What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing or video telephony is the visual communication between two or more people featuring audio and video transmission in real-time, irrespective of location. 

In simpler terms, video conferencing software allows communication between two or more people remotely. Initially, the software only enabled users to make video calls or group video conferences. As the technology has evolved, the software acquired many valuable tools and features for remote communication and learning. 

Today video conferencing tools are integrated into video collaboration and unified communications platforms that offer features like screen sharing, instant messaging, project management tools, telephony integration, recordings etc. 

What Are the Benefits of Video Conferencing?

Videotelephony has evolved the communication landscape in the modern workplace. Some of the key benefits of video conferencing are as follows.

• Budget-friendly

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations spent a significant amount of money on business travel to meet clients, attend conferences and hold meetings with other businesses. However, video telephony software allows companies to conduct their business virtually and cut travel expenses that can be utilised for business expansion, marketing and development. 

Video conferencing has helped businesses to save time, cut down on time wasted in travelling and optimise the efficiency of the employees. It eliminates the need for accommodation, meals between meetings and conference rental rooms, which would save money for organisations. 

Moreover, platforms like zoom are ideal for small businesses as they offer free meetings for a limited number of users and a limited length of time. 

• Increases productivity

If you want to connect with a client, would you prefer sending an email and waiting for their response or connecting over a video call and having a virtual face-to-face conversation? Most would choose the latter option and use the screen sharing feature for interactive meetings and webinars.  

Video conferencing enhances productivity by allowing employees to work remotely from anywhere. Be it coffee shops, beaches or mountains; the flexibility enables employees to maintain a work-life balance. 

Video communication makes it easy for employees to collaborate in real-time and saves you from delays, misunderstanding and lost emails.

It allows everyone to have a voice, incorporate feedback and answer queries immediately, leaving little room for confusion. It is a great tool to brainstorm ideas and ensure everyone is on the same page. It also eliminates the need to travel for your employees to allot more time into their daily activities. 

• Translation for multilingual meetings

Today, most businesses have an international client base; connecting virtually to discuss business plans and strategies is the standard practice. Naturally, it brings with it the issue of a language barrier. But, the cloud has a solution.

Organisations can incorporate Microsoft teams and Skype that supports text or speech translation features. It can transcribe spoken words and translate them in real-time for everyone to hear and understand, enabling communication in multiple languages. 

• Improves communication

In audio conferencing, participants tend to zone out and have the option to multitask because they feel disengaged or disconnected from other team members. 

But with video conferencing, employees have to maintain virtual eye contact which prompts an increased level of engagement and attention to detail. 

When all the conference members are visible, they would be inclined to use face to face communication skills. The human brain registers images 60,000 times faster than text and audio. Therefore, visually, attendees will retain more information and comprehend it better than audio or text meets whenever you conduct a meeting.  

• Helps build relationships

The video conferencing tool helps build both personal and professional relationships. 

When you meet face-to-face with someone, you can pick up verbal and non-verbal cues to build trust and emotion. However, that may not be the case in virtual communication. 

Video conferencing can help you bridge the gap and make connections between your clients and employees of the company. It’s a great tool to improve workplace relationships and build camaraderie for remote workers. 

Quick video meetings between managers and employees help to boost morale and work as an antidote for disconnected employees. To see people and be seen, hear and be heard, share a flow of information efficiently, video meetings allow employees to be more efficient in their work. 

Read Our Page here: Cloud call center software

• Enhances employee retention

The secret key for employee retention is a good work-life balance. 

Videotelephony not only saves time but also offers more flexibility and mobility. When employees don’t have to travel long distances to meet clients, they can plan their workday more productively.

By communicating virtually on a video call, employees can collaborate and brainstorm right from the comfort of their homes. When an employee has a balanced work-life and personal life, it automatically leads to improved retention. 

• Files and screen sharing capabilities

The modern video conferencing software offers the unique ability to share content and the user’s screen with one or more attendees. Employees often require remote assistance to understand things and the screen sharing feature allows them to do so. 

Employees can collaborate and work on shared documents in real-time through screen sharing to enhance their efficiency. The ability to share the entire screen and individual apps on the desktop makes it easy for participants to understand what the presenter is trying to explain. 

The participants can share their inputs and ideas accordingly, which makes these sessions to be more engaging, constructive and collaborative. 

Conclusion

Video conferencing is the go-to tool that allows employees to work together and have a virtual face-to-face conversation regardless of their location. 

It offers an amazing set of features ranging from VoIP, screen sharing, unlimited recordings, multiple webcam capabilities etc. It allows remote collaboration between employees and clients, saves time and expenses spent on commuting. It even encourages employees to have a balanced work-life and enhances the productivity of the organisation.  At Acefone, we offer the best video conferencing capabilities along with excellent customer support. 

The post What are the Benefits of Video Conferencing appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

This is also reflected in the dynamics between customers and companies. Businesses today are constantly on the lookout for new channels to fulfil customers’ need for instant communication and gratification.  

This need was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged worldwide for most of 2020-21. The pandemic and lockdown pushed the general masses into a state of panic and paranoia. Consequently, customers started demanding instant and efficient customer service to solve their problems—whether it was to fix their broken washing machine, or for simply ordering a gift for someone’s birthday. 

Personalised interactions became the buzz as companies began exploring possible new channels. This is where video-enabled services were introduced to provide effective customer support.  Beyond traditional video and voice channels, call centers can further enhance service using types of auto dialer systems to streamline customer outreach. 

In recent years, video chat has emerged as a preferred choice of channel for people to talk to each other and stay connected. It rose in prominence especially during the lockdowns and were used regularly to stay in touch with friends and family. 

Video-based customer service

All of us are familiar with mobile applications which are capable of providing video-based calls and conferencing—Whatsapp, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Zoom. Using video chat for customer service is simply extending the capabilities of such platforms to provide customer-centric services. While this is not a new practice altogether(~100 out of 500 largest global businesses introduced this service in 2018), its mass adoption is still yet to be desired. 

The pandemic served as the watershed moment for the prompt adoption of video customer services by businesses worldwide. These systems allowed the companies to connect directly with their clients and solve their issues in real time. Here we discuss the major benefits brought on by the video chat technology in delivering excellent CX: 

• Decrease resolution time by solving issues faster

The time taken to resolve an issue is invariably dependent on the number of touchpoints between the customer and the relevant support agent. Video chat ensures that this time is minimised by replacing all of these touchpoints in one fell swoop. Video chat provides a visual aid to the agent, which enables a greater understanding of complex technical problems, quick diagnosis and immediate prognosis in real-time.

• Do away with long customer queues

Long waiting hours owing to overflowing customer queues is one of the most popular reasons for customer dissatisfaction. It is estimated that 34% of customers who hang up do not return. 

