As a part of our preparing to invest series, earlier this month, we shared an Infographic from Videxio, an Iron Bow partner and a VCaaS provider, explaining the history of enterprise video and the move to Videoconferencing as-a-Service (VCaaS). But with VCaaS here, it is important to understand the elements that go into a solution, and specifically, a criteria to evaluate a vendor and a solution. We asked Videxio for their input, and they provided the following:
Shifting over the past few years, videoconferencing is no longer a nice-to-have option but a necessity. This is all due to the benefits it offers to businesses. The cloud boosts its popularity further, making it affordable for companies of all sizes and budgets. However, before making the switch to cloud-based videoconferencing, there are a few factors you need to consider.
A good videoconferencing service should run seamlessly on any device, be the company endpoints or personal devices of the employees. Also, look for one that supports 3G/4G mobile networks. This makes it easier for everyone to stay connected and collaborate from virtually anywhere. Additionally, all of this should be possible without any lag in video quality.
For business that have already made some hardware purchases or those looking to move from on-premise to on-cloud models, it’s best to invest in a VCaaS that easily integrates with existing infrastructure. It’s also important to find out if the service is compatible with your commonly used tools. Pay-as-you-grow (or shrink) models are great for small and mid-size businesses that frequently scale their operations up or down.
Cloud-based video conferencing can be equally (if not more) secure than on-premise systems. VCaaS service providers often have a dedicated set of skills and expertise, as well as resources to provide conferencing services in strict compliance with security standards. VCaaS comes as a logical choice for small and mid-sized businesses that do not have the budget or in-house expertise to maintain such high levels of security.
With businesses going global, connecting with people across time-zones is more important than ever. With more global clients and partners to connect with and more employees working from outside the office walls. Businesses require video conferencing ability via a reliable web or browser-based conferencing client. In such cases, the right VCaaS provider is one who can provide high quality video services without overtaxing Internet bandwidth.
Lastly, it’s important to choose a service provider that offers a free trial period so you can decide whether you would like to go ahead with the service. This testing period is useful to see if the service prodder is able to meet all your needs. For instance, how well does it support all devices and networks? Does it connect seamlessly via different networks from other locations? How is the video and audio quality? Does it offer file sharing? These are some of the factors you must test out before investing in a videoconferencing service. This is why you should choose a service provider who offers at least one trial session.
Interested to know more? Download our whitepaper, The Evolution of Video: How the Cloud is Making Video Possible for the Enterprise. We will give you an in depth look at the vital role that video conferencing and the cloud plays in your modern business operations.