As this past year has shown us, the key to productivity and business continuity in the face of uncertainty is technology. Even if a global pandemic didn’t turn the working world upside down this year, having the right audio video equipment in place would still be a business advantage. Think of it this way: while competitors are fumbling with old, faulty technology and wasting time, you are closing deals and brainstorming with teammates on innovative projects.
But for many organizations, upgrading technology can be a daunting task. How do you determine which setup is right for you? How can you minimize costs without sacrificing quality? How will you know when your technology is outdated?
IVCi has recently introduced Evolve, a subscription service that answers all those questions for you. As a user-inspired subscription service, it puts you in total control of your Audio Video as a Service (AVaaS) setup.
The ability to upgrade your technology at any time to stay ahead of the curve
The flexibility to change the terms of your technology lifecycle at any time
Break-fix services so you know you’re getting the support you need
On-demand training and support for end-users so everyone can effectively use the technology
AV as a Service is different from your standard technology implementation and ongoing support. With AVaaS, you get an additional set of benefits that are only possible through a monthly subscription service:
Knowing what emerging technologies you should be investing in to remain productive and modern
Having the peace of mind of being able to reset your terms at any time; no matter what circumstances come your way, you’ll be able to scale up, trim down, or change your terms
Receiving on-demand support from an expert who is available to assist during onboarding and use
Gaining the ability to plan and achieve strategic business goals while being mindful of budget
But not all AVaaS providers go above and beyond to deliver the most innovative experience. What sets Evolve apart from other providers are three main features:
In-room QR Support. With a simple scan of a QR code, users have comprehensive support at the tips of their fingers. Support is available during the adoption phase as well as any time during use for troubleshooting and reporting issues. Your team can proceed with confidence knowing that all meetings will get started in a timely manner, even if there is difficulty.
The IVCi Portal. Subscribers get access to a simple to navigate portal that shows all projects, quotes, documents, and images, as well as providing another way to access the helpdesk.
Quarterly Business Reviews. Comprehensive reports give insight into the performance of your AV environment and its impact on your strategic goals. Checking in on your progress and assessing your needs regularly ensures that you are always moving in the right direction.
The future of AVaaS is here — it’s time to Evolve! For help getting started or to schedule a consultation with an AVaaS expert, contact us today.
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00fishbathttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngfishbat2020-10-21 12:00:182020-10-23 13:09:22IVCi Evolve – The Future of AV as a Service
When it comes to extracurricular activity, a lot of colleges and universities stick to the traditional: sports, clubs, Greek life, etc. But it’s the ones who are branching out to try something new that are seeing the most benefits.
The National Association of Collegiate Esports reported that more than 170 colleges or universities in the United States have a varsity esports program, offering around $16 million in scholarships. There are hundreds of others who treat esports like a club, welcoming it on campus but providing minimal support.
We’ve seen esports rise rapidly in popularity, so it’s likely we’ll see it widely adopted across more colleges and universities in the coming years. This is a smart move for higher education institutions — let’s talk about why.
From a solely practical standpoint, having esports can be a successful tool for student recruitment. Offering esports is a great way to attract students who have good critical thinking, teamwork, innovation, and self-directed learning skills. Those traits are common among gamers and translate well into the classroom and beyond. Plus, 90% of teens play video games in some capacity according to Pew Research, so it’s a great way to start a conversation around something teens can relate to.
Aside from that, an esports team is a great addition to schools with strong Technology and STEM programs. Did you know that 62% of collegiate level League of Legends players are STEM majors? Colleges and universities looking to either grow their technology programs or offer activities to cater to a high percentage of technology/STEM majors can do so through esports.
All in all, esports are a good way to form a diverse community. Odds are there is already a community of people on campus that play video games regularly for fun, and esports allows you to connect them through a common interest.
One last benefit of esports on campus is that it’s a safe, no-contact activity. Amid concerns about COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, it’s great to add activities that won’t put anyone in harm’s way regardless of the current situation.
As esports continues to gain popularity, colleges and universities will be racing to become the first “big esports school” — but it’s a process that takes a lot of preparation. But with the help of an audio video conferencing company, campuses can be transformed easily.