With the assistance of video chats, companies can negate long queues by identifying the exact problem in real life, providing immediate help and thus, decreasing the chances of follow-up requests.

• Lower service costs

Providing customer support on multiple channels can add up to huge costs. Therefore, it becomes critical to strategically choose and invest from amongst the multiple options. Video service tools are usually much cheaper in terms of their support costs as compared to other channels. Furthermore, the ability to close tickets on video without requiring further follow-ups means lower costs for infrastructure. 

• Drive customer satisfaction rate

Video conferencing stands out from other channels by introducing the element of empathy and personalisation to provide direct and real-time customer engagement. Agents can guide customers through issues with relative ease and comfort. This speedy resolution translates into an increased customer satisfaction rate.

• Build brand loyalty and improve retention

Personalised customer engagement through video conferencing delivers a positive experience, which in turn drives brand loyalty and ensures customer retention. Positive customer experience also contributes towards revenue; as per surveys, 80% of customers tend to buy more products or services if they find the customer service engaging and effective.

If implemented strategically, video customer services can develop strong relationships between the brand and the customers by inducing a feeling of trust and care. There are multiple ways to approach the implementation of voice and video call resources.

Here, we discuss some practices which promise to deliver the maximum potential of these tools:

• Building a knowledge base

The use of video service tools can be extended beyond real-time engagement by creating an extensive knowledge repository of informative videos. These videos can replace the long textual guides and FAQs by instructing the customer through visual aids. It would also drive customer experience by making the process more interactive and engaging.

• SEO optimisation

 With this developing a comprehensive knowledge base is only effective if it reaches the intended audience. To ensure visibility, businesses can leverage search engine optimization (SEO) tools that utilize targeted keywords, precise descriptions, and relevant tags. Search engines prioritize content that is both high-quality and frequently visited, making SEO a critical strategy for expanding the reach of published material. For organizations aiming to enhance their online presence, collaborating with a trusted search engine optimization agency can offer expert insights and strategies to attract and retain targeted organic traffic.

The most important metric for any customer support agent is the number of query tickets closed each day. While a video interface would allow the agents to solve issues quickly through visual diagnosis, one should always utilise the capabilities of these tools in the form of interactive walkthroughs and pre-recorded tutorials which can be consulted during live customer support.

• Integration with CRM

Integration of the video chat with the in-house CRM software would greatly increase the efficiency of the entire customer support infrastructure. By implementing this integration, you can send targeted video tutorials to a specific audience in order to solve their most frequent issues. Agents can also utilise the information gleaned from the CRM during their live engagement for further personalisation.

• Video analytics to optimise support

Plugging in video analytical systems can generate actionable insights to optimise and improve the level of customer support. These analytic tools can work on pre-recorded videos as well as live customer support. It gathers data to track the degree of customer engagement—such as how much of a video did a user view, or where did they pause to ask questions.

• Streamlining of video customer service protocols

An important aspect of providing video-based customer service is to ensure a standardised and uniform level of decorum and proficiency across centers. In simpler terms, you would want your agents to provide the same standard of service, be it a metropolitan or a small village town. Therefore, streamlining these protocols and organising training sessions is critical to ensure a homogenous quality. Therefore, streamlining these protocols and organising training sessions is critical for contact center solution providers to ensure a homogenous quality.

Want to go beyond video calling? Discover actionable customer experience strategies to elevate every customer interaction.

Conclusion

The importance of a great customer experience is known worldwide. In this context, video customer service tools emerge as a strong contender for driving a positive customer experience. Building credible relationships with the customers through engaging video conversations would also go a long way into building brand loyalty.

The post Driving Exceptional Customer Service through Video Calling! appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

The increasingly dynamic nature of consumer behaviour requires more efficient ways for companies to establish and handle communications. This is where CPaaS comes into the picture.

CPaaS allows businesses to quickly add different communication channels—voice, messaging, video—to their customer support framework, without any major overhaul in IT infrastructure. With CPaaS, companies can stay ahead of customer expectations and deliver improved customer support. 

CPaaS has already been increasingly employed by companies worldwide. According to research, the CPaaS market size has grown from USD 400 Million (2015) to USD 8.1 Billion (2019) worldwide and it is predicted to reach USD 17.2 Billion by 2023.

So, what exactly is CPaaS? How is it being used by companies across the world to deliver world-class consumer experiences? 

Here, we will answer all these questions and discuss everything you need to know about CPaaS.

What is CPaaS?

CPaaS stands for Communication Platform as a Service. It is a cloud-based communications tool with the capability of hosting multiple channels in existing software frameworks.

This is possible because CPaaS adds new communication channels in real time by integrating the selected channels with the applications already in use. The cherry on the top—all of this can be done without the incorporation of any additional hardware or backend infrastructure!

CPaaS offers a host of communication channels that can be activated and integrated with your communications stack, which include:

1. Voice (outbound and inbound):

Voice APIs can be integrated into your communication stack to activate outbound and inbound calling. Voice API for outbound calling enables the companies to quickly scale up to rising demands and increase in calling volume.

2. Text messaging (SMS):

Text messaging can be easily incorporated into your stack by activating SMS API. After this, companies can send alerts, messages, notifications, and updates to customers through a single click.

If required, you can set this tool to allow the customers to react or respond to your messages. Customer support can utilise this to effectively guide customers in resolving queries.

3. Video and MM:

The SMS API also allows companies to share multimedia messages including photos, videos, and other media formats. One can even use it for video calling and conferencing services.

4. Social media messaging:

The increasing popularity and usage of social media apps, like Whatsapp, make them great tools for increased customer engagement.

CPaaS can be used to integrate these apps with your communication stack for seamless customer interaction. After this, you can use features such as instant messaging, location sharing, media sharing, and read receipts.

5. Virtual phone numbers:

A virtual phone number is a real phone number that is not connected to any physical phone device. This number can be used to receive incoming calls or dial outgoing calls from a web application.

CPaaS supports virtual phone numbers, which cuts down costs incurred on physical mobile devices. Further, to promote agent and customer anonymity, CPaaS also offers call masking as an elegant solution, protecting customer privacy.

6. AI support:

CPaaS can also be used to integrate AI engine APIs. This helps in supporting multiple capabilities such as voice recognition, TTS (Text to Speech), and other features.

How is CPaas different from UCaaS?

UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) is another cloud-based tool used to streamline communication needs for a company.  

It comprises a suite of applications that brings the entire communications network onto a single platform. This is possible via a host of systems or tools, including cloud phone system, network management tools, conferencing and collaboration tools, and management portals.

From a bird’s eye view, both CPaaS and UCaaS seem to be cloud-based multi-channel communication solutions. Both rely on the cloud to provide key communications features to the consumers. However, there are distinct differences in their design and product offerings. In a language we all understand—food—CPaaS is just like an à la carte option while UCaaS is the buffet table.

