Video has helped change the way we collaborate but if you’re not careful, things can go wrong in a surprising number of ways. After hosting millions of video meetings no one knows this better than video conferencing company Blue Jeans Network.
They produced a humorous video highlighting some of the common faux pas of video conferencing. Tune in for some tips and tricks that just might save your next meeting.
First, the messaging mom. If you’re going to be sharing your desktop with others, make sure you close all other chat applications. This will help avoid those embarrassing messages from mom popping up on the screen for all to see. While others in a meeting will find it hilarious, you might not find the humor in your “dirty laundry” being shared with your entire audience.
Second, we are all for “putting your best face forward,” that’s why Blue Jeans provides a preview before you enter the meeting. Just be sure to do your pre-primping before you join. Otherwise, you’ll be treating your colleagues like mirrors.
Third, lighting is critical. Harsh light and shadows can set the wrong tone for a meeting. People want to see your smiling faces and not be distracted by angelic halos or your resemblance to Blair Witch.
And finally, dress to impress. We fully support business on top and onesies on bottom. But, if you are going to rock this style, just be sure to leave the meeting before you stand up. Unless you want others to know the answer to “boxer or briefs?”
Blue Jeans is a video conferencing company that aims to take the difficulty out of setting up a meeting. No matter what device you’re using, be it a tablet, smart phone, laptop, room system or anything in between, so long as you have an Internet connection and a camera, you’re part of the meeting. Whether everyone’s using video, audio, or a mix of the two, a well-executed video-conference can make everything feel seamless.
Signing up with Blue Jeans is simple! Don’t believe us, sign-up for a free trial today. All you need to do is create a Blue Jeans account, enter your scheduled meeting, invite people, and your meeting will be under way.
Blue Jeans’ easy-to-use interface works for more than just the boardroom. If you’re in entertainment, for example, the technology is an intuitive way to interview potential talent. A non-profit organization? You can easily cut down on travel costs and improve your pitches to donors. A post-secondary professor? Connect with your students at any time, no matter how far away they are.
Many major brands have already tried and found success with Blue Jeans, including Facebook, Foursquare, Expedia, CBS and Stanford University. The Gavi Alliance — the public-private global partnership founded by Bill and Melinda Gates — increases access to immunization in underdeveloped countries, and it uses Blue Jeans to make its meetings more collaborative and less stressful.
Blue Jeans has already made headlines: in February it placed a huge billboard in San Francisco with the message “Dear John, I think we should see other people. I’m tired of web conferencing. Your (web) ex.” It was a lighthearted joke aimed at Cisco CEO John Chambers, and says plainly that there is no need for hardware “bridges” when Blue Jeans’ service is in the cloud.
The company is also growing rapidly, with no signs of slowing down. They saw 500 percent year-over-year growth between 2012 and 2013, and by September 2013 had raised $50 million in new funding led by Battery Ventures. That brings their total funding to well over $100 million and allowed the company to expand in San Francisco, near their home base of Mountain View, California. If that’s not enough, the company has already won numerous awards since its inception in 2009 and has been ranked one of the top cloud-based startups by CIO Magazine, Business Insider and The Wall Street Journal.
As Blue Jeans expands globally, (with offices in London and India) they continue to change the face of video conferencing for the better. With a proven track record and disruptive technology, chances are your future business meetings will probably improve immeasurably too.
As the video says, Blue Jeans will make your meetings memorable — for the right reasons.
