THE FUTURE OF WORK IS NOW

Life through a video screen used to belong to the same category as flying cars and jetpacks: cool things that belonged to a distant future. While most of us are still waiting for new ways to take to the sky, the pandemic has made living and working on screens a necessity.

Remote work is no longer the future of work; it’s the now of work. And it’s not quite as we imagined. Connecting and collaborating with coworkers can be a challenge. Data security is an ongoing concern, too. We’ve all had our share of setbacks and lessons learned—and, thankfully, we have found new opportunities, new ways to work together, and we’ve seen the upside of remote work, too. Regardless of what the future holds, it’s clear that hybrid and remote workers are here to stay. It’s up to business leaders to keep their employees engaged, productive, and safe, no matter where they’re working.

THE NOW OF WORK

Remember the bright beautiful world of tomorrow from cartoons and movies? People could do everything on one big video screen: Run a business, work, shop, go to school, even hang out with their friends. All from the comfort of home! We envied and worked towards that future—but then we were suddenly forced into actually living life on a screen, and it wasn’t quite all we had imagined. For every benefit of remote work and distance learning, there have been drawbacks. It’s been a learning process for workers and leaders alike. Now that we’re past the initial shock and scramble of adjusting to a post-pandemic landscape, it’s time to evaluate what’s working and plan to thrive, not just survive. Whatever comes next, it’s clear that hybrid workforces and virtual contact centers will play a major role in the future of business. The challenge is to strike a balance between business survival and scalable growth, privacy and accountability, security and collaboration, structure and flexibility. Fortunately, as the definition of work continues to evolve, communications services and technology are advancing. Businesses that can combine the right tech with the right processes and skillsets will be well-equipped to lead the pack.

1.Flexibility & Growth

2.Collaboration & Connection

3.Security and Complience

Flexibility & Growth​

What will be the next disruption that affects your business? From trade wars to weather events, there’s always something ready to throw a wrench in your quarterly strategy. The goal, then, is not just planning for a few specific contingencies. It’s to foster resilience that will keep your business moving no matter what happens next.

Creating a Hybrid Workforce

Ensure your remote employees are as connected and supported as in-office staff. Employees should be able to switch from in-office to remote seamlessly as circumstances demand.

Scaling Hybrid and Remote Solutions

Business infrastructure should be equipped to handle remote work at scale, including secure connectivity and device options for employees.

 

Winning the Virtual Customer Experience Battleground

 

Every business is now an online business. Customers who might usually have preferred face-to-face interactions will be interacting with your brand online, so it’s crucial that they have a positive, seamless, exceptional experience.

Empowering Employees to Provide Virtual Customer Experience

 

Businesses need to develop robust remote contact center abilities, in order to ensure that remote workers can provide the same amazing experience they could in an office setting.

 

Learn More About Our Remote Working Solutions

Collaboration & Connection

Collaboration and communication are the lifeblood of modern business—it’s all about breaking down silos and working together across departments. This new style of working together was a tall order before the pandemic hit, and it’s more challenging with a remote workforce. What’s more, workers are more engaged when they feel connected to each other and to the organization. Those who feel they’re toiling away in isolation are less likely to stay focused, productive and happy. Businesses need to provide the tools that remote and hybrid workers need to communicate and collaborate. Beyond the technology, though, businesses need to implement the training and culture-building to make sure these tools are properly used. Maintaining a connected, efficient and engaged hybrid workforce requires ongoing support from management.

Security & Compliance

Regulated industries like healthcare, government and financial services have additional challenges when it comes to remote work. They must not only keep remote workers engaged, but also comply with security and privacy guidelines, all without stifling innovation or throttling productivity. One key element of ensuring security and compliance in a hybrid workforce is streamlining communications. If your employees use multiple different platforms for videoconferencing, several collaboration solutions, and a host of chat apps, they’re creating more points of vulnerability. An integrated solution with built-in security features can help maintain compliance and facilitate collaboration.

It’s Possible to Thrive in Tumultuous Times

The main attraction of the big bright beautiful world of tomorrow is that it’s always just ahead of us; tomorrow will always contain the promise of a different future. As we live in the present reality of remote and hybrid work, we can continue to plan and shape what comes next.

Offering a superior remote work experience will help businesses retain their talent, saving the cost of training new employees and converting turnover into stability. What’s more, these businesses will be better positioned to attract new talent, with employee experience as a differentiator. The flexibility and autonomy of remote work, combined with a culture of collaboration and connection, will be an unbeatable combo for whatever tomorrow holds.