In other words, CPaaS allows you to choose features based on your requirements and then assembles only those in your final offering. With CPaaS, you can pick and choose the specific APIs that would be added to your current communication stack.

On the other hand, UCaaS is a single platform with built-in communication channels that can be used right away. Barring customisations to the existing services, you cannot add or reduce functionalities in UCaaS.

Both UCaaS and CPaaS offer multiple advantages through their cloud-based communications solutions. 

However, the individual requirements of a company can help them determine which model suits them the most. With UCaaS, smaller companies might end up paying for more services than they require. 

On the other hand, CPaaS might prove to be too costly for a business that needs all the possible communication channels in its arsenal.

How does CPaaS work?

At the core of it, CPaaS relies on APIs that allow various devices to communicate with each other on a specified communication channel. Now, what are these APIs?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. These programs act as a bridge between two endpoints, generally devices, software, or apps, and allows them to interact with each other. 

Once this bridge is set up, data packets can be sent from one endpoint to the other over an existing and underlying VoIP network. This movement allows the apps and devices to develop new functionalities, hitherto unavailable to them.

To make this work, an efficient CPaaS provider is a must. This is so that all APIs and code snippets can be used to add communication functionality to existing frameworks in real-time. The right CPaaS provider, along with their development kits and documentation, will help you extract the maximum benefits from this tool.

Streamline your Outbound Call Centers with CPaaS-driven communication APIs—unlock real-time connectivity today!

Benefits of CPaaS

CPaaS solutions allow the real-time addition of multiple communication channels on the existing setup. This functionality offers several benefits:

1. Cost savings

Earlier, the addition of a new communication channel meant huge infrastructural additions, engineering development, and software maintenance costs. As CPaaS shifts a company from hardware to cloud-based systems, this significantly cuts down CAPEX. This allows you to spend on other avenues.

2. Flexible customisations

In this modern digital era, communication channels and consumer habits are simultaneously evolving. Customers expect companies to reach them on channels that they use in their everyday lives. This requires the companies to adapt as quickly as possible.

CPaaS enables them to do exactly the same by adding new communication channels in real-time. With APIs, CPaaS allows adding functional blocks for new channels to the existing framework.

3. Global scale

Businesses, in order to expand, seek new markets to enter. Traditionally, companies are required to acquire new licenses, set up hardware, fulfil international mandates, and do several other things in order to be ready to conduct business in new locations.

But with the help of CPaaS, these companies can easily scale their operations without any external restrictions. Having their platform on the Cloud grants them an instant, multi-region presence. Additionally, CPaaS enables them to add locally preferred communication channels to their framework.

4. Improved customer experience

CPaaS empowers businesses to add various communication channels to deliver the best customer experience possible. Whether enhancing inbound support or exploring what is outbound call center functionality, the integration of modern conduits (including social media apps) into the company’s existing framework ensures that all consumers can reach support whenever they need to.

Want to see how cloud communications can reduce staff downtime and improve planning? Learn how CPaaS combined with efficient contact center shrinkage control can help shave costs and boost productivity.

Some practical use cases of CPaaS

Some of the largest industries now conduct their business communications using CPaaS. Let us try and see how CPaaS has improved the workings of some of these industries: 

1. Healthcare

CPaaS has become very popular in the healthcare sector after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Owing to the necessity of contactless health services, CPaaS enabled several practical use cases to mitigate the situation.

Tele-consulting via Video APIs empowered patients to book video appointments with the doctors, cutting out the need to physically go to the hospital. Patients can also remotely book appointments and refill prescriptions online via multiple CPaaS features. 

Medicos can also use CPaaS solutions to remotely monitor patient performance through connected devices such as bio-sensors and machine readings. Accessing patient history, and reviewing forms are some other features enabled by CPaaS.

2. Banks

Financial institutions can adopt CPaaS to automate a number of customer-centric activities, thus saving time and effort for more complex cases. Customer interactions such as bank balance notifications, OTP alerts, application statuses, and check deposits can be automated and communicated via CPaaS enabled channels.

The entire loan application process can be configured to be completed via multiple CPaaS enabled features. The customer information on online forms, digital payments can be updated in real-time on loan applications. 

3. Retail

The retail sector was another sector that saw huge transformations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With CPaaS, retail establishments were enabled to bring their entire catalogue online through multiple channels. They could send out special discount offers, sale alerts, and other offers based on their previous purchases.

It also provided greater transparency to the entire delivery process. This is because retailers were able to send out real-time delivery updates and confirmation messages to the customers. 

Customers could track their order from the packaging stage through the transit to the final delivery stage. Information such as agent details and expected delivery time also become available to customers.

4. Hospitality

Several hospitality-oriented digital solutions are already in place to enable travellers to book flight tickets or hotel rooms with a click. CPaaS solutions can further enable the hospitality sector to alert travellers through real-time updates on cancellations, delays, reschedules, billing, and offers.

Travellers can also utilise the CPaaS services to perform otherwise manual tasks such as ordering room service, scheduling spa sessions through med spa software, and requesting on-flight service.

5. Education

CPaaS can impact the entire education framework at all levels of a child’s education. CPaaS can foster a strong parent-student interaction by allowing real-time updates on student performance. CPaaS can also help with the distribution of notes, examinations, and results. Students will also be enabled to schedule doubt sessions with their teachers.

CPaaS can also provide tools for virtual tours of college campuses for counselling and orientation purposes. Students can access their course catalogues as well as recorded lectures through the CPaaS. Instant communication regarding school closings or emergencies can also be utilised by the school management. 

Summing up

In our globalised and digital world, there are no boundaries on how technologies can make our lives simpler. CPaaS is one such technology. Without the need for bulky hardware, CPaaS is able to automate most fundamental operations by taking them on the cloud. This not only helps save money but also saves time and delivers quick and great customer service. 

The post CPaaS 101: Communications Platform as a Service appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

So, while countries across the globe are leaving no stone unturned to safeguard their people, businesses are facing the wrath of the pandemic. Most companies have opted for the remote work model, with a certain percentage of their employees working from home.

Businesses have now started to get in the groove and begun to strategise ways to thrive in the new normal. 

For the rest of us too, a new normal seems to be the only way forward. Weddings included––yes, we are talking about one of the most important occasions in probably everybody’s life. 

Gone are the days of a long guest list, carefree shopping and a destination wedding. Not to mention, we still have some lockdown restrictions in place.

So, how do you follow all the guidelines and still prep for a beautiful, wonderful wedding?

We’ll tell you.

Cloud communication for wedding invites

Yes, you read that right! 

You can use cloud communication to send your wedding invites. 

Nearly 85% of businesses use cloud-backed tools to store their business data. But the capabilities of cloud communication aren’t limited to augmenting the customer base and serving clients in a corporate environment. 

It can be effectively used to serve the needs of individuals too. 

