of the pros and cons with live demonstrations and allow you to compare the differences. Our portfolio includes Zoom-certified solutions from:

• HP Poly (formerly Polycom + Plantronics)
• Yealink
• Logitech
• Lenovo
• DTEN
• Neat
• Avocor
• Nuveva
• Biamp
• Shure
• Barco
• Pexip

Contact Us

For more information or to place an order, please contact our Sales Team!

VideoCentric’s extensive range of products, most of which are integrated into complete solutions for Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, can be demonstrated at various locations across the UK, including London, Wokingham, Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Leeds, and Edinburgh. Our in-house experts provide consultancy, installation and technical support to ensure you get the most out of your investment regardless of which market sector you operate in. Experience firsthand, the quality, technical innovation, quality & reliability that set our solutions apart with unique demonstrations crafted to suit your organisation and the specific needs of your meeting spaces.

Why Choose Cloud Telephony?

Cloud telephony enables businesses to make and receive phone calls over the internet, offering greater flexibility and accessibility. It integrates seamlessly with unified communications platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and other collaboration tools, providing a single hub for all communication needs. Whether you’re a small business looking to streamline operations or a large enterprise with multiple locations, cloud telephony delivers a range of benefits:

• Cost Efficiency: With cloud telephony, there’s no need for expensive on-premise hardware or maintenance. Pay only for what you use, and scale up or down as needed.
• Enhanced Mobility: Your workforce can stay connected anytime, anywhere. Cloud telephony supports remote working, allowing employees to make and receive calls from any device.
• Seamless Integration: Integrate cloud telephony with CRM systems, customer service platforms, and other business tools to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
• Scalability: Easily add new users, offices, or remote locations without the hassle of installing physical lines. Cloud telephony grows with your business.
• Reliability & Security: Benefit from high-quality calls with reliable uptime and enterprise-grade security measures to protect sensitive communications.

Cloud Telephony Services: 8×8 and RingCentral

At VideoCentric, we partner with industry leaders like 8×8 and RingCentral to offer best-in-class cloud telephony services tailored to your business needs.

• 8×8 Cloud Telephony: 8×8 provides a complete unified communications and contact center solution, combining voice, video, chat, and analytics in one platform. Whether you’re looking to improve customer engagement or enable global collaboration, 8×8 offers a flexible, secure, and scalable solution that enhances business communications.
• RingCentral Cloud Telephony: RingCentral is known for its easy-to-use, feature-rich platform that includes voice, video, team messaging, and contact center capabilities. With powerful tools like AI-powered analytics, RingCentral helps businesses improve communication efficiency, streamline operations, and provide an exceptional customer experience.

By choosing VideoCentric, you get access to both 8×8 and RingCentral solutions, ensuring you have the best tools for your specific requirements.

Teams and Zoom Telephony

VideoCentric also offers integration with Microsoft Teams and Zoom Phone, two of the most popular unified communications platforms in the world.

• Microsoft Teams Telephony: By integrating telephony directly into Microsoft Teams, your business can manage all communication—calls, meetings, messaging, and collaboration—from a single platform. Teams telephony provides a seamless experience, whether in the office or working remotely. Features like call queues, auto-attendant, voicemail, and integration with existing CRM or ERP systems help businesses enhance productivity and improve customer service.
• Zoom Phone: Zoom’s cloud telephony solution is an ideal choice for businesses that are already using Zoom for video conferencing. With Zoom Phone, you get the same intuitive interface, combined with powerful telephony features like call routing, voicemail to email, and real-time analytics. Zoom Phone integrates easily into your existing workflows, whether you’re using it as a standalone solution or part of your broader Zoom communication ecosystem.

Features of Cloud Telephony

• Call Routing: Automatically direct calls to the right person or department, reducing hold times and improving customer satisfaction.
• Voicemail to Email: Receive voicemails directly in your inbox, ensuring important messages are never missed.
• Conference Calling: Host or join conference calls from any device, without the need for additional software.
• Auto Attendant: Provide a professional greeting and direct callers to the appropriate department, even when you’re away.
• Call Recording: Record calls for training, compliance, or quality assurance purposes with easy access to recordings in the cloud.

Unified Communications Integration

Cloud telephony is more than just voice services – it’s a critical component of a unified communications strategy. By integrating with platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex, businesses can connect voice, video, messaging, and collaboration tools into a single, cohesive system. This helps reduce communication silos, enhances team collaboration, and provides a seamless experience for both employees and customers.