At Introtel, we make it our business to power meaningful connections—we can help keep your business and employees thriving with reliable, scalable, and secure communications.

Source:Mitel

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WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

When it comes to business, regrets are something every owner and manager can do without. Nobody wants to be in a business situation thinking “I should’ve been ready for that.” Effective managers try to avoid those situations by looking ahead, planning for the future, anticipating issues that may impact the business and leaving room to maneuver so that the business is agile enough to respond to market situations as they arise. This forward-looking management approach should extend to all facets of a business.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the communications system that is the foundation of their customer service and sales process, many managers don’t look beyond the dial tone they hear when they pick up a handset. But there’s more value to be had from a technologically current and feature-rich communication system than simple dial tone. By looking at your communication system as a strategic asset, you can position your business to deal with any eventuality.

COMMUNICATION IS YOUR BUSINESS

Regardless of which industry you are in, the reality is that you can’t be competitive without a fully optimized communications system. If your employees can’t communicate effectively and efficiently with each other, customers and partners, chances are you are missing out on important customer service requirements and potential revenue opportunities. So, in a way, communication is the key to your success.

That’s why it’s important to regularly take a hard look at what you have and what you should have. Many communications system features that may have seemed unnecessary a few years ago are now table stakes. Likewise, features you thought would improve operations may no longer be delivering the benefits they should be providing.

Therefore, as technology and your business evolve, your communications strategy should, too. It should not be a static concept that you worked on back when having dial tone was the most strategic move you could make. It should be an ongoing process enabled by the key questions that will inform it on the road to the next strategic decision:

-How do my employees collaborate?

-How does my organization handle customer interactions?

-Do our systems integrate well and do they improve efficiency?

-Are we taking advantage of all the new features available or are we behind on updates?

-Do we need to move to the cloud to improve efficiency or can we do more with what we have?

-How are we prepared to harness cloud technologies when it is time to make the move?

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS SHOULD IMPROVE OPERATIONS

Since there’s no denying that effective communication and collaboration are critical in today’s business environment, a communications strategy can help you improve operations.

Research shows that 85 percent of small businesses agree that efficient communication between different teams is fundamental to staying ahead of the competition. But a poor technology strategy can have serious repercussions on a business and even affect a company’s ability to compete. For example, inefficient communications can cost upwards of $6,000 per employee per year to a small business, even more for an enterprise.

Inefficiencies are created when employees are working with outdated systems that don’t provide the features and capabilities that will optimize their daily work processes. Systems that aren’t integrated with core applications, like CRM, that don’t provide a single unified view of all communications options and that don’t enable team collaboration, video conferencing and anytime, anywhere access to email, text and chat are not adequate any longer. Likewise, systems that offer all those things but are two or three software updates behind are not operating at peak efficiency and may, in fact, be reducing productivity.

Meanwhile, communications technologies continue to evolve and that’s never going to change. So, organizations that don’t view their communications system as a strategic asset, reassess their investments regularly and optimize their systems at every opportunity can find themselves in situations where their communication technology mix does not meet the demands that the business and the market put on them.

STRATEGIC SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR ANYTHING

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily operations for businesses of all sizes showed just how strategically important up-to-date communication technology really is. Businesses that had kept pace with ever-changing communications technologies before the pandemic found it easier to enable employees to work remotely. Those that had a less strategic approach to their communication system found that they were ill-equipped to handle the new business reality.

Now, businesses that are sensitive to the winds of change will have a technology investment strategy that ensures they aren’t caught flat footed again. They’ll keep their system as flexible as possible, ready to add functionality as needed and capture opportunities when they arise.

Thinking about your communications system strategically means making a conscious effort to keep pace with technological change so you can do more with what you have now and are ready to upgrade to whatever you need when you need it. It means maximizing the potential of your current system with incremental updates that deliver the integrated email, text, chat, screen-sharing, unified communication, collaboration and video capabilities your employees need to stay connected with colleagues, customers and partners. And it means thinking about your eventual move to the cloud, planning for it and being ready for it when your business needs it.

STRATEGY PUTS YOU IN CONTROL

With a strategic approach to your communications system you can plan to do more with what you have to meet the changing needs of your employees, your customers and your business. You can reap all the business benefits offered by your investment. And you can control how technology evolution affects your operation.

If you’re a Mitel MiVoice Business Customer, you already have access to all the key elements you need to maintain strategic control of your communications system. If your system is several versions behind, there are probably new capabilities you can unlock to take advantage of technology improvements you’ve missed. If you have kept your system current with all updates and you are not ready to move to the cloud, you can work with your technology partner to optimize your system by replacing disjointed tools with more tightly integrated solutions that seamlessly connect to your existing infrastructure.

