5 Best Remote Meeting Software and tips on How to Choose It

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a remote meeting has become an inevitable part of the generations, from young toddlers, school students to colleges and businesses working from home. It is nowadays an instrument for better outreach in various workspaces, providing connectivity to clients, customers, and colleagues. Unlike yesteryears, video conferencing is evolving to something pervasive while providing multitudes of options apart from face-to-face interaction.

The host of options lets the presenter interact with the audience with an on-screen presence. Some of the best remote meeting software provides video conferencing, audio calls, texting, and chat options, including screen sharing and file exchange. Whiteboard options by some small meeting providers help in team collaboration. Using these, everyone can quickly register their ideas while the presenter continues the meeting. Many services provide a transition of presentation from one host to another with a button’s mere press, with minimal interruption. Many times, the hosts can avoid interruption by denying permission to participants to join late.

Besides connecting employees and colleagues, businesses can also interact with their customers in real-time, addressing customer support questions in live webinars while also recording such sessions perusal by later users by YouTube uploading. Although pricing and packages are an essential consideration for any remote meeting software, some of the best and easily accessible meeting software are listed below:

List of 5 Best Remote Meeting Software

• Microsoft Teams
• GoToMeeting
• Google Meet
• Cisco Webex
• Zoom

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a workspace within the Microsoft 365/ Office 365 acting as a workplace for collaboration, conversations, video chats, and file sharing. Teams integrate OneDrive with the ability to store and access files on the Cloud. Other features include:

• Tasks: It helps users track individual and team-based work, improving productivity
• Screen sharing
• Live to a stream of up to 10000 attendees,
• live captions
• recording
• custom backgrounds

The software has additional features of creating virtual environments such as conference rooms, café, classrooms by cropping the user video and bringing them to a more realistic environment virtually. Such features make the space conducive to productive conversations and effective collaborations.

GoToMeeting

One of the top Voice-over-IP (VoIP) Software, GoToMeeting is one of the leading remote meeting software trusted by millions worldwide. The platform provides fast and easy connectivity providing face-to-face interaction among the users, allowing presentation sharing and chatting with colleagues. The software offers the flexibility of connection using Windows or Mac, PC, laptop, and mobiles.

Web conferencing features include:

• Electronic Hand Raising
• Presentation Tools
• Record
• Playback ability

Whereas collaboration features include:

• Calendar
• Content
• Contact Management
• Real-Time Editing
• Task Management.

GoToMeeting offers a 14-day free trial, allowing for 250 users at a time with 25HD video feeds, post which user charges are collected. The paid plan can host up to 3000 attendees.

Google Meet

Google Meet is a free Remote Meeting Software that allows users to stay in touch with their clients, customers, and colleagues worldwide. The application collaborates with other Google applications and allows live streaming to 1,00,000 viewers when customers already have G Suite. The software comes with an extension for Chrome. One can use it across all devices. Although unlimited access is available for G Suite customers, free users can stream meetings for a limited 60-minute period.

The software provides many control options like the ability to admit or deny entry into the meeting, mute or remove participants if required. The software provides security by encrypting the video meeting and not allowing anonymous users. The users don’t need plugins to use Google Meet on the web, allowing streaming on Chrome and other browsers.

Cisco Webex

Cisco Webex provides video conferencing solutions for all businesses’ sizes. It allows team members to collaborate via sharing documents, files, and screens. Webex can host 100 participants at a time in its free version and 200 in the paid plan. It allows everyone to be on camera simultaneously. The additional features include

• messaging
• file sharing
• whiteboard tools
• video via Webex teams that is a separate platform that all Webex Meetings users can access.

Using the two, remote employees and teams can work together in one virtual room.

One can access the application via a desktop or mobile, raise-hand features, and interactive whiteboards along with unlimited messaging, file sharing, and mobile voice command integrations.

Zoom

The platform provides complete Cloud-based video conferencing. It is useful in supporting up to 1000 participants at a time. The service has a user-friendly interface that allows attendees to access it through desktop and mobile apps. All participants in a video conference can have their cameras on at the same time. The application provides for calendar integration, private and group chats, breakout rooms, and whiteboards. We can record the meetings with Cloud with local and Cloud storage to host instant and scheduled appointments.

The free version allows for a limited 40-minute meeting, while there is no restriction in the paid plans, allowing for screen sharing and screen recording.

How to choose the best among all?

Well, everyone wants the best one for themselves. But how do we do it? While selecting the specific software for holding Remote Meetings, it is essential to ascertain what features are crucial for the employees. Security and encryption must always be in consideration to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Sharing the meeting links can go a long way in ensuring a safe experience, in addition to the security features provided by the app.

Other essential features that can help decide the specific software are:

• Text chats
• Mobile apps for better outreach and connectivity
• Integrated calendar
• Screen sharing

The software should have a user-friendly interface, provide flexibility to the users, and at the same time be simple to operate for all ages. But, where to get all those features and services?

When talking about the best, only one name clicks to the mind, and that is Microsoft Teams.

Wondering why? Let us find out.

Why Microsoft Teams is the best fit for your business?

1. Microsoft Teams provides a personalized user experience by imitating real-life experiences.
2. The software uses complex algorithms to reduce or filter out unwanted background noise and retain only the speech signal.
3. Microsoft Teams allow participants to make changes to the presenter’s screen with permission.
4. The collaborative experience allows for workplace productivity and the ability to reach remote locations. Various Microsoft Teams can have their private chat rooms called channels and spaces within the Team.

These can be used for fast-paced conversations. Private channels are suited for confidential discussions, while standard track lets everyone participate in the conversation, keeping them updated at all times.

Therefore, Microsoft Teams is a one-stop solution, inculcating all features in one single workspace. The MS Teams app also allows for various third-party software approved by Microsoft downloadable from the Team app store. Or one can purchase it from Wroffy Technologies. The company will assist in providing the license and free installation to the customers.