Cloud communication is a medium that is used to convey information via a centralised data repository. When a cloud provider saves your wedding-related information, like the complete guest list, on a centralised repository like a CRM tool, exclusively created for your special day, you can easily deliver your wedding invitations to your guest list.

Let’s see how this is done in detail.

• Help send voice messages

The key to wedding invites is personalisation. Perhaps, that’s why going down personally inviting a guest is the conventional way to distribute wedding invitations.

However, now is not the time to be socialising and meeting people for any non-essential occasion is a huge question mark.

But don’t you worry, cloud communications can help you.

You will need to look for a state-of-the-art cloud communications service provider. Simply record your personalised invite and hand it over to them along with your guest list. The cloud phone system providers – often part of hosted contact center solutions – will populate their CRM with your contacts and schedule an outbound call broadcast campaign using your invite. . 

You can send your personalised voice invitations to a bulk of your guests and rest assured that a big part of your wedding has been taken care of.

• Trigger text messages

Have you categorised your guest list? Looking to send a mix of voice and text messages? Not sure how to go about it? 

Cloud communication does it for you. You needn’t take the trouble of sending messages to everybody individually and inviting them. Create your message. Add a catchy subject line. Ensure that the recipient recognises and understands your text message. And you’re good to go.

Hand over the text to your cloud communication service provider. Choose your guests or categorise a separate list to whom you want to send the text invites. Create the list and trigger a text message campaign for these invitees. And voila, your work is done!

• Utilise video conferencing

Relationships cannot be defined in words. The depth of a few connections is divine. And how can you simply stop by sending a personalised voice message to such special ones?

Take it one step further––act it out and show your emotions through video conferencing capabilities available on cloud communication channels. Or connect with your loved ones via a personal conference. Speak to them and let them know that you’ll miss them in person on your special day. 

Want more? You can even try to live stream your wedding for these special guests. All you will have to do is inform your service provider about your requirements. If you’re looking for different platforms to host your live streams with customizable features, a Muvi alternative can provide flexible streaming options, user-friendly interfaces, and reliable performance for your special event.

And yes, the personal connection is strengthened. Also, you can schedule these conferences and virtual streaming to align with various time zones.

• Explore file-sharing capabilities

Cloud communication boasts centralised data storage. And so, it is easy to share information, access data, and send files effortlessly. 

Now, what if you want to send soft copies of your wedding invitations to a few guests? 

You can have your service provider save it in a common location and share it with guests. They will be able to access these files at a convenient time. 

Not just the invite, details about your wedding venue, time, dress code, and itinerary can also be shared via this common platform. This will help your guests who want to make it to your wedding in person or others who want to feel involved even from a distance.

• IVR RSVP

Receiving your guests’ RSVP response is important, to say the least. Knowing how many guests you will have to attend makes all the difference in the pandemic era. There’s social distancing, sanitisation, and a lot more things to think about.

Sure, you can receive RSVPs via SMSes or calls, but we can suggest a better way.

Ask your service provider to add an IVR system to your number. So, when you send out invites via call broadcasting, your guests will be provided with an extension that they can RSVP via keypad or voice inputs. For instance, they can press 1 for affirmative, press 2 to decline, and press 3 if they’re unsure. 

You can even choose a special toll free number or vanity number for this purpose. The digits of this number can be selected to represent something personal to you, like your couple name or your wedding date. Say, if your wedding date is August 10, 2021, your free phone number can be 0800-107-2021.  

Not only is this convenient and saves a lot of time, but let’s agree, this is way cooler. What’s more? The IVR menu can be multi-level so that guests can leave precise answers. So they can press 1 if they are attending and then get routed to the next menu, wherein they get an option to select whether they will be coming alone, or if they will be bringing someone with them. 

The possibilities are endless here.

Benefits of using cloud communication

So, what exactly are the benefits of using cloud communication for your wedding?

• Cost-effectiveness

Let’s face it––weddings are an expensive affair. And with so much to consider, thanks to COVID-19, your spending is only going to go up.

But fret not. Cloud communication solutions are here to save you.

The tools cut down on expenditures by automating redundant processes and helping you save money on them. For example, inviting guests involves travelling, meeting people, eating out and socialising. But a smart cloud-backed solution eliminates all these steps, thus saving you money and time.

Moreover, printing out hundreds of invites for your guests won’t come cheap. Not to forget, the amount of paper that goes to waste. With cloud communications, all of this is out of the equation. You save money and take an environment-friendly approach.

• Scalability

What if your fiancée ends up adding another 50 guests to your list? Ideally, you will need to rush to print extra copies of invitations and then run around again to distribute them.

The cloud server is your friend. Simply add or remove the number of guests and trigger call or SMS broadcasts to invite them. Last-minute panic––what is that? 

Moreover, you can scale up and down your plan to enjoy more features, or remove those that you don’t need. For example, if you decide to simply text message your guests and later on end up video conferencing them, you only need to pay-as-you-use. So, you pay extra just for the additional services, instead of paying a flat monthly fee for tools that are of no use to you. 

• Security

Nobody wants all the intricacies of your wedding getting out in public. Cloud ensures that all the private details remain private. 

Security options like role-based access, two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption and firewalls protect all your personal details. So, if you have your invites, menu, and the likes stored on the cloud and wish to restrict access only to yourself and your partner, you can easily do so.

• Flexibility

Do you want one guest to receive the invite at 0800hrs in the morning and the other during the early evening? 

The cloud makes it possible for you to trigger your messages at various times of the day or days of the week. You can even schedule your messages as per time zones. So, if you wish to send the invites to friends who’re travelling and are in a different time zone, you can select an hour that’s appropriate for them and leave the rest to the system. 

Automated, intelligent processes ensure that your invite is sent out on time––without any errors or the need for reminders. Better than having a planner, isn’t it?

In a nutshell

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and nothing should stop you from having the best time ever. Cloud communication technology has been built to cut out needless hassles from processes and provide a smooth journey, no matter the situation the solutions are used in. 

So, choose from a plethora of options to make the most of your wedding day even in the middle of the pandemic. 

Looking to connect with a cloud provider? Well, look no further! Acefone is available 24×7 to assist you with everything cloud. 

The post Do Something Different With Your Wedding Invites! Send Personalised Voice Messages In Bulk! appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Covid-19 has brought about several drastic changes in the way businesses operate. Previously meetings, never-ending discussions about deals, and final closures consumed a considerable amount of time. 

However, with the pandemic bringing in stringent social distancing regulations, organisations have also evolved based on these shifting needs. One such change is becoming more technology-friendly. Recent innovations have helped organisations find newer ways to communicate, add that personal touch, and ensure uninterrupted business operations. 

Worth mentioning here is video conferencing, a tool that has completely transformed business communication. Let us understand more about this medium of communication in detail.

What is Video Conferencing?