With video conferencing equipment paired with the latest gaming equipment and PCs, you can create a dedicated space for esports teams to gather and play, or host a tournament of your own. That’s why we’re excited to offer our Engage solution, that brings flexibility and personalization to your esports program. Our subscription-based service meets esports needs like configurable PCs, modular furniture, technical support, and more. This is a great choice for institutions looking to introduce esports for the first time since they can focus on growing the program and creating a successful team rather than handling the administrative aspects of starting a program.
Interested in introducing game play like no other? Contact an IVCi Esports Expert today.
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00fishbathttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngfishbat2020-10-14 12:00:162020-10-23 12:59:44Why Colleges and Universities Should Add Esports to Their Repertoire
The world of competitive gaming, also known as esports, is picking up traction and rapidly growing internationally. The fanbase has expanded to be in the millions, with an even higher potential profit.
We’re really excited about the future of esports and want to share what we know about it, so you can get excited too!
What is Esports?
Esports is competitive organized video gaming. Top-level gamers come together to play in leagues and tournaments for high-stake prizes. Some common games used in esports tournaments or leagues are Valorant, Fortnite, League of Legends, Counters-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Madden NFL — and that list is constantly growing.
Esports tournaments rack up millions of viewers. Local fans can come watch esports live and in person at the arena, while more fans from around the world can tune in via live stream.
Who watches and plays Esports?
The esports viewership is more vast and diverse than people might think. According to a 2019 report by Newzoo, there were 380 million worldwide viewers last year, with 165 million people described as “frequent viewers.” Most of those frequent viewers are from North America, China, and South Korea, and vary significantly in age and profession.
For those who still aren’t convinced that the esports fanbase is significant, here’s a little statistic for you: the 2017 League of Legends World Championship had more than 80 million viewers. To put that in perspective, the 2019 World Series had just shy of 14 million.
Can people really make a career out of video games?
The answer is an enthusiastic yes! It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but successful esports gamers can go from casual gamers to well-known names who make up to seven figures.
Most esports figures start their careers by perfecting their craft amongst their friends. Then, they build a fanbase on Twitch, a streaming service that allows fans to watch their favorite gamers in action. With a large enough Twitch fanbase and enough personal successes, people can start to join esports leagues or tournaments with high stakes and prizes. If an individual is good enough, they’ll also get endorsed by major gaming brands. Between tournament prize money, endorsements, and sponsorships, esports icons can easily earn over a million dollars.
How do they do it?
You’re probably thinking “Wow, how do they pull off an esports tournament or live stream where they keep everyone connected?”
Esports relies completely on technology, both the technology that allows them to actually play the game as well as the audio and video equipment necessary to run a team tournament and steam it to an audience around the world.
IVCi is so excited to be a part of the esports world by helping provide hardware and services for academic-based esports teams. Click here to learn more about our involvement!
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00fishbathttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngfishbat2020-09-16 12:00:302020-09-09 14:20:30The World of Esports
This time last year, remote work was reserved for special circumstances or a perk employees could enjoy a couple of days per week. The COVID-19 pandemic turned that notion upside down, forcing organizations from most industries to shift to remote work.
Now, organizations around the world have rolled out long-term or permanent remote work plans, completely changing the standards by which they operate. Today we’re going to dive into those standards, for both technology and protocol.
The new standards of technology
While technology has played an important role in the workforce for some time, now it’s essential that technology is functional and efficient since it’s the only way for remote teams to collaborate. Here are the standards of technology we’ve seen for remote work:
Mobile hardware tools. Teams need the ability to be productive from anywhere. Having an updated laptop, phone, and internet connection might seem basic, but it’s the backbone of a successful remote team.
Video conferencing tools. A reliable software, good quality microphones and headsets, and high resolution cameras allow for professional, uninterrupted meetings.
Virtual collaboration and communication tools. Stay in touch about projects or be available for quick chats in a way that doesn’t disrupt someone’s workflow.
Project management and data storage. Projects should stay organized, should be easily accessible to all team members, and be structured in a way where the whole team knows their status.
In other words, without technology, successful remote work is just not possible.
The new standards for remote work protocol
While the nuances of remote work protocol will look slightly different from company to company, here’s what we’ve witnessed as standards across them all:
Maintaining face to face communication. Even though teams can’t physically meet together right now, you want to prioritize face to face communication whenever possible. Choosing a video conference over a phone call keeps the personal connection between you and your team members while working to combat some of the isolation people may feel when they don’t get to see other people at the office every day.