Future-Proof Your Communications

As businesses continue to adapt to hybrid working environments, cloud telephony ensures that your communication infrastructure is ready for the future. Stay ahead of the curve with a solution that provides the flexibility, scalability, and reliability your business needs to thrive in the digital age.

For more information on Cloud Telephony – Contact our Sales Team Today!

VideoCloud™ is a trademark originally used by to brand VideoCentric’s own service portfolio. Which was launched as far back as 2007 as VIPER (Video over IP EverywheRe).

Then based on RADVision and Codian servers housed inside VideoCentric’s own Wokingham premises. It was replaced in 2010 by a rack of resilient and secure Tandberg and Cisco VCS and MultiPoint servers owned by VideoCentric and hosted in a professional data centre in Farnborough where it took on the name VideoCloud. This included multipoint SIP and H.323 hosting, an endpoint registration service, firewall traversal and ISDN & PSTN gateways, leading the way in room system and desktop interoperability.

Scalability became a challenge and so between 2011 and 2013. BlueJeans, Vidyo and Videxio Cloud services were white labelled and integrated into the VideoCloud brand. In 2017, Videxio was purchased by Pexip of Norway and so Pexip Infinity and Pexip-as-a Service became the engine behind the VideoCloud portfolio making it one of the most powerful and flexible video communications services in the world.

Although still operating today, in 2024, the days of SIP and H.323 have passed and VideoCloud is a shadow of its previous service. Overtaken by Microsoft Teams, Zoom Meetings, Google Meet, Cisco Webex and telephony orientated services from Ring Central, Zoom and 8×8.

The importance of this history is that VideoCentric’s engineers who embarked upon this 17 year ride are still on board today. And are still offering their knowledge, skills and expert consultancy and training  to customers who have a mixed estate of cloud subscriptions where Microsoft and Google CVI licences, Zoom CRC, Pexip Connect and Webex interoperability remain as important as ever, or where public sector organisations are still preferring on-premise or secure privately-hosted services rather than those in the public domain. The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and non-European development will continue to fuel the need for VideoCentric’s expertise.

VideoCloud™ Today    

VideoCloud™ remains a trademark used by VideoCentric but as a marketing collection of offerings from 3^rd party cloud service providers. VideoCentric adds value in terms of licences, consultancy, installation, configuration, administrator and user training in:-

• Meetings Licences (eg Zoom Pro, Zoom Biz, Zoom Enterprise, Webex)
• One Touch Join and Domain Hosting
• Telephony and Contact Centre Integration
• Interoperability Subscriptions (eg Zoom CRC, Microsoft CVI, Google Meet CVI)
• SIP & H.323 Room Endpoint Registration & Firewall Traversal
• Webinars & Event Subscriptions
• AI feature expansion, storage and security

VideoCentric is H.M. Government accredited to supply such services into the public sector and demonstrate recent successes under G-Cloud into The Home Office as well as others into The Foreign Office, multiple NHS Hospitals, UK Schools and Universities. Contact us to share our experiences and make the right decisions for your organisation.

What is G-Cloud?

It is a framework agreement which has been pre-assessed by H.M. Crown Commercial Service to ensure that all sellers listed on it are able to deliver and support the specific service in a professional way. It is a contractual agreement providing any public sector organisation access to the latest innovations through cloud-based services including hosting, software licences, support services and pay-as-you-go subscriptions without the need for further scrutinization of a supplier’s credentials.

VideoCentric has been on G-Cloud since G-Cloud 8 and is proud to have been awards a place on G-Cloud 14 in October 2024.

Contact our Sales Team Here!

As businesses evolve, choosing the right telephony solution becomes increasingly critical. Whether you’re upgrading your infrastructure or starting from scratch, understanding the benefits and limitations of cloud, on-premise, and hybrid systems will help you select the best option for your organisation’s communication needs.

Cloud Telephony: Flexible & Scalable

Cloud telephony solutions are hosted entirely online, offering flexibility and scalability that traditional systems struggle to match. By moving communications to the cloud, your team can operate from anywhere, using any internet-connected device, without the need for costly on-premise hardware.

Key benefits include:

• Reduced Costs: No need for expensive hardware, maintenance, or upgrades. Cloud telephony typically operates on a subscription basis, offering predictable costs.
• Scalability: Scale up or down effortlessly as your business grows or contracts. Add or remove users quickly without impacting your operations.
• Remote Access: Ideal for distributed workforces. Teams can stay connected no matter their location.
• Business Continuity: Cloud telephony ensures your business stays operational during disasters or disruptions, thanks to built-in redundancy.