In layman terms, video conferencing is a medium wherein you can see a person during interactions even if they are not around physically. This tool proves to be a boon for business owners, especially now when domestic and international travelling is at an all-time low, and they need to bridge communication gaps to nurture business relationships. 

With this understanding, let us now make a comparative analysis of how video conferencing was in the past and how well it has evolved over time. Also, read on to know the details of video conferencing capabilities that may develop shortly too. 

Video conferencing: the past

The concept of video conferencing was first introduced in the year 1964 by AT&T. It included a simple system with two closed-circuit TVs that were connected by a cable and used VHF (Very High Frequency) or UHF (Ultra High Frequency) connections to display the video. This set-up was mostly used in television stations to interview people or report a live programme.  

Gradually, this communication tool was used by NASA and the military base of several countries. However, in the 1990s, the Internet Protocol (IP) was introduced. 

This was an advanced video compression technology that allowed the video image and sound to be transmitted in smaller data packets, thereby reducing the size of the live-streamed files. 

Finally, in 1994, a full-fledged, commercially viable video conferencing solution was introduced. 

That was a short recap about how video conferencing came into existence. 

Video Conferencing: The present 

With technological advancements, businesses of various capacities became aware of video conferencing. However, it was meant to facilitate high priority meetings by fortune 500 companies across the world. It wasn’t used to casually connect with colleagues or for a virtual meeting within the company. 

Even if you go back a few years, video conferencing was never the buzzword. Perhaps, you may have heard of a family friend or a relative connecting with their loved ones from a foreign country. Regardless of the situation, video conferencing wasn’t for everyone.

But, after the pandemic, things have changed drastically. 

Video conferencing tools have become the lifeblood of business communication. The technology plays a cardinal role in accommodating face-to-face interactions within teams, during important meetings, and enables interactive sessions. 

With several companies adopting the remote working model, it has become important to keep employees engaged. It is equally important to make them feel noticed and not left out. Video conferencing serves all these purposes and then some more.

Conducting review meetings for team members, hosting virtual conferences, connecting team members across the world, monitoring daily tasks or simply conducting team building activities, this tool can do it all for you. 

The myth that video conferencing can be used only by companies or individuals who belong to a specific category no longer exists. It is now being used by everyone across the globe.

Video conferencing: the future

Video conferencing, undeniably, has a promising future. Most will agree that a visual presentation speaks louder than a simple speech. Visuals leave a lasting impression on the audience, a capability that will be leveraged to its full potential. 

• Video conferencing in contact centers

An important area for businesses to focus on is delivering seamless customer services. Companies try their best to offer memorable customer experiences. Although video chat and messaging apps do exist, video conferencing is becoming the new normal. 

While call center representatives are doing their best to satisfy customers through phone calls, one lasting concern is that they aren’t able to look at customers when they speak. This may result in miscommunication. Call centers will widely adopt this technology to interact with customers and create a personal connection with every conversation. 

For example, consider a scenario wherein an agitated customer calls your call center. He sounds normal and replies to every question of the representative sarcastically. The representative may not be able to gauge the mood of the customer without looking at him.

However, if it were a video conference, the representative would have been able to react and modify the interaction contextually. 

Furthermore, when you look at a person and speak, it builds trust. Several customers may contact your call center in a day. It may not be possible to resolve all the issues presented. However, when your representative can look at the customer and assure him of a resolution at the earliest, the customer may feel satisfied. This personal connection can be established only through video conferencing.

Consider a situation wherein a not-so-tech-savvy customer contacts your call center to clarify how your headset can be used best. If the customer is unable to use your product appropriately, he may choose your competitor’s product next time. Making the customer understand the nuances of your product through a call may be difficult. 

In this case, a video conference can serve the purpose. Your representative can simply connect over a video conference to provide a product demo. This will detail the proper usage of your product. The customer will see what he has heard all these days. This experience will improve reliability and loyalty. 

Also, your representatives showcase your brand. When your customers see your representatives conducting themselves amicably, it builds a positive impression of your brand too. Your customers become your biggest advocates because they see what they believe in.

• Video conferencing for faster and improved business interactions

That was about video conferencing in the near future. Now, coming to closing deals––while video conferencing is used in the later stages of finalising closures, businesses will begin to use it right from the beginning very soon.

Cold calling techniques will be replaced by video conferencing. Your representatives will get an opportunity to strike the right chord amongst the target audience from the first interaction itself. This will help improve the quality and credibility of these interactions which will result in faster closure of deals, improved customer acquisition, and finally, better business relationships.

So, as we see, though utilisation of video conferencing has picked pace, it will be used at a larger scale in the years to come. Businesses will choose face-to-face meetings not just during the final stages of a sales cycle or discussion but right from the initiation itself. 

Wrapping up

Video conferencing is, undoubtedly, a tool to stay. Not just during this pandemic, but even after the world comes back to normal, businesses will continue to embrace this technology and make the most of it.

Hope this blog has highlighted the importance of technology not just for present-day purposes but even for the future.

The post Dynamics of Video Conferencing: Past and Future appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

This was especially true for the entertainment industry. Shows and events that were scheduled way in advance were cancelled in an instant. Public gatherings became prohibited and not only were performers locked in along with everyone else, they suddenly had no means of earning a living. 

Despite all the roadblocks though, the show did go on. 

Cloud communications, powered by the Internet, enabled artists across the globe to take their gigs online and entertain their fans without leaving the safety and comfort of their homes. Considering the Internet is already a huge part of our daily lives, this solution seemed natural.

Cloud technology offers not only a great way to connect with people but helps artists communicate with the audience better. 

Let’s take a look at some features that make online gigs possible and are guiding the industry through this situation.

1. Audio and video conferencing

One of the most popular features of cloud communication is conferencing, both audio and video. With audio conferencing, the artist can initiate a group call with the selected audience and deliver performances such as stand-up comedy shows even without a video. 

Video conferencing takes these capabilities a step further. Audiences can enjoy musical performances, dance shows, comedy acts, and even virtual parties with unique games and magic shows. The possibilities are endless. 

Cloud conferencing was one of the first features to come to artists’ aid. Even when they couldn’t get on a stage, they could still perform for a live audience.

These gigs emerged like saviours, raising everyone’s morale. There was a way to connect and communicate seamlessly again. Not only could people see and talk to each other in an almost lifelike manner, but they could also hold one-on-one conversations via in-meeting chat during ongoing events without disturbing others. 

2. Secure virtual waiting rooms

Suppose you want to host a gig for a special audience––an exclusive event. You obviously wouldn’t want someone uninvited to join your show. The cloud has you covered. You can share invite links with the people you want to include and keep everyone else out. 

And if they invite someone you don’t wish to include, there’s a solution for that too. 