Keep the same amount of employee engagement events. If your organization participated in team-building activities and events before the change to remote work, they should continue after. While people might be getting tired of your standard virtual happy hours, companies are starting to get really creative with the types of virtual events they hold for their teams. You can have virtual wine and paint nights, poker tournaments, cooking classes, and group fitness classes — whatever gets your team excited!
Maintain the same productivity, just remotely. The goal of a long-term remote work strategy is to have the company function just as productively as before, just without a physical office. While you should definitely leave wiggle room for at-home distractions such as other family members, you should set realistic expectations for your team in terms of remote work goals that you will accomplish together.
As you can see, if your organization is making the long-term shift to remote work, it’s important to have the proper tools in place to set your team up for success. To get a consultation by experts in the field who can help you get started, contact us today.
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In a world where meetings are conducted remotely and hangouts are mostly virtual, it seems like everyone is using Zoom in some capacity.
But with 300 million meeting participants per day on the platform, Zoom can be an easy target for security breaches. If you’re using Zoom to conduct business, you can’t take the risk of personal information or sensitive company data being compromised.
We’ve put together guidance that your organization can use to make sure your Zoom calls are secure.
Zoombombing: Understanding the threat landscape
Before we get into security precautions, it’s important for organizations to understand what’s at stake. Enter: Zoombombing.
Zoombombing is when your Zoom calls are hacked into by an unauthorized user. In doing so, the hijacker can hold accounts for ransom, share inappropriate content with a vulnerable audience, or gain access to private data shared within the meeting. Zoombombing is serious enough that the U.S. Department of Justice has named it a federal offense.
While Zoom has made great strides to improve security since the first Zoombombing incident was reported, there are still things organizations can do to keep their meetings secure.
1. Use the Waiting Room feature
The Waiting Room gives you the ability to see who is trying to join your meeting, so you can admit them yourself. That way, you can have complete control over who joins the meeting. You can admit users individually, all at once, or grant certain users the rights to bypass the Waiting Room.
2. Use randomly generated Meeting IDs and password protect them
When creating a meeting, it will automatically be populated with your Personal Meeting ID. But since this remains the same, it’s easier for unwanted attendees to end up in your meeting. Be sure to schedule all new meetings with a randomly generated meeting ID so that no two are the same and only invited attendees can join.
You can take this one step further by password protecting your Personal Meeting ID and all scheduled meetings. That way, even if a malicious user does figure out your meeting ID, they won’t be able to get in.
3. Lock the meeting and manage participants accordingly
Once all attendees are admitted into the meeting, you should lock the meeting so no additional attendees can join. From there, you can manage your participants easily and with full control over whether additional people can join or not.
4. Turn off features that attendees don’t need for that meeting
Zoom has some great built-in features that help attendees collaborate and conduct productive meetings. But those features could also make it easier for the wrong person to steer the meeting in the wrong direction or steal personal data.
Unless it’s necessary for the meeting, you’ll want to disable the following features for attendees:
Private chat
Annotation
Screen sharing
Microphone
You can manage these features in real time throughout the meeting, so it’s best for security to start with them disabled for everyone and grant access as needed.
5. Consult a video conferencing expert
If you’re unsure about where to start in securing your video conferencing system, it’s best to consult an expert. The team at IVCi can be your trusted advisor for implementing technology and security measures to keep your video conferences secure.
With COVID-19 still a threat across the country, many school districts are in the process of creating reopening plans that enable learning across a variety of situations — in person, remote, or hybrid combinations.
What each plan has in common is the necessity for an advanced technology setup to help students learn effectively while maintaining social distance and limiting exposure.
The Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant is a pool of $300 million for schools to “rethink education by creating flexible K-12 models, developing postsecondary tools that aid economic recovery.” This grant was authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law in April.
AV solution providers like IVCi play an important role in helping grant recipients (along with other K-12 institutions), implement the technology they need for a safe school reopening. As the grant describes, IVCi can help organizations:
Access the technology and services they need for remote learning
Increase their range of virtual learning through course access technology
Get the latest technology in remote education to ensure that every child is learning and preparing for successful careers and lives
But for us at IVCi, it goes beyond just installing and implementing technology. It’s about being a trusted technology partner that can help schools get the tools they need in the way they need it. That’s why we take a three-phase approach to make the best of specific school’s learning environments:
Strategy — we help K-12 institutions decide what technology works best for them, based on their reopening plans, budget, and specific needs.
