TMCnet Feature Free eNews Subscription
October 16, 2018

5 Common Video Conferencing Frustrations (And How to Deal With Them)



Practical Solutions to Frustrating Video Conferencing Problems

Love it or hate it, video conferencing is a part of today’s modern business world. And for all of the advantages that it brings, there are also plenty of frustrating challenges that stem from conferencing technology. Knowing how to address these issues will save your business time, money, and wasted energy.



The Rise of Video Conferencing Technology

Most people have only just tried video conferencing technology within the last decade or so, which tends to make them assume it’s a relatively new innovation. However, if you study the history of video conferencing, you’ll see that it’s actually been around – in some form or fashion – for a number of decades.

AT&T (News - Alert) started it all with its Picturephone prototype that was first researched in 1956 and exhibited before the public at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. The device, which was expensive, clunky, and full of issues, allowed people to not only hear the person on the other end of the line, but also see video of them.

After the 1964 World’s Fair, it was clear that some technological advances were needed in order to make products like the Picturephone practical and useful in everyday life. It wasn’t until 1982 that Compression Labs released the first video conferencing system, which was massive in size and cost. In 1986, PictureTel came to market with a cheaper and slightly smaller system, which signaled to the technology industry that a race was on.

Fast-forward to the early-90’s and PictureTel began collaborating with IBM (News - Alert). They produced the first PC-based video conferencing system of its kind, which further reduced costs and improved call quality. Macintosh followed up with a video conferencing software for the personal computer, known as CU SeeMe v0.1. The video quality was astounding for the time, but the original version had no audio. As the technology improved, subsequent versions in 1994 included audio transmission.

In 1995, CU SeeMe became available to Windows users (which was the most popular operating system at the time). In the early 2000’s, free internet services like Skype (News - Alert) and iChat made video conferencing accessible to the masses for the first time. Enterprise-grade conferencing systems also underwent significant improvements, making it a viable option for businesses.

Today, video conferencing is the norm in business and personal life. Whether it’s a FaceTime (News - Alert) call with a loved one or a business meeting with a client halfway around the world, the technology exists to make it happen. But even all of these years later, we aren’t without issues.

How to Deal With These 5 Common Frustrations

As powerful as video conferencing is in the business world, there are still some common points of frustration. Let’s explore them and offer helpful solutions for overcoming.

1. Damaged Hardware

Video conferencing technology isn’t cheap (at least in terms of enterprise-grade systems). Unfortunately, life happens and things don’t always go according to plan. From damage at the hands of natural disasters to criminal theft, expensive hardware can be compromised. (And it isn’t cheap to replace.)

Forward thinking businesses would do well to purchase electronic equipment insurance, or some other comparable policy that protects IT hardware. Having this added peace of mind makes a big difference in how a business approaches hardware-related issues.

2. Unreliable Software

In most cases, the hardware is plenty capable. Rather, it’s the software that creates issues. In particular, it’s the software’s incompatibility with different devices.

We live in a world where there are dozens of different tablets, laptops, phones, and operating systems. Software that doesn’t work with different platforms is unreliable and ineffective in a global marketplace.

A possible solution is to find a provider that is interoperable and ‘system agnostic’ so that it doesn’t prefer any one device and works on all browsers and operating systems,” Cam Smith writes for Pragmatic Conferencing. “This way, you can ensure that all attendees can participate on their device of choice, providing the utmost convenience (and of course, least frustration).”

3. Spotty Connections

In addition to having work hardware and reliable software, you also need a good connection from all parties involved. In most modern businesses, this is the biggest cause of friction.

Spotty connections are challenging because they can compromise picture quality, create delays in audio, and make it hard for multiple people to communicate at once. There could also be any number of issues.

Having a well-trained IT department = will ensure you’re able to quickly troubleshoot whenever problems arise, but sometimes the quickest and most effective method is to disconnect and reconnect. If it’s an option, switching networks may also work.

4. Video Conferencing Faux Pas

“You see it in YouTube (News - Alert) videos all the time: either the person on screen appears as a dark shadow surrounded by an ethereal light, or the entire screen, including the speaker, is lit up like a Christmas tree,” says Agnes Jozwiak, marketing director at ClickMeeting. “This isn’t due to the presence of poltergeists or the Heavenly Spirit but is, of course, the result of poor lighting choices.”

Lighting issues are the most common faux pas, but there are plenty of other little things people do that totally compromise the quality and clarity of video calls. From speaking over one another to improperly framing the camera, issues abound. The more people are trained on video conferencing etiquette, the less problematic this will be.

5. Workflow Issues

Video conferencing tools are awesome, but they have to be strategically chosen so that they properly integrate with the other systems your business has in place. Otherwise you could inadvertently slow down workflows, which can impact your ability to use file sharing, messaging, and calendaring solutions.

Being more strategic with how you organize your technology stack will alleviate common pain points in this area.

Maximize the Value of Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is such a ubiquitous part of our personal and professional lives, that it’s easy to forget just how advanced it really is. From a business perspective, it’s imperative that we seek to understand the technology from the inside out.

In doing so, we can recognize and overcome these common points of friction.



» More TMCnet Feature Articles
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE

LATEST TMCNET ARTICLES

» More TMCnet Feature Articles