However, cloud telephony relies on a stable internet connection. For organisations in areas with unreliable connectivity, this can impact performance.

On-Premise Telephony: Control & Customisation

On-premise telephony involves hosting your telephony infrastructure on-site, giving businesses full control over their communications system. This traditional model is ideal for organisations that require a high level of customisation, integration with existing technologies, or have stringent security requirements.

Key benefits include:

• Total Control: Full access to your telephony system for advanced customisation and integration with other on-premise applications.
• Security: Greater control over data security, with the ability to apply tailored protocols that meet specific industry standards.
• Long-Term Savings: While the initial investment is higher, ongoing costs can be lower in the long term, especially for large organisations with many users.

On-premise systems may require substantial capital investment for equipment, installation, and ongoing maintenance. Additionally, scaling these systems can be more complex compared to cloud solutions.

Hybrid Telephony: The Best of Both Worlds

Hybrid telephony combines the benefits of both cloud and on-premise systems, giving businesses the flexibility of the cloud while maintaining on-site control where needed. This option is perfect for organisations looking to leverage existing infrastructure while taking advantage of cloud technologies.

Key benefits include:

• Flexible Architecture: Deploy cloud-based features for remote workers while keeping sensitive data on-premise.
• Cost Efficiency: Utilise existing investments in on-premise hardware while reducing reliance on additional infrastructure.
• Resilience: Hybrid solutions provide enhanced business continuity, offering a backup for both on-premise and cloud-based systems.

This approach is ideal for organisations transitioning to the cloud but still require some level of on-premise control.

Which Solution is Right for You?

Choosing between cloud, on-premise, or hybrid telephony depends on your business’s specific needs. Consider the following:

• Workforce Mobility: If you have a distributed or hybrid workforce, cloud telephony offers greater flexibility.
• Data Security: Highly regulated industries may benefit from the control provided by on-premise or hybrid solutions.
• Budget: Consider both upfront investment and long-term operational costs when selecting your solution.
• Future Growth: Cloud and hybrid systems are more scalable, making them ideal for fast-growing organisations.

At VideoCentric, we provide expert guidance to help you determine the best telephony solution for your business. Whether you need a fully cloud-based platform, prefer to keep operations on-premise, or require a tailored hybrid approach, our team can support you every step of the way.

Whether you operate a small or medium-sized business or are part of a large, geographically dispersed enterprise. If managing a complex communication network or dealing with limited IT staff resources has become burdensome? Then cloud telephony might be the answer for you.

What exactly is cloud telephony?

It offers businesses of all sizes a straightforward pay-as-you-grow model for their telephone communication requirements. Cloud telephony users benefit from an all-in-one communication solution – all available at a single monthly price per line.

How does cloud telephony function?

Internet telephony service providers (ITSPs) handle the construction, maintenance, and management of the entire communication infrastructure in the cloud. Meanwhile, users can access these services from their business phones, smartphones, tablets, and computers, regardless of their location.

Who is embracing cloud telephony?

Over 5 million small and medium-sized businesses in North America have already made the switch to cloud-based telephony. A considerable 62% of businesses in North America and Europe have plans to migrate their telephony platforms to the cloud. This shift is rapidly progressing, with an annual growth rate exceeding 27%, and the combined market for voice services, including both business and residential segments, is projected to surpass $82 billion by 2017.

Why are businesses opting for cloud telephony?

The reasons are compelling – it allows companies to stop dealing with equipment management and focus on their core business. It provides flexibility to scale with workforce needs, offers the latest communication and collaboration features at a flat fee, and is easy to integrate, use, and manage. It is feature-rich, highly reliable, and available.

What are the benefits of transitioning to the cloud?

Businesses can enjoy lower upfront and ongoing costs, eliminating the need to purchase expensive equipment like IP private branch exchanges (PBX). Maintenance becomes the responsibility of the hosted provider, resulting in hassle-free communications and reduced IT costs. Cloud telephony offers cost control for traveling staff and telecommuters, simplifying the telecommunications system and reducing costs associated with remote work.

Statistics indicate significant savings, with a typical lifetime savings of 30-50% and full payback within 12-18 months. Maintenance costs can see an 18% reduction over 36 months, and the ability to adjust services and applications easily is an added advantage. Companies that embrace telecommuting can further reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25%, with telecommuters proving to be 20% more productive than those commuting to the office.