Deployment — we safely install technology quickly and with safety precautions in mind, so schools can be ready before the first day of classes.
Support — we provide ongoing service so students and faculty can adjust to new technology confidently.
Our goal is not only to set K-12 institutions up with technology to enable learning during the pandemic, but to set them up with tools for long-term success. Remote or hybrid learning is likely to be a part of education for years to come, so schools that make the transition with trusted technology partners by their side will see these additional long-term benefits:
Quicker transitions — with support for both the initial setup and on an ongoing basis, schools can make smoother and faster transitions to remote or hybrid learning, allowing their long-term plans to adapt to whatever the current situation is at that time.
Higher user confidence — comprehensive training programs allow users to get comfortable with the technology. Meanwhile, additional features like thermal cameras, touchless kiosks, and programmable safety displays raise overall safety confidence levels.
Better engagement — learning environments can be customized to better fit student needs and better allow teachers to conduct their lessons.
With the vision for the 2020-2021 school year still uncertain and likely to change multiple times, technology is set to play an important role in helping students get the education they deserve. Whether your school is a Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant recipient or not, contact us today to start rethinking your education model.
When the COVID-19 outbreak first happened, organizations had to respond quickly and move their organizations to remote work setups with no time to plan.
With COVID-19 still very much a health and safety threat, many companies have made the decision to remain remote long-term. Some major companies like Twitter have even announced the intention to stay remote permanently, which a lot of smaller companies followed.
Even organizations who do plan to eventually return to the office are taking it slow. A common move for businesses in the United States is to remain remote through the end of 2020, which is still months away.
Here are some strategies to help organizations that plan to stay remote as a long-term plan:
1. Invest in the right video conferencing platform equipment for your team
This should be top priority once the decision has been made to remain remote for a long period of time. The right equipment makes all the difference between your teams operating as usual, and technical difficulties stifling productivity.
You’ll want to make sure your whole organization uses a video conferencing solution that makes sense for your individual business goals — will you be giving a lot of presentations to clients? Will you be hosting webinars and live events? Your answers will greatly influence the solution you choose.
Regardless of the software you choose, having the right equipment will always be important. Making sure your team can video chat without lags or disruptions in audio or video quality will keep meetings productive and presentations smooth.
2. Maintain “face to face” interaction and “social” connections
While we may all be a little tired of Zoom happy hours, the concept of maintaining face to face interaction and engaging in non-work talk increases in importance the longer your team works remotely.
Whenever possible, choose video conferencing over phone calls for things like sync-ups, project planning meetings, and touch-base meetings. In addition, make it a point to add some one-on-one video chats, virtual lunches, and other activities that closely resemble the interactions you had with your team when working in the office.
3. Be flexible with schedules and respect boundaries
The circumstances surrounding this remote work situation are much more complicated than just a desire to not have a physical office. The pandemic has ransacked just about every aspect of people’s lives, including things outside of work.
Most of your team members have significant responsibilities outside their job, such as caring for children or family members. Some may even be facing financial stress due to a family member being furloughed or ill. It’s important to be flexible with your team’s work schedule and show leniency as they navigate things like the new school year.
At the same time, it’s even more important to respect boundaries now that remote work is a long-term plan. When working from home, it’s hard to keep work and life separate since it’s hard to switch mental gears when you physically stay in the same place. Work with your team to establish healthy boundaries of when they’re expected to answer messages/emails, and when they should focus on things other than work.
The key to long-term remote work success will be implementing the tools your organization needs to stay connected and productive, no matter where they are. Contact us today to set up a consultation with the experts at IVCi, who can help you find the right technology suite for your needs and business goals.
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Virtual events have taken the place of conferences, concerts, and large gatherings of all sizes. While moving events to a virtual format is important for health and safety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it takes a different planning approach than an in-person event.
Here are some virtual event planning considerations to keep in mind for your next event.
1. Understand your audience
Understanding your audience will help you frame out all of your event details. Take some time to think about your target audience and define their age, occupation, and other demographic information. From there, you can ask key questions like:
How proficient is this group with technology?
