Best Video Conferencing Software & Tools

Video Conference Software: Providers, Tools, Trends, and Challenges

Video conference software has simplified the workday. Participating in audio meetings, video meetings, or online seminars offers potential savings and overcomes geographical barriers - simple and quick.

These are popular video conference software:

• Microsoft Teams

• Zoom

• Google Meet (formerly Hangouts Meet)

• Slack

• Webex

• GoTo Meeting

• Wire

• Whereby

• TeamViewer

This is why companies use video conferencing software

Video conferencing software offers diverse usage possibilities. The biggest advantage lies in simplified communication with conversation partners. Firstly, canceled on-site appointments save considerable time and cost, which positively affects the balance sheet. On the other hand, external employees benefit from improved integration into the company's internal workflows.

The high functionality of video conferencing software offers even more possibilities. Flexible working time models and working from home can now be implemented without further ado. These are increasingly demanded by employees in everyday business and should be integrated into companies for the sake of employee satisfaction. Even the smallest companies, in more rural and remote regions of Germany can benefit from this.

Moreover, video conferencing providers are increasingly linking their tools with the functions of online webinar providers. The result is powerful systems that promote digitized work and already set it to a higher level today. Other providers specialize in a particular target group, linking video conference tools with digital learning management systems of schools or universities, providing teachers, students, and learners a physical classroom in addition to file sharing and whiteboarding. These systems have already proven their worth during the Corona pandemic. Inform yourself now about the main benefits of video conference software, all tools, future trends, and current challenges.

Main advantages of modern video conferencing tools

The top video conference providers offer users powerful video conferencing tools. These offer users five main advantages:

• Cost reduction: Online meetings are much cheaper than long-distance calls or trips and reduce the costs of transportation, accommodation, room rental, and telecommunications.

• Time saving: Geographical barriers were yesterday. Today you work detached from space and time and free up time for new projects as travel times between meetings are eliminated.

• Flexibility: Thanks to intelligent tools, teamwork is encouraged. Screen and file sharing offer quick and secure exchange of documents and other work tools.

• Motivation: Companies that think modern often have motivated and efficient employees who appreciate intelligent workflows. This promotes loyalty and commitment to the employer and reduces the costs of recruiting new employees.

• Environmental protection & sustainability: Business trips are significantly reduced. This in turn reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and improves sustainable business practices for the sake of environmental protection - for a livable future for humans, animals, and nature.

Well-known companies are already using video conference software today

Whether in politics, business, health care or the German education sector - Video Conferencing tools permeate more and more areas of life. The diverse software is already an integral part of the work structures of well-known companies.

The advantages of using it are visible to all industries. Therefore, it does not depend on the size of a company or the number of employees, but on the actual purpose of the video conference software. From one person operations, medium-sized companies to internationally operating corporations, new possibilities are continually being found in usage. Companies with branches spread across Germany, Europe and the world benefit from fast exchange via video call. Others use online communication to exchange with their customers and to coordinate projects specifically with external service providers.

In most cases, free video conferencing systems are sufficient for the video call. Skype has been providing video telephony to customers for free for decades. Users only need to register with a username. Free versions offer tools in a limited number. Video telephony, file exchange, and the classic chat function are always included. More extensive functions are available as paid variants.

How Video Conference Software Works

Video conference software is a popular online medium in companies' daily routine. Employees regularly use occurring video conferences for meetings, regardless of their respective location. In addition to meetings and conferences, however, the software also supports everyday work. Apart from the practical function for video calls, software providers have equipped their offer with additional tools in the past years that are supposed to promote teamwork in companies.

The plan works: Audio calls, document exchange, creation of presentations, chat functions and recording, and screen sharing tools are being used more frequently in everyday life and perfectly round off the offer. Some video conference providers already allow their customers today to integrate Marketing Automation and CRM Software. Business data is thus available during conferences and enables optimal follow-up communication.

Our Conclusion: The popular tools of video conferencing software providers promote rapid exchange of ideas and teamwork, even if the primary video telephony function is not used. They simplify the daily routine for all participants. Even in customer contact, video conference software is becoming increasingly popular. They promote direct customer contact and thus long-term customer loyalty.

The best video conference functions at a glance

Video and audio calls

Individual or group conference calls in excellent video quality form the backbone of Video Conferencing tools. In the basic version, participants have the choice between audio and video call.

Recordings and video clips

Users of video conference software can record video or audio conferences with a few clicks. Audio recordings and video clips can then be downloaded or directly shared on other platforms. This way, important conversation content can be provided free of charge to a selected audience. Seminar providers often use this function explicitly to give customers insights into their training program. They use the links, for example, for their social media channels.

Screen Sharing

Another practical function of video conference systems is screen sharing. Instead of a webcam feed, conference participants can share their screen with other conversation participants during the conversation.

Text chat

Some video conference software offer a live text chat. Users of video conferences can use the chat function alongside or instead of audio. Some providers allow the storage of the chat log. Others offer users peer-to-peer or peer-to-group text chats outside video conferences.

Document sharing

Document sharing functions are occasionally integrated into a text chat function, but this is not a set rule. Some video conference systems offer simple document sharing without a text chat.

Scheduling

Some video conference apps have an integrated calendar. You can plan online meetings with each other and coordinate them in terms of time. Other providers allow the integration of external planning or calendar software programs.

Presentations

While some video conference tools enable the hosting of presentations via integration with external presentation software, other video conference apps create, save and present presentations within the program.

Video conference software - a look into the future

Digitization sets the path to the future and decides on success and failure. To take advantage of the benefits of digitization, you have to transform your company or your workplace into a digital conference room. Integrated software solutions provide powerful functionality. The newest models even allow users without suitable video conferencing tools to participate in conferences - a new standard in video conferencing and online communication.

Current challenges in the use of video conferencing tools

A frequent problem associated with video conferences is call quality. It depends on the internet speed of the conversation participants. As the broadband expansion for the future network is still under construction in some regions, the call quality can still vary significantly from user to user. This often leads to frustration in daily business due to delayed communication and poor image quality.