Who stands to gain from cloud telephony?

It is an ideal fit for distributed organisations with multiple locations and remote staff, growing companies in need of scalable communications, innovative businesses seeking new communication forms like video and virtual meeting rooms, cost-conscious companies aiming to save on capital expenses, and organisations with strained IT departments looking to concentrate on their core activities.

Cloud telephony emerges as the right fit for forward-thinking companies like yours. Why don’t you contact our Sales Team today to see how this will work for you??

** referenced from Polycom Infographic – https://videocentric.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/polycom-cloud-telephony-infographic-enus.pdf **

Distributed and dispersed workforces are becoming the norm for businesses today, and organisations must adapt by embracing the technologies that can successfully connect together dispersed teams, allowing employees to better balance their lives, work from anywhere they choose, and still effectively communicate and collaborate in a professional manner.

So how can Cloud Video Conferencing help you manage a distributed workforce?

As your company grows, you need to be able to connect with your team, improve productivity, and make decisions, without relying upon travel. Planes, trains & cars will never be as fast or as convenient as electronic communication, and to maintain relationships and provide a personal connection with your colleagues and customers, you must be regularly communicating, face-to-face. It’s fact that gestures, body language and facial expressions make up 65% of all face-to-face discussion, so how can you be effectively communicating with your dispersed teams without them?

The Video Interview

You can use Video Conferencing to interview candidates. Face-to-face, you can see reactions and responses to questions in much more detail, and with a much wider reach of candidates through dispersed working, you can also pull in talent from outside of the reach of your HQ. Easily bring in other members of your team for the interview, and schedule meetings with decision makers and managers where everyone can meet together in a virtual room, from wherever suits them. 

Just simply send an invite from your Cloud account and your interviewee can call you directly from their browser, just with one click. And with in-build firewall traversal into your Cloud solution, no-one will have problems connecting.

Weekly Project Updates & Monthly Status Meetings

For ongoing projects, regular updates are vital to keep a project on track. Make the most of your update meetings by picking up on nonverbal cues and ensure you team and employees really understand what you are saying by recognising subtle head movements and eye contact that wouldn’t be possible over the phone.

Video Conferencing gives everyone on your team a seat, and face, at the meeting. Maybe everyone won’t fit into your boardroom, or you need to join people from multiple offices and remote locations… simply just meet over video in a Virtual Meeting Room. You can spin up as many Virtual Meeting Rooms as you like – one for each team or project – and share your dial in details with whoever you choose. PIN protection, or open spaces for everyone to collaborate – that’s up to each individual employee depending upon who with, what about and when they wish to collaborate.

Quarterly Updates and Corporate Announcements

With a distributed workforce, it’s often a challenge to keep everyone on the same page, especially when it comes to business strategy, roadmaps and corporate updates. Whether distributed across the UK or around the globe, everyone can be together in one big virtual room, the presentation can be shared in real-time for everyone to view, and the meeting can be broadcast to all employees and even recorded and shared for revisiting at a later date.

With Cloud Amplify as part of your Cloud solution, you get access to a corporate “YouTube”, and your room systems and desktop applications can simply select record – the meeting is instantly stored to your own secure personal space for later viewing, sharing, editing and streaming further afield. But not to worry, as an IT administrator, manager or executive, you can make this available, or not, and tailor the settings to ensure it works for you.

Hello!

Video Conferencing isn’t just for formal meetings. Actually, the most effective use of Video Conferencing is for informal catch ups, quick questions or quick daily updates with the rest of your team – especially if you are a home worker or working on a project with colleagues based elsewhere. Email is flat. An audio call misses vital information. Video is faster and more efficient, and helps you build relationships too. (See “Phone Call vs Video Call: It’s your Call” for a deeper dive into this!)

With simple user-friendly apps for mobile, laptop & desktop, and an interface replicated across all devices, including your meeting room systems, it’s easier than making a phone call, and much more effective too.

These are just a few of the ways in which Cloud Video Conferencing can help you to connect your distributed teams, and create a more connected experience across your workforce. Find out more by contacting our team today, or get a free trial of the Lifesize Cloud via the link below!