How familiar is this group with social media?
What type of events will this group respond best to?
Answering these questions will prevent you from setting up a virtual event that’s inaccessible or uninteresting to your audience.
2. Choose your hosting platform
Depending on your audience and your event goals, different hosting platforms will be better suited for your event. There are a lot of resources that can help you compare event hosting platforms. Some platforms allow for only one person to speak at a time, while others allow for smaller breakout sessions to form. One is not necessarily better than the other, it just depends on your needs.
Once you’ve chosen your platform, you can define your format to be either a speaker series, a tradeshow, a workshop, or anything that fits your mold.
3. Choosing/designing your venue
Many people make the mistake of neglecting venue design during virtual events. But just because your audience is not experiencing the venue in person doesn’t mean it’s not important. You’ll want to select a venue or design a room that has the right lighting and acoustics so your attendees can clearly see visuals and hear audio. If you’re providing a slide deck, video, or other visual, you’ll also need to make sure you have the proper set up within the room to stream it to attendees.
4. Implementing the right technology
Last, but certainly not least, you’ll need to have the right technology tools in place before your virtual event. Having state of the art audio video and conferencing systems in place will help your guests experience the same audio visual quality in your virtual event as they would in person.
Having the ability to video conference during workshops and breakout sessions allows your audience to fully engage. It also adds the element of human connection that is sometimes missing from traditional webinar-style virtual events. Unreliable technology, however, can cause frustrating issues that have the opposite effect on your event, so it’s important to select your system carefully.
Prioritizing these considerations will help you plan a successful virtual event that’s just as engaging and worthwhile as an in-person event. While most of these items can be taken care of in-house, it’s best to leave the technology implementation to the experts. IVCi has extensive knowledge in audio video technology and can help your organization implement everything you need for the ultimate virtual event.
IVCi Evolve – The Future of AV as a Service
NewsAs this past year has shown us, the key to productivity and business continuity in the face of uncertainty is technology. Even if a global pandemic didn’t turn the working world upside down this year, having the right audio video equipment in place would still be a business advantage. Think of it this way: while competitors are fumbling with old, faulty technology and wasting time, you are closing deals and brainstorming with teammates on innovative projects.
But for many organizations, upgrading technology can be a daunting task. How do you determine which setup is right for you? How can you minimize costs without sacrificing quality? How will you know when your technology is outdated?
IVCi has recently introduced Evolve, a subscription service that answers all those questions for you. As a user-inspired subscription service, it puts you in total control of your Audio Video as a Service (AVaaS) setup.
The key features of Evolve AVaaS include:
AV as a Service is different from your standard technology implementation and ongoing support. With AVaaS, you get an additional set of benefits that are only possible through a monthly subscription service:
But not all AVaaS providers go above and beyond to deliver the most innovative experience. What sets Evolve apart from other providers are three main features:
The future of AVaaS is here — it’s time to Evolve! For help getting started or to schedule a consultation with an AVaaS expert, contact us today.
Why Colleges and Universities Should Add Esports to Their Repertoire
NewsWhen it comes to extracurricular activity, a lot of colleges and universities stick to the traditional: sports, clubs, Greek life, etc. But it’s the ones who are branching out to try something new that are seeing the most benefits.
The National Association of Collegiate Esports reported that more than 170 colleges or universities in the United States have a varsity esports program, offering around $16 million in scholarships. There are hundreds of others who treat esports like a club, welcoming it on campus but providing minimal support.
We’ve seen esports rise rapidly in popularity, so it’s likely we’ll see it widely adopted across more colleges and universities in the coming years. This is a smart move for higher education institutions — let’s talk about why.
From a solely practical standpoint, having esports can be a successful tool for student recruitment. Offering esports is a great way to attract students who have good critical thinking, teamwork, innovation, and self-directed learning skills. Those traits are common among gamers and translate well into the classroom and beyond. Plus, 90% of teens play video games in some capacity according to Pew Research, so it’s a great way to start a conversation around something teens can relate to.
Aside from that, an esports team is a great addition to schools with strong Technology and STEM programs. Did you know that 62% of collegiate level League of Legends players are STEM majors? Colleges and universities looking to either grow their technology programs or offer activities to cater to a high percentage of technology/STEM majors can do so through esports.