Most importantly, regardless of where you are in your strategy, you’re in control. So, avoid any future regrets about your communication system by thinking about it as strategic asset that you can leverage to position your business to deal with any eventuality.

Source:Mitel

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3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET (AND STAY) CURRENT

Let’s face it, the days of running a business with outdated communication tools are over. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that very clear. Businesses that continued to keep pace with ever-changing communications technologies before the pandemic were best equipped to make a smooth transition to a remote working reality. Businesses that had not kept pace with technology were caught scrambling. 

Today, many businesses are taking stock of their communications infrastructure to determine what they will need to stay competitive during and after the pandemic. Although a migration to cloud-based options should be the eventual goal, getting there may not require an immediate and abrupt shift. Staying agile and competitive on the road to the cloud can be achieved by ensuring existing technology is current.

You Can’t Get Ahead If You’re Technically Behind

Way back when, you only had to worry about one communication tool. A phone system and access to dial tone was all you needed to support most business operations. That basic hardware could stay in place for years without much upkeep. 

Now, your employees need more than a handset to stay connected with colleagues, partners and customers. Smartphones, email, text, chat, screen-sharing, unified communication and more enable a mobile, agile and responsive workforce. The IP-based systems and platforms you rely on to deliver these tools provide a variety of communication and collaboration options. But unlike the basic handsets of yesteryear, the technologies behind today’s systems continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Every minor software update or major upgrade refines existing capabilities or adds new features designed to streamline work processes and improve efficiency. 

Unfortunately, many businesses have not kept up with the pace of change. They have delayed updates and upgrades and continue to operate with outdated systems. If you are one of those businesses, you are not taking full advantage of the technology you already have and are not giving your employees the advanced tools they need to maximize productivity. This puts your employees at a disadvantage compared to competitors who are leveraging every new iteration of their communications systems to ensure that vital link between employees, partners and customers is optimized at every touch point.

Outdated Systems Are Vulnerable

Beyond efficiency and productivity, staying current with updates and upgrades to your existing communication system is the key to protecting your business from security threats. 

Because of the way business is conducted today with dispersed and remote employees, even daily office emails and phone calls can contain confidential information that matters to your customers. The tight integration of voice, data, and image capabilities in IP-based communications systems that enable a distributed workforce make those systems an ideal target for cybercriminals looking for a backdoor into your business data. Most IT professionals agree that outdated software on these systems is an open invitation. So, the longer the software has been neglected, the more likely it is that someone can find a way to exploit its vulnerabilities. 

Given that your communication system is the vital enabler of your business, you can’t afford to take the risk. Avoid the financial cost and disruption of a security breach by keeping your system current with all the latest security features. System software updates and upgrades often address security flaws, eliminate minor glitches or close security holes that could be exploited by hackers. They provide that extra layer of protection your business needs from the damage and destruction caused by a cyberattack. Without that extra layer of protection, you’re opening the door to a potential breach and the resulting loss of consumer confidence, which means that existing customers and potential customers won’t be likely to trust your business in the future.

A Move To The Cloud Should Be At Your Own Pace

Of course, as technology evolves, your communications strategy should too. While the objective for all organizations should be an eventual migration to the cloud, that move should be made when it makes the most business sense. By staying current with your existing system, you can be more strategic with your move and make it at your own pace.

When you start thinking about your move to cloud-based communications services, consider whether you have maximized the potential of your current system. Cloud systems can be configured to provide telephony, mobility, team and video collaboration, contact center capabilities and communication integration — all for a monthly fee. Many on-premises systems, like Mitel MiVoice Business, can be upgraded with all these features. Upgrading optimizes your current investment and extends the life of your system while you structure your move to the cloud to fit your business and market strategies.

To capitalize on this potential, make sure you’re making the incremental choices today that keep your system as flexible as possible, ready to add functionality as needed and capture opportunities when they arise. This means staying current with all the latest updates and upgrades and activating features that extend the life of your system, like video, collaboration and customer experience capabilities. It also means thinking strategically with your technology partner about how emerging technologies and creative uses of integrations can revolutionize the workflows in your organization to improve daily operations.