With virtual waiting rooms, every participant will join a waiting channel or room at first, and only after the host’s approval will they gain access to the real event. This eliminates the chances of anyone misusing the link. Even if someone unwanted joins, you can filter them out with just a click of a button and the show remains unaffected. 

3. Screenshare

It is not uncommon for artists to include a presentation in their events. They often present some photos and videos or even add a light show (which is very cool honestly) to their gig. However, CoVID-19 seems to have made all this cool stuff impossible. 

Although light shows still have to wait a little longer, with screen sharing performers can present visual media during their gig. Additionally, with unlimited meeting duration, even if the gig doesn’t conclude in the allotted time, artists can stretch their shows a little longer to entertain their audience without any interruptions.

4. Reminders for upcoming gigs with SMSes and voice broadcasts

Cloud technology offers various ways to make sure your audience never misses out on any of your virtual shows. Schedule reminders, block calendars, and send notifications via emails, texts, or even missed calls, in a jiffy. 

Voice broadcasting allows you to connect with a large number of people at once. You can personally record an exciting message and automate the delivery process to save time and labour.

Also, out of sight does not have to mean out of mind. Stay connected with your audience online to deliver timely updates and keep the connection going. This is especially helpful for people who anticipate a gig but never get to know the when and where. 

Use voice broadcasting or SMSes, quick and easy ways, to communicate and ensure your audience never feels left out or ignored.

5. Easy transactions and identification with OTPs

Providing your customers with a safe portal for transactions is crucial for the success of any event and, eventually, the business. If people don’t trust your payment mediums, they will hesitate to take any monetary action. 

Cloud offers various security features, such as end-to-end encryption and Bcrypt hashing that enable safe transactions. Also, a part of this list is One-Time Passwords (OTPs) that help with identity authentication. Coupled with  24×7 availability and 99.99% uptime, these features make your portal trustworthy and customer queries can be handled like a breeze.

Another easy way to safely communicate with your audience is via email. Provide them with a booking link within the email or instructions to guide your customers straight to the payment gateway. This will help avoid any possible frauds. 

Not to forget, emails are a more professional and organised way to communicate that can help make events look more white-collared and well-curated. 

Wrapping up

The global pandemic has been a phase of suffering for artists and audiences alike. Going online was the only option left for many to even survive in the industry. However, cloud technology came in like a ray of hope in dark times, offering a plethora of features that enabled seamless communication and helped keep spirits high. 

People like to watch gigs on their laptops and mobiles now more than ever. That would explain all the specials Netflix is churning out and the number of concerts being held online. Even magicians have found ways to virtually entertain people with their tricks and games.

This just shows the power of the cloud and how it has redefined our world.

If you also wish to take your business online and remain connected with your customers even through the toughest times, look no further than Acefone. We provide the best-in-class cloud solutions, customisable plans, and features that are unique to your needs at unbeatable prices. 

Connect with our experts today at 1888-859-0450 and explore the realm of possibilities on the cloud.

The post Hosting A GIG Isn’t What It Used To Be. It’s Online Now! appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

These headaches are all too familiar in the business world and are particularly difficult when you are in a video conference with people outside of your organisation or holding webinars. You want crystal clear communications and a professional system that makes it easy for your participants to join and interact.

Given that video conferencing is here to stay, it’s important to know how to make the most of your video conferencing and ensure professional communication.

This article will go through a few integrations you can use to make video conferencing better.

1. CRM Integration

With a hosted phone system, you can host video conferences right from your preferred device. With CRM integration you’ll have the ability to send a video conference joining link to the right participants and record attendance all within one interface.

This integration reduces administrative steps. You can log attendance, send reminders, and follow up with your video conference participants with ease. Without this integration and advanced call center features, you may need to manually search your attendees, and won’t be able to use your CRM software to schedule a follow-up meeting or a reminder email. In addition, manual scheduling leaves room for error, and important attendees might not get the memo!

CRM integration makes it easy to host and run a video conference. Everything is done from your hosted phone system and is automatically updated. So no matter where you are or where your team is, they will always have up-to-date information. If you’re conducting a video conference with potential clients, the CRM integration can help you easily follow up, schedule callbacks, etc. within your phone system. As a result, any member of staff can simply pick up where you left off. 

Not only do you have the ability to schedule further contact, but you can also make personalised notes on customer accounts. If the customers book on a video conference or webinar about a certain service, then you can send them special offers about the same and easily make a really personalised connection with the customer. 

Salesforce is a popular CRM software—readily integrated with our hosted phone systems.
Take, for example, Zoom for a video conference or webinar. Details of registered participants can automatically be added as potential leads on Salesforce. This means that the information is also available on your hosted phone system and you can access everything you need, wherever you are.

2. Instant Messaging

We all know that sometimes we can completely forget about a meeting. We may simply be extremely busy, lose track of time, and miss a video conference.  With instant messaging integrations, you can directly contact busy coworkers or can invite other members of staff to give their opinion even when you’re already in a meeting.

With your hosted phone system, you have access to a built-in instant messaging service. With this service, you can message anyone in the organisation and schedule a meeting without the hassle of going through their calendars (which might not be up to date). Instant messaging is perfect for last-minute meetings, or when you need quick clarifications. Additionally, any conversation over instant messaging service can be readily switched to a video call or conference! 

Instant messaging is a great tool alongside video conferencing too. Participants can ask questions without disrupting the flow of the meeting and can be answered instantly or at a later stage. It is also a great way to share resources and links with team members as and when you are discussing them. This practice ensures you don’t forget to share resources after the meeting when you may have other important tasks to attend to.

3. Schedule Directly into Calendars

A great feature of video conferencing is the ease of scheduling meetings directly into people’s calendars. This is ideal when you are conducting a video conference with external participants or need formal invitations. 

You can add details about the video conference—agenda, resources, rules, any prior reading (if required) etc., right into their calendars. This ensures participants have the time to plan ahead about the video conference.

Calendar integrations are particularly useful for external meetings. It is a great way to book meetings in advance so that everyone can make it. With your hosted phone system being integrated with your CRM, you can also save information about the participants and schedule any follow-up meetings if needed.

Conclusion

Video conferencing is here to stay! Online meetings shall not only help businesses save time and money, but will also add to the overall convenience. Considering the relevance of video conferencing in today’s business ecosystem, it is important to have a reliable and robust solution that can provide clear sound and pictures every time. A hosted phone system can do all this and more, and makes it simple for you to organise and follow up with participants!

The post Integrations You Can Use To Make Video Conferencing Better appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

With new norms like social distancing and contactless transactions, organisations world over have been looking for effective and reliable ways to connect with customers. One such medium that has come to their rescue is video content. Businesses have utilised the power of videos to strike the right chord among their audiences. 

One wonders though–what happens to these strategies post the pandemic?

We reckon communication through videos is here to stay and will continue to be a major medium even after offices begin to function at their full capacity.