The Hybrid Cloud model is really the brainchild of the developing cloud & IT industry over the past 3-5 years; whilst many have been getting their head around “do we stay on premise, do we do everything in a private cloud, or do we move everything into the public domain”, the likes of industry analysts such as Gartner and forward thinking IT teams, recognised the strengths and weaknesses in both private and public models, and saw that the combination of the two in the form of a hybrid cloud model could enable a highly agile, flexible and secure platform to be created, in a way that suited an organisations specific business needs, whilst making use of their current and past investments.

Although some organisations will use a hybrid model where some applications are completely on-premise and other applications are completely public, the Hybrid Cloud model also paves way for “Cloud Bursting” – allowing an organisation to expand capacity into the public cloud as and when needed whilst making efficient use of the on-premise infrastructure or private cloud technology in place. The Cloud Bursting model effectively means temporarily bursting into the public cloud when the private threshold or capacity is met.

Collaboration & Cloud Bursting

With the growing adoption of Collaboration and Conferencing within the workplace, it has become increasingly difficult for IT teams to calculate required capacities, changing and growing demand, or sudden requirement spikes for one off or irregular large events. Therefore, the option to burst into the public cloud when unplanned usage requires it has become a very desirable option for many.

One of the leading innovators in the Collaboration industry, Pexip, has recognised this real need for organisations to have the capability to “burst into the cloud”, for situations where the day-to-day conferencing platform capacity does not meet the needs for a specific occasion or conference. Their Infinity Platform has been expanded to include a dynamic hybrid cloud feature that supports the burst from an on-premise deployment into a public cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider, such as Amazon Web Services, so that organisations can gain the familiarity and stability of their on-premise deployment, whilst accessing the flexibility of the cloud, as and when required. 

Infinity API displaying real-time on-premise usage & statistics of cloud bursting within conference

During the recent ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) event in Amsterdam, Pexip’s lead software engineer, Ian Mortimer, took the opportunity to discuss Pexip’s Dynamic Hybrid Cloud feature to show how the platform can burst to the cloud, and scale back to the private platform, seamlessly, as and when capacity changes. See the demonstration video here

This new feature of the Pexip Infinity Platform means that customers don’t have to make a choice between on-premise or public solutions – they can get the best of both worlds. This flexibility enables organisations to take advantage of the right deployment model for them, for that specific requirement, at that specific time. This hybrid model is also very cost efficient in that unused cloud instances can be turned off when they are no longer needed, saving money and resources, whilst ensuring that users productivity is not stifled by capacity of conferences and collaboration sessions being reached.

More Information?

• Find out more about Pexip Infinity
• Learn about Private Clouds

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In 2010, VideoCentric ripped out all their landline phones and went 100% Video over IP. This meant a video phone arrived on every employees desk and internal dialling was now 100% video. All calls, whether audio or video, could be answered on these video phones, however video was now deemed VideoCentric’s primary form of communication, only downgraded to audio if the far end caller was not video enabled. So what have been the benefits?

Face-to-face Interaction

No, video conferencing has not replaced our important meetings. Video should never be deployed to replace in-person time, and it would be silly to claim that video could ever be a replacement for handshakes and lunchtime get-togethers.

But for our team, it has greatly increased the amount of face-to-face interaction we have with both our customers and our colleagues. Now, instead of phone calls to clients, we can see each other in the flesh on a daily basis instead, much more than we would have done by just holding in-person meetings. The quality of our overall interaction is improved by replacing our phone calls with video calls, and this is without removing the personal gatherings needed to keep everyone happy.

Establish more personal & trusting relationships

Trust is said by some to be the most valuable commodity in business. Thanks to the increase in face-to-face interaction with video communications, we hold much stronger & trusting relationships with each of our customers. We get to know each other as a person, not just a voice, and in turn builds the long-term relationships that are vital to everyone involved.

That is also the case not just with external communications, but internal too. With the growth in flexible working, we have team members working from home, who find that video really enables them to stay connected and build relationships with their teams and colleagues (Take a look at a blog from one of our homeworkers, “The Flexible Millennial”). Would this happen over the phone? Not in the same way at all.

Better understand the conversation

With 70% of communication known to be non-verbal, it is no surprise that much information is missed, or is found more difficult to grasp, when engaged within an audio call. Ever experienced a rather less-than-productive audio conference where priority seems to be more focused upon not interrupting your seniors rather than focusing on the task in hand? Facial cues, head & shoulder movements, arm gestures & “the look of confusion” are all but lost via audio.

Think of the top 3 things that frustrate you about your audio conferences… how many of these things could be solved if you could just see the people at the other end?