Staying Current Makes Good Business Sense

Ultimately, the risks associated with not making needed updates to systems are too great to ignore and the benefits are well worth the effort. But many businesses today are operating with communication systems that are at least one full software version behind current. As a result, their systems may lack the built-in functionality that, if current, could enhance efficiency and increase productivity. These systems are also missing critical security updates that could reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

As you look to define the communications tools you will need to stay competitive during and after the pandemic, it’s important to remember that, sometimes, staying competitive can be as simple as updating what you already have. And if what you already have is MiVoice Business, you have a solid foundation to build on, as long as you stay current. 

Source:Mitel

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END VIDEO CONFERENCING FATIGUE WITH 5 SIMPLE TIPS

That video conferencing experienced a boom in the early days of COVID-19 wasn’t much of a surprise to anyone. Video technology is a visual bridge, allowing us to see our colleagues and loved ones face-to-face at a time when many of us are stuck at home.

At first, all of the time spent in front of the camera was novel, even fun. It made the transition from office or classroom to home much easier. With video, teams could pick up where they left off, collaborating more efficiently and continuing to engage fully in discussions. But after months of back-to-back video conferences, many of us are experiencing video fatigue . You (like many others) may find yourself dreading that video call you once enjoyed.

A number of factors contribute to video fatigue. There’s the added pressure and feeling of being “watched” when you’re on video. When everyone is prominently displayed on a screen, people can feel more self-conscious about how they look, what they say and what they do. Many of us are already under more stress than usual as we deal with the fallout from the pandemic. The added pressure of an on-screen presence can increase that anxiety.

Also, since our view of other meeting attendees is often limited to shoulders and above, we miss body language cues. Our brains need to focus more on facial expressions and tone of voice in order to infer what people are thinking and feeling. The difficulty of this effort multiplies when several people appear on screen (Brady Bunch-style) in grid view. Last, technical glitches such as audio delays and frozen screens can frustrate attendees and make it harder to communicate effectively.

Video conferencing has also become a means of communication for more than just work. Many of us are relying on video to stay in touch with friends and go to school. As a result, we’re spending both work and personal time on camera, and these hours add up fast. It’s no wonder people have come to find video conferences draining.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce video fatigue, while still interacting with your colleagues and getting your work done. The five tips below will help you recharge your video conferencing batteries.

Five Tips To Combat Video Conferencing Fatigue

1. Ask Yourself If Video Is Really Necessary.

Video conferencing technology has definite benefits. It allows us to maintain a more personal connection with attendees and keeps people engaged. However, sometimes it’s just not necessary. If you’re scheduling a meeting, think about how important it is to see the other participants. Client meetings and brainstorming sessions are often better with video, but routine check-ins and status updates may be just as effective with the camera turned off.

2. Be Selective About Invites.

The more people on a video call, the more tiring it can be. There are more faces to watch (and interpret) and it becomes difficult to constantly adjust your attention from one person to another. Staying focused becomes a challenge. When scheduling video conferences, carefully review the invite list. Divide participants into two lists: required and optional. While this advice also applies to audio calls, it’s even more crucial to follow when scheduling a video conference. Limit attendees to only those who need to be there.

3. Use A Reliable And Secure Video Conferencing Provider.

A reliable video conferencing solution reduces worry about potential technical issues. A powerful solution also includes additional features that make video calls more productive and engaging. For example, the ability to grant centerstage to a presenter makes it easier for everyone to focus, while a whiteboard feature allows attendees to easily share ideas in real time. Some providers include persistent chat logs and file sharing, so you can keep track of important decisions and share information.

4. Schedule Breaks Between Video Conference Calls.

With remote work continuing for many, video conferences aren’t going away. Do yourself a favor by spacing them throughout your day. A short break in between calls gives you time to stretch, grab a snack and freshen up if you’re feeling drained. A walk outside can also do wonders. It will help you to refocus and gear up for the next call.

5. Leverage Other Unified Communications Technology When Appropriate.

Video certainly has its purpose. But other unified communications technologies produce the same level of collaboration and engagement without the need for participants to be camera-ready. Desktop sharing, for example, enables attendees to work together and share progress and notes. Sometimes an individual or group chat is all that’s needed to get answers to questions. Persistent collaborative workspaces are another unified communications tool that allows team members to work together efficiently and effectively. Colleagues can share files, chat and exchange ideas in real time. You can even create and assign tasks to people, making it easy to track progress on projects and to stay on top of your own to-do list.

No matter how much we love our jobs and our co-workers, the truth is sometimes we just don’t want to be on screen. Remote work and video conferences will be part of our new normal, so take steps to keep them in check and you energized.