Below we have consolidated a few ways video will continue to support operations through the post-pandemic world. Check them out!

1. The utilisation of visual IVR systems will increase

Most of us have come across Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems. IVRs are automated systems that are used to direct customers to the right department for query resolution. 

For instance, if a customer contacts your call center for a technical issue but ends up in the sales department, routing their call from the sales department to the technical wing might take time. However, with an IVR system in place, businesses can ensure that callers punch in the right numbers and get directed to the desired departments. This saves, both, time and effort and eliminates the risk of customer dissatisfaction. 

Not just that, IVRs can also be customised to answer some frequently asked questions to facilitate faster query resolution without any human intervention. And for businesses that want to up their personalisation game even further, there’s visual IVR systems. 

The main difference between a voice response system and a visual response system is the platform they are based on—the latter is based on the organisation’s websites and mobile apps. Your company must have at least one among the two to incorporate visual IVR – and if it has both, even better.  Furthermore, links to visual IVRs are also sent through messages or the mobile app. 

This makes sure that if the customer needs to speak to an agent, the agent is equipped with all the required information and will not need to ask further questions. Furthermore, links to visual IVRs are sent through messages or the mobile app. 

Similar to an IVR, the customer is provided options via the menus. They can choose the appropriate option and reach out to the concerned agent or department. Visual response systems also accumulate adequate information about the customer query during navigation. This equips both customers and agents with relevant information for better conversations. 

Additionally, not all customers are comfortable seeking help during off-hours or late in the night. It is also possible that your company doesn’t have 24×7 support. Thus, having a system in place that not only offers basic solutions to customers with minimal effort but also is available round the clock to attend to them is a great asset to any business.

Such a comprehensive and personalised visual IVR system will be hugely preferred even after employees get back to their workplaces.

2. Video-enabled contact centers will become the norm

A video-enabled contact center helps organisations deliver seamless customer experiences. These contact centers can use pushed video information in the form of static or dynamic graphics, or real-time video information. This also helps:

1. Agents who help callers during physical tasks. These agents can use the push video facility to provide appropriate directions. For example, if the caller is trying to assemble your product and isn’t getting it right,  your agent can use the video option to demonstrate the assembling process. This will provide quicker resolutions and also reduce average call handling time, thus increasing customer satisfaction.
2. When the caller needs to view things in real-time. Your contact center agent can offer a live demo of the product’s capabilities to ensure the comfort of customers.
3. When your agents wish to provide testimonials over static videos. After all, information that is presented visually is better received by customers. 
4. Especially in the medical sector. Patients are able to explain their symptoms better, and doctors are able to help people with procedures like CPR. 

These capabilities will ensure that video-enabled contact centers are here to stay for a prolonged period.

3. Collaboration will improve with the help of visual conferencing tools

This pandemic has brought about a new normal. The most popular change is the work-from-home model. Organisations have learnt to function in a distributed set-up. And several businesses are planning to continue this trend even post-pandemic owing to its convenience and feasibility. 

A report by Buffer reveals that 57% of workers were already working remotely even before the pandemic hit. Surprised, right?

In a remote set-up, collaboration is a must to maintain business continuity. This is where visual conferencing tools help––they come with capabilities of instant messaging that facilitate instant doubt clarification. Thus, team interactions and discussions become highly effective through video conferencing tools. 

Moreover, these tools not only serve official purposes but can also be used for team-building activities. Your employees can easily ping each other for a casual chat and socialise during office hours. 

Virtual review meetings and video calls can also be used to track team performance and interact with team members. Even interviews can be conducted over a video call and this enables businesses to hire skilled employees from around the world. 

Incorporation of these visual conferencing tools will pave the way for improved collaboration in a remote working set-up even in the post-pandemic world. 

4. Visual tools will result in enhanced customer experiences

The ultimate aim of businesses is to satisfy customers and deliver contextual experiences using visual communication tools. Through video calls and messaging mediums, you can connect with customers effectively.  These tools enable your agents to gauge the mood of the customer and provide appropriate solutions. 

For example, in a scenario wherein the customer looks agitated but sounds normal, the agent can ask appropriate questions, observe the reaction of the customer, and provide answers accordingly. In fact, the agent can also consider offering a discount to satisfy the customer. Again, visuals help the agent make informed decisions about transferring or escalating calls if need be. 

Personalisation is yet another aspect of customer service. A customer always appreciates being heard and noticed. Video medium serves this purpose well. Visual interactions make the customers feel valued. 

This virtual setup will offer a one-to-one experience and at the end-of-the-day, the mere assurance that their problem has been noted will leave customers happy. Moreover, visual interactions offer just what the customer needs rather than bombarding them with mundane information. 

Wrap up

Visual communication tools are undoubtedly powerful when compared to traditional audio tools. They have a lasting impact on the caller and help deliver the intended message. Hopefully, all that we have discussed will throw some light on the importance of video tools and how they will continue to help businesses even after the pandemic is over.

Does your business have any video tools deployed? If not, you can connect with one of our experts on 1888-859-0450 and find the perfect communication tool for your needs.

The post How Relevant Is Video Communication In The Post-COVID-19 World. Is It Here To Stay Even After People Go Back To The Office? appeared first on Blog | Acefone.

Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and even WhatsApp are some of the platforms that allow such meetings to take place. One moment you’re having dinner, and in the next you’re attending a video conference with your team, in your bedroom. 

Do you ever think where it all began?  

The birth of video conferencing can be traced back to the late 1800s, when Bell’s invention, the telephone, revolutionized communication. Even before the advent of the telephone, visionaries had conceived the idea of transmitting images over long distances.  

In 1876, the concept of videotelephony was already being discussed. These early discussions laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the cornerstone of modern video conferencing. 

Let’s look at the evolution of video calling apps in this brief timeline.

Explore predictive dialer vs auto dialer to boost outreach beyond video calls.

Where it all started 

Two years after the invention of the telephone, the Bell Labs came up with an idea for a combination of a videophone and wide-screen television, naming it “telephonoscope.” 

Although it took some time to achieve this successfully, video conferencing and video calling apps became increasingly popular and now stand as a pillar of modern relationships. 

Here is a timeline that shows how various large companies started their video calling services or when they incorporated them into their platform: 

1970s-1990s: The era of emerging videophones

AT&T’s second picturephone model, Mod II was inaugurated in June of 1970. This was the first time that people did not need to visit special booths to make calls but could ask for a connection right from their homes and offices.  

AT&T’s Mod II 

Source: Labguy, a.k.a. Richard Diehl, CC BY 3.0 

This service flopped soon though. People weren’t yet accustomed to being observed on the phone. They also found the service too costly for regular use. 

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Compression Labs (AT&T’s competitor) launched its corporate video conferencing system in 1982 while 1988 saw Japan’s foray into the industry with Mitsubishi’s videophone.  