All in all, esports are a good way to form a diverse community. Odds are there is already a community of people on campus that play video games regularly for fun, and esports allows you to connect them through a common interest.
One last benefit of esports on campus is that it’s a safe, no-contact activity. Amid concerns about COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, it’s great to add activities that won’t put anyone in harm’s way regardless of the current situation.
As esports continues to gain popularity, colleges and universities will be racing to become the first “big esports school” — but it’s a process that takes a lot of preparation. But with the help of an audio video conferencing company, campuses can be transformed easily.
With video conferencing equipment paired with the latest gaming equipment and PCs, you can create a dedicated space for esports teams to gather and play, or host a tournament of your own. That’s why we’re excited to offer our Engage solution, that brings flexibility and personalization to your esports program. Our subscription-based service meets esports needs like configurable PCs, modular furniture, technical support, and more. This is a great choice for institutions looking to introduce esports for the first time since they can focus on growing the program and creating a successful team rather than handling the administrative aspects of starting a program.
Interested in introducing game play like no other? Contact an IVCi Esports Expert today.
The World of Esports
NewsThe world of competitive gaming, also known as esports, is picking up traction and rapidly growing internationally. The fanbase has expanded to be in the millions, with an even higher potential profit.
We’re really excited about the future of esports and want to share what we know about it, so you can get excited too!
What is Esports?
Esports is competitive organized video gaming. Top-level gamers come together to play in leagues and tournaments for high-stake prizes. Some common games used in esports tournaments or leagues are Valorant, Fortnite, League of Legends, Counters-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Madden NFL — and that list is constantly growing.
Esports tournaments rack up millions of viewers. Local fans can come watch esports live and in person at the arena, while more fans from around the world can tune in via live stream.
Who watches and plays Esports?
The esports viewership is more vast and diverse than people might think. According to a 2019 report by Newzoo, there were 380 million worldwide viewers last year, with 165 million people described as “frequent viewers.” Most of those frequent viewers are from North America, China, and South Korea, and vary significantly in age and profession.
For those who still aren’t convinced that the esports fanbase is significant, here’s a little statistic for you: the 2017 League of Legends World Championship had more than 80 million viewers. To put that in perspective, the 2019 World Series had just shy of 14 million.
Can people really make a career out of video games?
The answer is an enthusiastic yes! It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but successful esports gamers can go from casual gamers to well-known names who make up to seven figures.
Most esports figures start their careers by perfecting their craft amongst their friends. Then, they build a fanbase on Twitch, a streaming service that allows fans to watch their favorite gamers in action. With a large enough Twitch fanbase and enough personal successes, people can start to join esports leagues or tournaments with high stakes and prizes. If an individual is good enough, they’ll also get endorsed by major gaming brands. Between tournament prize money, endorsements, and sponsorships, esports icons can easily earn over a million dollars.
How do they do it?
You’re probably thinking “Wow, how do they pull off an esports tournament or live stream where they keep everyone connected?”
Esports relies completely on technology, both the technology that allows them to actually play the game as well as the audio and video equipment necessary to run a team tournament and steam it to an audience around the world.
IVCi is so excited to be a part of the esports world by helping provide hardware and services for academic-based esports teams. Click here to learn more about our involvement!
Remote Work Standards: Technology and Protocol
NewsThis time last year, remote work was reserved for special circumstances or a perk employees could enjoy a couple of days per week. The COVID-19 pandemic turned that notion upside down, forcing organizations from most industries to shift to remote work.
Now, organizations around the world have rolled out long-term or permanent remote work plans, completely changing the standards by which they operate. Today we’re going to dive into those standards, for both technology and protocol.
The new standards of technology
While technology has played an important role in the workforce for some time, now it’s essential that technology is functional and efficient since it’s the only way for remote teams to collaborate. Here are the standards of technology we’ve seen for remote work:
In other words, without technology, successful remote work is just not possible.
The new standards for remote work protocol
While the nuances of remote work protocol will look slightly different from company to company, here’s what we’ve witnessed as standards across them all:
As you can see, if your organization is making the long-term shift to remote work, it’s important to have the proper tools in place to set your team up for success. To get a consultation by experts in the field who can help you get started, contact us today.