Source:Mitel

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5 WAYS TO AVOID NETWORK FAILURE IN THE DIGITAL ERA

5 WAYS TO AVOID NETWORK FAILURE IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Today, network performance is paramount to doing business. Internal and external interactions often include live video conferencing, voice calls, video streaming and massive uploads and downloads from the Internet. On top of that, many businesses use their network to conduct purchases directly with their customers.

Unlike the networks of yesterday, all these services are moving into the cloud. While this creates simplicity for the user, finding and fixing a performance problem no simple task for the business.

The Cost Of Downtime

We already know that downtime can have a tremendous impact on your business. The longer you go without access to your data and business systems, the greater the financial implications are. As network complexity increases, downtime can seem inevitable. And for every dropped call and network outage there is a cost to the business, whether it’s a poor user experience or lost revenue.

While 51% of outages are avoidable, each year companies lose $26.5 billion in revenue due to IT downtime―either planned or unplanned. When there are critical application failures on the network, the costs can hit a staggering 1 million dollars per hour lost in Fortune 100 companies with 98% of organizations saying a single hour of downtime costs over $100K.

How To Stay On Top

Follow these five best practices to avoid costly downtime and keep your business running smoothly:

  1. Monitor for insight. On a Mitel network, often what seems like a voice quality issue is in fact caused by a failing or misconfigured router or switch. By knowing where the problem is, you can proactively prevent a voice quality issue that leads to a poor user experience.
  2. Test continuously for faster problem resolution. A poorly performing device can be difficult to detect and chasing after the cause wastes valuable resources. Take a proactive approach with network testing that places synthetic calls, so you’ll be alerted before a problem can impact users in the field. When a problem does occur, being able to test directly from the monitoring system’s dashboard to find the root cause quickly will help you avoid costly downtime.
  3. Use monitoring systems designed for business communications. When your network management system specializes in unified communications (UC), you gain valuable insight into how events on your network impact voice communications.
  4. Go deeper with analytics. Usage reporting like SIP trunk and port usage can tell you in advance when it’s time to expand your network or add new licenses to maintain optimal performance. Alarm analytics can inform you of the most important issues on your network faster, so you can plan effectively and make more informed business decisions.
  5. Prevent an aging infrastructure with software updates. Software Assurance can be a cost-effective way to deploy the latest updates, which protect against aging infrastructure, security vulnerabilities and interoperability problems.

Source:Mitel

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HOW TO PREPARE FOR A VIDEOCONFERENCE AS A REMOTE WORKER

Videoconferencing is quickly becoming “business as usual.” So now more than ever, it’s essential to prepare for your business videoconference meetings so that you can get the most out of each one and make sure work gets done efficiently. Whether you’re new to working remotely or have been doing it for some time, it’s easy to fumble on a call.

Get Technically Ready For Your Video Conference Call

Working remotely means you have to make sure all technical aspects of a web and video conference are in order. In other words, you are the IT department. Don’t wait until five minutes before the call to get everything prepared. Do it way ahead of time. 

Here’s a checklist of things to nail down before the call.

Internet Connection

Your WiFi signal must be strong enough to handle both voice and video conference calls. What’s fine for browsing or email may not be robust enough to facilitate video.

Up-To-Date Software

Make sure you have the latest version of the meeting software. Or use a web-based business videoconferencing solution where you only need to sign on.

The global videoconferencing market size is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2 percent from 2018 to 2025, according to Grand View Research.

Lights, Camera, Action!

One key to successful video conference calls is making your visual presence as clear and strong as possible. You may be in your home office, or even the kitchen table, but you still have the ability to control lighting, visual background and ambient noise. Before starting the call, turn on your camera and take a good hard look at yourself and what’s behind you and the lighting. Make sure a light source is on your face – not behind you. Then check what’s in back of you. A pile of papers? The laundry? Set up your call so that your background is clear and uncluttered. You want other participants to focus on you and not be visually distracted. Finally, find a quiet space, ideally one with a door so that you can block out other noises.

Prepare For The Content Of The Video conference Call

Taking a few moments ahead of time to organize your thoughts can make all the difference between a frustrating call and a productive one. As you prepare for your business video conference, consider these elements.

Agenda

If you’re the organizer of the call, be sure to send out an agenda at least a day ahead of time. Identify what you expect from each participant. For instance, “Ashley, I’d like you to be prepared to review the latest estimates for the new construction.”

Your Role

If you’re not the leader, reach out to the organizer and ask for clarification on your role and how you should prepare. Think through what you’d like to contribute.

Other Participants

Find out who else will be on the call. Just as with face-to-face meetings, it’s helpful to know ahead of time who’s “in” the meeting.