More and more companies found themselves stepping into the video conferencing world. However, these initial video calling systems were incredibly expensive and mostly designed for use by large corporations. Corporate Labs’ product cost a staggering $250,000, rendering it unfeasible for the public. 

1996: Webex Meetings

Launched in 1996 by Subrah Iyar and Min Zhu, Webex Meeting Center pioneered the concept of online meetings. It allowed users to collaborate and communicate in real-time over the internet. 

After being acquired by Cisco in 2007, Webex was revamped and launched as the Cisco Webex Meetings in 2010. In response to the technological advancements, the Cisco Webex Meeting Center continued to evolve. It introduced new features such as HD video conferencing, mobile compatibility, and integration with other productivity tools. 

By 2024, Webex has gone through several rebranding, technical advancements, with new features such as Webex Personal Room and Webex Assistant. 

1999: Yahoo! Messenger

With the launch of the webcam in the 1990s, things started to change, and we slowly entered the era of rampant video calling apps—the end of the millennium. 

Yahoo! Pager, launched in the year 1998, was renamed as Yahoo! Messenger in 1999 and served as an instant messaging app for everyone. You could make VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls, join chat rooms, transfer files, and host video calls over webcams. 

The early 2000s saw this video calling app making waves as it connected people over slow Internet cables and brought them face-to-face. Since Yahoo! Mail was also extremely popular, companies allowed users to have a unified Yahoo ID, serving multiple needs.

2005: Skype 

Founded in 2003, and sole to eBay in 2005, Skype became one of the most popular VoIP and video calling apps worldwide. Skype’s user-friendly interface, affordable pricing, and cross-platform compatibility made it a favourite among consumers and businesses alike. 

It was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 and has been developing constantly under the tech giant since then. By 2013, Skype released its free video messaging service for all major operating systems. 

Today, this video calling app is supported on a variety of devices—from smartphones, computers and tablets to even Xbox consoles and smartwatches. 

Around 2016-17, Skype transitioned from its peer-to-peer system to Microsoft Azure’s cloud computing system. The constant improvements in devices and Internet connectivity make the app and the video conferencing industry thrive more.

2010: Facetime

Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

As Apple Inc. gained more and more traction, founder Steve Jobs announced the release of Facetime, a videotelephony software exclusively for Apple users, in 2010. At first, it only allowed one-on-one calling, meaning new calls required you to cut off the previous one. 

Its high-definition video calling capabilities made it a fan favourite regardless of this limitation. In 2018, with the iOS 12.1 update, Facetime introduced video calling—and how! You could now practice video conferencing with up to 32 people at the same time!  

Additionally, the ease-of-use and integration with other Apple software like iMessage, made Facetime one of the most popular services available. Besides, you can access Facetime on Apple’s non-telephony devices like the iPad, iPod Touch and Mac and always stay connected with your friends and family. 

2011: Zoom

Who hasn’t heard of Zoom? This video calling app has become rather synonymous with online meetings and remote work. 

Launched in 2011 as a videotelephony service, Zoom launched a beta version for video conferencing with 15 participants within a year. By 2013, Zoom reported 1 million users, showing early signs of the great success that was to follow.  

Over time, the company integrated with famous third-party apps like Slack and Salesforce. By 2015, it expanded its participant limit to 50 people, enabling large-scale video conferencing. 

This ability proved especially useful during the global pandemic in 2020 as people realised the importance of video conferencing for work meetings. The education industry, particularly, relied heavily on Zoom to accommodate numerous students for online lectures over video conferencing. Zoom even offered its services for free to K-12 schools in quite a few countries.  

2015: Facebook Messenger

Started as a messaging app for the huge Facebook user base, Facebook Messenger stepped into the voice call arena in 2013. By 2015, it was offering video calling services, and a year later, group voice calls for up to 50 participants were introduced. They also tried to rope in the younger generation by introducing live filters and emojis during video calls.  

What was primarily a social app for casual conversations, tested the corporate waters in 2015 by allowing business interactions between customers and companies.  

In 2020, to compete with Zoom’s massive popularity, Facebook introduced Messenger Rooms. You could create rooms, public, exclusive or on link-based entry. While in Messenger video calls, you could view one main speaker and 6 participants at a time on screen. The new video calling app allows better viewing for larger parties. 

2016: Whatsapp 

Undeniably one of the most popular messaging and VoIP calling apps in the world, Whatsapp started way back in 2009 when the founders realised the potential for the App market. 

It didn’t take too long for the app to gain favour as it continued to tweak its features on the go. By 2011, Whatsapp was part of the top 20 apps on Apple’s American App Store. 

When Facebook Inc. acquired Whatsapp in 2014, the world was left agog at the mammoth purchase (on the lines of $19 billion). And just a year later, the company entered the voice call market, and by 2016, video calling was incorporated as well.

By now, the app was already being widely used for all kinds of calls, but 2018 proved to be a big year. Apart from creating a Whatsapp platform for businesses, they also introduced group voice and video calls for up to 8 people at a time, making conferencing feasible and super convenient.

In the latest news, it is expected that voice and video calls will be added to the desktop version, Whatsapp Web, in addition to the mobile app. This version is apparently in its beta testing stage, which means it won’t be long till it’s officially released, and you’ll be able to make Whatsapp calls directly from your computer!

2016: Google Duo and Google Meet

Google, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Google launched its video calling app in 2016—Google Duo, to replace Hangouts. With HD video calling even in low bandwidth, end-to-end encryption and high brand accessibility, it proved to be quite a successful venture. 

In the year 2020, Google Meet was launched as a more robust and enterprise-focused solution while maintaining Google Duo for consumer-oriented video calling. Coincidently, it aligned with the growing demand for remote collaboration tools during the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced a boom in its demand among businesses. 

2017: Microsoft Teams

With the addition of features like audio calls and screen sharing, Teams expanded its capabilities, catering to diverse collaboration needs. Microsoft solidified Teams’ infrastructure to meet regulatory requirements and ensure user data protection.  

The platform’s adaptability shone during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the introduction of remote-friendly features like virtual backgrounds and breakout rooms. With the ongoing updates and improvements, Microsoft Teams continues to redefine workplace collaboration. It offers a dynamic and versatile video conferencing platform for teams worldwide. 

Conclusion 

What started as a revolutionary vision, unsupported by the science of the time, has today become commonplace and rather a way of life. 

Videotelephony and video conferencing have gained so much traction because of one primary reason: the fast-paced lives we lead today. 

Therefore, the ability to come face-to-face with people allows more balanced and clear communications. We can now talk with our expressions and body language effectively.  

What do you think of the journey of video conferencing? How has your experience been with these famous video calling apps, share your thoughts with us in the comments down below! 

The post How picturephones evolved into facetime: A timeline of video calling appeared first on Blog | Acefone.