Zoom Security
NewsIn a world where meetings are conducted remotely and hangouts are mostly virtual, it seems like everyone is using Zoom in some capacity.
But with 300 million meeting participants per day on the platform, Zoom can be an easy target for security breaches. If you’re using Zoom to conduct business, you can’t take the risk of personal information or sensitive company data being compromised.
We’ve put together guidance that your organization can use to make sure your Zoom calls are secure.
Zoombombing: Understanding the threat landscape
Before we get into security precautions, it’s important for organizations to understand what’s at stake. Enter: Zoombombing.
Zoombombing is when your Zoom calls are hacked into by an unauthorized user. In doing so, the hijacker can hold accounts for ransom, share inappropriate content with a vulnerable audience, or gain access to private data shared within the meeting. Zoombombing is serious enough that the U.S. Department of Justice has named it a federal offense.
While Zoom has made great strides to improve security since the first Zoombombing incident was reported, there are still things organizations can do to keep their meetings secure.
1. Use the Waiting Room feature
The Waiting Room gives you the ability to see who is trying to join your meeting, so you can admit them yourself. That way, you can have complete control over who joins the meeting. You can admit users individually, all at once, or grant certain users the rights to bypass the Waiting Room.
2. Use randomly generated Meeting IDs and password protect them
When creating a meeting, it will automatically be populated with your Personal Meeting ID. But since this remains the same, it’s easier for unwanted attendees to end up in your meeting. Be sure to schedule all new meetings with a randomly generated meeting ID so that no two are the same and only invited attendees can join.
You can take this one step further by password protecting your Personal Meeting ID and all scheduled meetings. That way, even if a malicious user does figure out your meeting ID, they won’t be able to get in.
3. Lock the meeting and manage participants accordingly
Once all attendees are admitted into the meeting, you should lock the meeting so no additional attendees can join. From there, you can manage your participants easily and with full control over whether additional people can join or not.
4. Turn off features that attendees don’t need for that meeting
Zoom has some great built-in features that help attendees collaborate and conduct productive meetings. But those features could also make it easier for the wrong person to steer the meeting in the wrong direction or steal personal data.
Unless it’s necessary for the meeting, you’ll want to disable the following features for attendees:
You can manage these features in real time throughout the meeting, so it’s best for security to start with them disabled for everyone and grant access as needed.
5. Consult a video conferencing expert
If you’re unsure about where to start in securing your video conferencing system, it’s best to consult an expert. The team at IVCi can be your trusted advisor for implementing technology and security measures to keep your video conferences secure.
Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant
NewsWith COVID-19 still a threat across the country, many school districts are in the process of creating reopening plans that enable learning across a variety of situations — in person, remote, or hybrid combinations.
What each plan has in common is the necessity for an advanced technology setup to help students learn effectively while maintaining social distance and limiting exposure.
The Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant is a pool of $300 million for schools to “rethink education by creating flexible K-12 models, developing postsecondary tools that aid economic recovery.” This grant was authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law in April.
AV solution providers like IVCi play an important role in helping grant recipients (along with other K-12 institutions), implement the technology they need for a safe school reopening. As the grant describes, IVCi can help organizations:
But for us at IVCi, it goes beyond just installing and implementing technology. It’s about being a trusted technology partner that can help schools get the tools they need in the way they need it. That’s why we take a three-phase approach to make the best of specific school’s learning environments:
Our goal is not only to set K-12 institutions up with technology to enable learning during the pandemic, but to set them up with tools for long-term success. Remote or hybrid learning is likely to be a part of education for years to come, so schools that make the transition with trusted technology partners by their side will see these additional long-term benefits:
With the vision for the 2020-2021 school year still uncertain and likely to change multiple times, technology is set to play an important role in helping students get the education they deserve. Whether your school is a Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant recipient or not, contact us today to start rethinking your education model.
Remote Work Long Term Strategies
NewsWhen the COVID-19 outbreak first happened, organizations had to respond quickly and move their organizations to remote work setups with no time to plan.
With COVID-19 still very much a health and safety threat, many companies have made the decision to remain remote long-term. Some major companies like Twitter have even announced the intention to stay remote permanently, which a lot of smaller companies followed.
Even organizations who do plan to eventually return to the office are taking it slow. A common move for businesses in the United States is to remain remote through the end of 2020, which is still months away.