What To Do During A Business Video conference Call

These days, we’re all so accustomed to multitasking that we’re tempted to do it during a conference call – particularly a boring one. All the more reason to define your role and contribution to the call ahead of time. Here are some ways to stay tuned in.

Be Present In Mind And Body

Look into the camera. Keep your attention on whoever’s speaking, just as you would if you were sitting in a conference room. React to comments with appropriate body language, like nodding. Because the video software may automatically switch to the speaker, avoid verbal comments unless you have a contribution or question.

Take Notes

It’s easier to stay in the moment when you’re jotting down thoughts and information. Note any questions you have for other participants or comments you want to add to the conversation. Be ready to share when the opportunity presents itself.

The Benefits Of A Cloud-Based Video Conferencing Solution Include:
  • Improved communication with customers
  • Enhanced productivity
  • Scalability
  • Reduced costs
Limit Side Conversations

Keep one-on-one chats to a minimum. Again, if you were in an in-person meeting you wouldn’t be passing notes to colleagues, right? Instead, take notes for follow up.

Fill In The Gaps

We get a lot of visual information during in-person meetings. While in this respect video conference calls are better than voice conference calls, we still miss out on important data. When you have to break eye contact with the camera (and the meeting participants), it’s useful to explain what you’re doing. For instance, you may be taking notes or looking up a document that’s pertinent to the discussion.

Record The Call.

If possible, record important video conference calls. Inexpensive transcription services are available to provide a written record of the call within hours.

What To Do After The Video Conference Call

Follow-up is important after any meeting, video or in-person. Using the notes you took during the call, reach out to colleagues and partners with next steps. Virtual workspace software like MiCloud Connect Teamwork makes it easy to assign tasks, send follow-up emails and group messages, share documents and schedule future meetings, all from one web-based application.

Source:Mitel

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16 WAYS TO HELP REMOTE WORKERS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM

We’ve all been there. The frustrating meeting: disorganized, without an agenda and far too many attendees – both in the room and on the phone. When you’re done, you feel like you’ve wasted an hour of your life.

For remote employees, it’s even worse. Because they’re not physically at the conference table, they miss the non-verbal cues and side conversations, while those attending in person often forget who’s on the other end of the speaker phone. It’s no wonder that people multitask during conference calls.

The problem is you need remote workers to contribute. You need their information, knowledge and feedback. Think of a sales manager in another state who can share what customers are saying. Or a franchise owner who’s identified problems with a new point-of-sale system. 

To make your remote colleagues feel connected and valued, here are 16 ways you can help them feel like they’re in the conference room along with everyone else.

1. Make It Mobile-First.

The first step toward changing this dynamic is to provide remote employees with the right tools. They need to the ability to join meetings from any device – mobile, tablet, desktop – and any operating system. A cloud hosted phone system, like MiCloud Connect, puts them in the room with a single click and makes it easy to collaborate with colleagues.

2. Ensure A Strong Connection.

Nothing is more aggravating than a poor connection that makes it difficult to hear others or contribute to the conversation. A cloud phone – a Voice over IP (VoIP) based business telephone platform – enables your remote colleagues to connect to any conference call with one click, from any device, via the Internet.

3. Set A Clear Agenda.

It’s been said many times but it’s worth saying again. Distributing an agenda days before the meeting is essential. Choose a unified communications solution with a built-in agenda capability that enables you to send the meeting plan with the invite. This way remote employees aren’t at a disadvantage. Everyone is on the same page from the get-go. 

4.Choose The Right Time.

A convenient time for participants in one time zone might be the kids’ bedtime for participants in another. This is a common complaint of remote employees. Everyone in the room thinks 3 p.m. is a perfect time for the next meeting, but the remote colleague is in the awkward position of reminding the group that it’s not a good time for them. It’s the job of the meeting leader to be conscious of this and proactively find times that work for (mostly) everyone. In some organizations, meetings rotate times so that everyone “shares the pain.”

5. Share Expectations For Participation.

With the agenda, let participants know you expect everyone to come prepared to fully contribute to the conversation, no matter where they’re located. Ask everyone to read through the agenda and reach out to the meeting leader with any questions or feedback.

6. Invite The Right People.

Not surprisingly, conference calls with too many participants are less engaging. Stanford University Professor Robert Sutton found that the magic number for a productive team is five to six people, no more than 10. But success is about more than a number. A sure way to increase inclusion and participation on a conference call is to have the right people involved.