And if you haven’t seen “A Conference Call in Real Life”, then it might just resonate somewhat…

Reducing Decision Making Time

Where the sharing of visual ideas, drawings & designs could previously only be carried out within an in-person meeting, video collaboration enables immediate sharing & feedback as soon as it is required. No longer is distant communication only suitable for ideas that can be communicated verbally – at an instant I can show colleagues my annotations & designs & visually see their reactions in real-time.

These are just 4 simple reasons why Video Conferencing is a real benefit for businesses not just to reduce travel, but to improve the way you communicate on a daily basis. With more productive remote meetings, more face time with your customers and more efficient communications, there is no doubt that the replacement of our landline phones with video conferencing has had huge benefits to both our organisation and the thousands of organisations already using video as a primary method of getting the job done.

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(Image courtesy of imagerymajestic)

I received a call on my video phone from a number that hadn’t called before – but from a location I knew. My grandparents house.

Now it might not seem an amazing feat to many, but with fond memories of hours of producing drawings of the TV remote just to help them not get stuck on Teletext for days on end, and trying to explain how to read a text message in terms of telegrams & buttons that can perform more than one task (which unfortunately still hasn’t sunk in), this really was something to be proud of.

With the internet put in place at the weekend, the phone has been installed for two reasons; for the family & grandparents to talk face-to-face whenever they choose, and for any of us to be able to work from their house if needs be, without effecting work life. A remote office set up just as I have set up for working from home.

Why a Video Phone?

Firstly, my grandparents are comfortable with a phone. They understand the numbers, they get the concept of an answer (green) & hangup (red) button, and they have being used to picking up a handset for many years. It’s really just a land line phone… but with the addition of a screen. And there’s no need to explain any more than that.

Other options would generally include using a PC. For those who have grown up around technology, the concept of using a PC is simple; Click on what you want, click twice to open, right click for more options, and type using a keyboard. But physically, this requires a user to grip a mouse, move the hand & click at the same time as trying to keep track of a mouse pointer on the screen. Many of us have grown up with an altered dexterity where we have learnt & used these movements for years. But for my grandparents, who have never had to learn or use these skills and who suffer with arthritis in the hands, just moving a mouse pointer is quite a challenge. And where a “Start Menu” usually consists of soup & pate, and a double click is something that happens in the hip when getting out of bed in the morning… well we’re better off sticking to what we (almost) know.

The phone also allows us to programme a handful of presets for a specific row of buttons, meaning they have no need to dial a URL or IP address – they can just press a single button and the call initiates immediately. It’s simple & intuitive, and if anything is showing on screen or they get stuck, the only thing they have to remember is “PRESS THE RED BUTTON!!” until they get back to where they know.

The First Call

I was rather shocked to be answering a call from my grandparents. The above probably only gives a small taste as to their attitude towards technology and seeing a call coming in from them would be, until very recently, completely unthought of.

The initial face-to-face contact was more of my grandpa’s stomach than anything else – the concept of being able to see me on the screen because I am facing the camera hadn’t really sunk in.

But after minor encouragement to sit down in front of the phone, and an explanation of how to put the handset down without hanging up the call, I was surprised how quickly the conversation became natural and he had seemingly forgotten there was a screen between us.

And within minutes I was being shown a scar from the new pacemaker he’d had fitted that morning. Yes, that might make you cringe, but the fact that he could converse with distant family about something that was completely visual was really a revelation and has got to be the some of the best proof of the benefits of video communication I have seen to date.

Getting Comfy

For now, I think we will be letting them get comfortable with the new technology they have in place. Just because they have internet at their house, I don’t expect my grandparents to be tweeting any time soon (though the experience of showing them Google Earth, Spotify & YouTube must be repeated – they were rather blown away).

The benefits for them being visually connected are immense. From my point of view, there are far more benefits that could be achieved with video communication for the elderly. I have hopes that as more and more elderly people have video phones (or are dexterous enough to use a PC!), then more and more doctors, pharmacies & specialists will have video access too. Simple questions to a dietician, the Endocrinologist or the Opthalmologist could easily save a trip & scheduled appointment (saving time and money for everyone). And for those who are less mobile, this can be a huge health benefit too.

Plus, the improvement in elderly people’s lives, especially those who live alone, by having face-to-face contact with distant family & friends is immeasurable.

And the ability for us to easily work from another location due to today’s video technology is one I am always a strong advocate of. Work shouldn’t be about where you are but about what you do – and this technology allows you to juggle both your work & family life efficiently.

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