Here are some strategies to help organizations that plan to stay remote as a long-term plan:
1. Invest in the right video conferencing platform equipment for your team
This should be top priority once the decision has been made to remain remote for a long period of time. The right equipment makes all the difference between your teams operating as usual, and technical difficulties stifling productivity.
You’ll want to make sure your whole organization uses a video conferencing solution that makes sense for your individual business goals — will you be giving a lot of presentations to clients? Will you be hosting webinars and live events? Your answers will greatly influence the solution you choose.
Regardless of the software you choose, having the right equipment will always be important. Making sure your team can video chat without lags or disruptions in audio or video quality will keep meetings productive and presentations smooth.
2. Maintain “face to face” interaction and “social” connections
While we may all be a little tired of Zoom happy hours, the concept of maintaining face to face interaction and engaging in non-work talk increases in importance the longer your team works remotely.
Whenever possible, choose video conferencing over phone calls for things like sync-ups, project planning meetings, and touch-base meetings. In addition, make it a point to add some one-on-one video chats, virtual lunches, and other activities that closely resemble the interactions you had with your team when working in the office.
3. Be flexible with schedules and respect boundaries
The circumstances surrounding this remote work situation are much more complicated than just a desire to not have a physical office. The pandemic has ransacked just about every aspect of people’s lives, including things outside of work.
Most of your team members have significant responsibilities outside their job, such as caring for children or family members. Some may even be facing financial stress due to a family member being furloughed or ill. It’s important to be flexible with your team’s work schedule and show leniency as they navigate things like the new school year.
At the same time, it’s even more important to respect boundaries now that remote work is a long-term plan. When working from home, it’s hard to keep work and life separate since it’s hard to switch mental gears when you physically stay in the same place. Work with your team to establish healthy boundaries of when they’re expected to answer messages/emails, and when they should focus on things other than work.
The key to long-term remote work success will be implementing the tools your organization needs to stay connected and productive, no matter where they are. Contact us today to set up a consultation with the experts at IVCi, who can help you find the right technology suite for your needs and business goals.
Virtual Event Planning
NewsVirtual events have taken the place of conferences, concerts, and large gatherings of all sizes. While moving events to a virtual format is important for health and safety in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it takes a different planning approach than an in-person event.
Here are some virtual event planning considerations to keep in mind for your next event.
1. Understand your audience
Understanding your audience will help you frame out all of your event details. Take some time to think about your target audience and define their age, occupation, and other demographic information. From there, you can ask key questions like:
Answering these questions will prevent you from setting up a virtual event that’s inaccessible or uninteresting to your audience.
2. Choose your hosting platform
Depending on your audience and your event goals, different hosting platforms will be better suited for your event. There are a lot of resources that can help you compare event hosting platforms. Some platforms allow for only one person to speak at a time, while others allow for smaller breakout sessions to form. One is not necessarily better than the other, it just depends on your needs.
Once you’ve chosen your platform, you can define your format to be either a speaker series, a tradeshow, a workshop, or anything that fits your mold.
3. Choosing/designing your venue
Many people make the mistake of neglecting venue design during virtual events. But just because your audience is not experiencing the venue in person doesn’t mean it’s not important. You’ll want to select a venue or design a room that has the right lighting and acoustics so your attendees can clearly see visuals and hear audio. If you’re providing a slide deck, video, or other visual, you’ll also need to make sure you have the proper set up within the room to stream it to attendees.
4. Implementing the right technology
Last, but certainly not least, you’ll need to have the right technology tools in place before your virtual event. Having state of the art audio video and conferencing systems in place will help your guests experience the same audio visual quality in your virtual event as they would in person.
Having the ability to video conference during workshops and breakout sessions allows your audience to fully engage. It also adds the element of human connection that is sometimes missing from traditional webinar-style virtual events. Unreliable technology, however, can cause frustrating issues that have the opposite effect on your event, so it’s important to select your system carefully.
Prioritizing these considerations will help you plan a successful virtual event that’s just as engaging and worthwhile as an in-person event. While most of these items can be taken care of in-house, it’s best to leave the technology implementation to the experts. IVCi has extensive knowledge in audio video technology and can help your organization implement everything you need for the ultimate virtual event.