7. Establish Meeting Ground Rules.

When you’re calling in remotely, it often feels like you have to fight to be heard. Set ground rules for how people should communicate during the call. For instance, one person speaks at a time with no interruptions. Or ask your team what they feel the ground rules should be. A remote colleague might suggest, for instance, that everyone say their name before speaking since she isn’t in the room. This also serves to remind the people in the conference room that remote colleagues are on the call.

8. Start With Introductions.

So simple, yet so important. Ask everyone to say “hello,” give their name and role, and explain why they’re on the call. Small talk can help make everyone feel included, especially remote colleagues. If the call’s a video call, make sure everyone is on video (not audio). If someone can’t be on video, ask them to post a photo of themselves.

9. Invite Participation.

Since it’s easy to forget who’s calling in, it’s the job of the facilitator to make sure everyone contributes. Keep track of who has spoken – and who has not. Ask direct questions to those who haven’t contributed like, “Ashley, what do you think of this idea?” Use a cloud business communications service, like MiCloud Connect, that enables participants to give their input via cloud collaboration tools such as chat, IM or polling.

10. Manage Speaking Time.

One of the hardest tasks for a meeting leader is controlling who speaks and for how long. This is particularly difficult for remote colleagues, who often find they can’t get a word in edgewise. The meeting leader must be aware of this dynamic and counteract it. For example, if one participant is rambling, the leader can interrupt gently, acknowledging and reflecting back their contribution before moving the discussion on, or asking for input from another participant.

11. Speak Clearly.

When speaking to someone face-to-face, you get a lot more information. Speech clarity isn’t as important because the listener is picking up non-verbal cues, too. That dynamic is missing for those not in the room. Therefore, it’s important that the facilitator speak clearly and slowly, with more pauses to make sure everyone is following.

12. Make It Visual.

Use collaborative conference software that allows anyone on the call to share their screen. Use visuals to keep everyone engaged. Ask different participants to share documents.

13. Break It Up.

When planning the meeting, be conscious of keeping it interactive. For instance, stop after three slides to ask questions. Assign different items on the agenda to each participant. In this way, the remote worker feels like an important contributor to the meeting.

14. Rotate Roles.

Effective meetings need more than a leader. Other roles include a notetaker and a time-keeper to keep the agenda on track while the leader focuses on content and presentation. A good practice is to rotate these roles. Sitting in the passenger seat is very different from being the driver. When meeting participants share responsibilities, they feel more ownership and engagement. This is particularly important for remote workers, who often feel peripheral. 

15. Create A Shared Workspace.

Remote employees need access to the same information as everyone else on the team. In the past that meant dialing into the mainframe. With the cloud, it’s so much easier. Choose a cloud business phone system that provides a virtual shared workspace containing all documents and communications pertaining to the team’s efforts. With a click, remote workers can see all the team’s work in one place. 

16. Record The Call.

Sometimes colleagues have to drop out of a call early, or something comes up that prevents them from attending. Use a cloud-hosted communications and collaboration solution to record the call and store it in the shared workspace. Drop the meeting minutes in the workspace, as well.

Conference calls have always been challenging, but with more team members working remotely, it’s essential for businesses to make sure they contribute and feel included. Choose a cloud business communications solution that gives you the tools to create an inclusive, collaborative workspace.

Source:Mitel

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IN A PANDEMIC, BUSINESS VIDEOCONFERENCING KEEPS IT PERSONAL

IN A PANDEMIC, BUSINESS VIDEOCONFERENCING KEEPS IT PERSONAL

Business isn’t personal – or is it? After all, in-person meetings are where relationships are built and deals are struck. But as organizations deal with the threat of the Coronavirus, they’re limiting contact among employees, customers and vendors, even though these steps might hinder productivity and have a detrimental effect on business growth. Suddenly, keeping employees healthy and maintaining business operations have become conflicting priorities.

The good news is most operations can continue uninterrupted – and people can still meet face to face – simply by using a familiar tool more often: business videoconferencing. Almost 60 percent of employers have increased the flexibility for employees to work from home (WFH), and as people move to home offices, video makes it possible for them to meet and collaborate. With solutions like Mitel Teamwork, included with MiCloud Connect, organizations can keep the lines of communication open and employees safe and on the job – even if the office itself is nearly empty.

If you’re not already on the videoconferencing circuit, take a look at our top three reasons why this communications technology is smart preventative medicine, and the four steps you should take to ensure your business is ready to video its way through any epidemic or pandemic.

