Are you planning a work video call? Discover features to enable and behaviors to follow to make the meeting really effective
Quarantine has changed so many of our daily habits, especially our work habits. It has encouraged smart working, the way of working that allows you to continue to do the same tasks from home that you would normally do in the office.
You can no longer meet co-workers, colleagues and clients in a regular meeting: to communicate remotely, many professionals now rely on video calls. Starting them, pausing them, adding other callers is very easy, however, not everyone knows the tricks to a perfect business video call. In fact, there are features and ways of doing things that let you improve the experience of all participants: such as customizing the background or eliminating white noise. Moreover, it is important to adopt some behaviors to make the conversation composed and really effective. Knowing and applying them will make every meeting a success.
Before a video call, test your connection and hardware
One of the first obstacles to a perfect video call is represented by interruptions and communication difficulties caused by a slow connection or inadequate tools.
That’s why, before participating, it is essential to make sure that all devices and accessories such as headsets or microphones work; and that the internet speed allows you to make a video call without problems. There are several speed tests online that you can use before hitting the “Call” button to check the quality of the connection.
As for hardware, the advice is to test everything before contact. Apps usually allow you to test all devices.
Customize the wallpaper during the video call
These days, working from home often means sharing space with family. It becomes difficult to choose a corner or room with a professional background, such as a wall or bookcase. Often you’re forced to hole up for a few hours in the kids’ bedroom or other lesser-used spaces in the house, where there are family pictures, games or other colorful objects that don’t fit in a business meeting.
Unfortunately, many apps allow you to change the background. For example, Zoom lets you customize the background during an online meeting by inserting an image in the port of the real one. Skype, on the other hand, allows you to blur what is behind the user.
Choose topics and make an agenda.
An agenda is a detailed schedule of topics to be addressed during a meeting, a lesson or even a video call. In fact, there are communications that are better sent via email, chat and others that are better discussed verbally. Clarifying this and above all communicating to the interlocutor the contents that you will be touching will allow you to conduct the meeting online in the best way.
Use white noise machine or mute the microphone
Another very common problem of video calls are the background noises that can disturb the other participants. To minimize them, you could purchase a white noise machine. It will soundproof the environment and allow you to work with peace of mind.
The second option is to mute your microphone during video calls. In most applications the function is present in the call screen and is activated with a simple click. Remember to turn it back on when you want to talk.
How to ask a question during a business video call
If you have a question to ask during a remote meeting, you’ll need to find a way to speak without disturbing or interrupting the caller. To avoid inconvenience, it is advisable to leave the space for questions at the end of the video call. To ensure that no one is overlooked, all participants can write down their questions in the chat, which will then be addressed during a break or at the end of the meeting.