3 Reasons Business Videoconferencing Is The Best Medicine

1. Affected Employees Stay Out Of The Office

It’s pretty simple – if you’re sick, stay home. In cases such as the Coronavirus when extra precautionary measures are in order, employees should stay out of the office at the first sign of illness. Videoconferencing technology is a great option for those are only a bit sick. After all, employees with a slight cough or who feel a little under the weather may still feel up to working. Likewise, it’s also a good option for anyone who needs to stay home to tend to a sick family member. Either way, video allows employees to be home and at work simultaneously. The ability to join a video call with the single click of a button makes it easy to check in with customers or partners, resolve urgent issues and keep business personal. Employees can be present, meet face to face with colleagues, and continue to work as part of the team.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is making the following recommendations for employees:

Community-based interventions such as . . . event cancellations, social distancing, and creating employee plans to work remotely can help slow the spread of COVID-19.

2. Healthy Workers Avoid Contamination

Many companies are encouraging employees to work remotely, even if they’re not sick. It’s simply one of the most effective ways to make sure they stay well and to contain the coronavirus. Twitter recently announced it’s encouraging all employees to work from home if they have the capability, and the company is optimizing work so it can be performed remotely. A record number of company transcripts (at least 65) referenced “work from home” or “working from home” in February, demolishing the previous record of eleven.

Naturally, business videoconferencing plays a large role in remote work, allowing employees to communicate with each other from the safety of their homes. Features such as screen sharing makes it feel as though you’re sitting right next to co-workers without having to worry about catching their cold (or worse).

3. The Need For Travel And In-Person Meetings Is Reduced

Travel restrictions are a given, since planes and trains foster too much physical contact and create breeding grounds for contamination. That in-person client meeting just isn’t going to happen right now. Videoconferencing makes that face-to-face encounter possible without the travel, keeping your employees and customers well. Using video rather than just an audio conference call shows your customers how much you value their business. It keeps the meeting more personal and engaging, encouraging collaboration and communication. MiCloud Connect conferencing even includes an agenda tracker, so meetings stay on course and focused on the task at hand.

Companies are also using videoconferencing to replace large gatherings such as in-person conferences and workshops. For instance, Facebook just announced the cancellation of a developers’ conference. Instead, the social media giant plans to use video and streaming content to encourage the exchange of ideas and information among its developer community.

47 percent of employers said they would cancel planned conferences for North American employees in selected countries (Source: Harvard Business Review)

4 Steps To Videoconferencing Health

1. Implement Video Technology Before You Need It

It’s too late to turn to video after employees are down for the count. Healthy organizations already have videoconferencing technology in place as part of a well-rounded pandemic action plan. If your company is still thinking about whether you need videoconferencing, time is of the essence. Look for a vendor who can set up your system quickly and seamlessly, such as Mitel. An intuitive system makes it easy for employees to jump right in and start having video meetings as soon as possible.

2. Invest In The Right Business Videoconferencing Technology

Not all videoconferencing technology is created equal, especially when you plan on relying on video during times of sickness. A reliable provider can support high demand when the majority of your workforce is working remotely. MiCloud Connect, for example, is built on Google Cloud, providing superior reliability, security and scalability. Rich features such as screensharing and single click-to-join keep employees engaged and increase efficiency. Mix-and-match pricing makes allows you to add features as needed and to adapt to changing demand.

3. Develop A Culture Of Video Calls

Some people need a little time to get used to being on a video call. If you’re working from home, you may be accustomed to staying in your PJs. Or it may seem unusual to conduct what is normally an in-person meeting via video. The best way around this is to make video a regular part of the meeting process, even when infection is not an issue. Perhaps your standing weekly meeting becomes a videoconference once a month, or your typical audio conference call gets upgraded to video. Regular usage helps everyone become more comfortable with how to use the technology and how to behave.

4. Train Employees On Usage And Etiquette

Speaking of usage and behavior, there are a few key points to keep in mind. First and foremost, videoconferencing should not be difficult. Even a powerful solution with advanced features and functionality should be simple to operate. It’s still important to train employees, but the right solution doesn’t come with a steep learning curve. In fact, you may have to spend more time on etiquette training than on product usage. Key principles to keep in mind include dressing appropriately, staying focused on the meeting, and not eating while on a video call. If everyone follows basic etiquette rules, video meetings will be productive and positive.

No one likes being sick, and the uncertainty of where and when the Coronavirus will strike next has us all on edge. A powerful and robust collaboration tool with business videoconferencing from Mitel keeps employees, customers and clients happy and healthy, making it easy to get work done from anywhere. See for yourself how MiCloud Connect keeps you connected, in sickness and in health.

Source:Mitel

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