One thing that many successful businesses have in common is the willingness to harness cutting-edge technologies to outshine their competition. To continue to make innovation possible, technology solutions providers like us have to think outside the box and find even better ways to apply technology.
That was the driving force behind our Av as a service solution, Evolve. As a subscription-based service solution, users can consistently modernize, have full protection, train their team, and have all the tools they need to achieve their business goals. With Audio Visual as a Service (AVaaS) through IVCi’s evolve, you will have access to:
Technology that is consistently refreshed as new products become available.
Support staff to resolve issues and repair/replace equipment.
Collaboration with technology experts who can help you plan and achieve strategic business goals.
Cash flow savings that can be used for other strategic initiatives.
Protection from natural disasters and unpredictable events.
All with terms that can be changed at any time.
You might think there really is no better way to deliver state of the art technology to a workplace…
But what if we told you there is?
We’re proud to introduce our new and revolutionary in-room QR code support solution available through the Evolve AVaaS subscription. By scanning your unique QR code with your mobile device, meeting starters can connect with an in-house expert, navigate educational resources, and learn useful information that is specific to your room.
Beyond keeping your huddle room on par with the latest technology, utilizing a QR code support solution can offer the following benefits:
Increased uptime. If the meeting starter experiences any issues, they can quickly scan the code and get help to resolve the issue rather than having to take the time to get support over the phone or email. This leaves you with more time to conduct your meeting and less time troubleshooting, with available resources that can help you prevent the issue from arising in the future.
Higher levels of confidence. With educational resources only a scan away, you can build your AV technology knowledge base and get answers to all of your questions. Over time, you’ll become more confident in your ability to use and troubleshoot your system. And if issues do arise, you’ll know you have support at your fingertips.
Better productivity. Nothing derails productivity like technical issues. Everyone’s time is valuable and a lot of people are on tight schedules, so even a delay of five or ten minutes can seriously derail an agenda. Having custom support that’s on-demand from any smart device will keep things moving according to plan, even if technical difficulties arise.
It’s time for an AV evolution — and the QR support feature of IVCi’s Evolve subscription will help you get there.
If you’re ready to take the next steps into the future of AV solutions, speak to one of the experts at IVCi today.
AV and video conferencing is becoming standard in most businesses — and for good reason. Having video conferencing capabilities within your organization drastically improves collaboration, increases efficiency, and opens up endless possibilities for business growth.
Choosing which company will install and maintain your AV conferencing is a big business decision. Hastily choosing a company could cause you to choose one that isn’t the right fit for your company, and that could lead to a lot of frustration and costly repairs or replacements down the line.
With that being said, you will want to make sure you thoroughly research companies to find the right one for you. Here’s what to look for when choosing an audio video conferencing company.
1. Willingness to help you set a strategy
It’s easy for a company to sell you equipment, any AV conferencing company can do that. What marks a great company, however, is one that helps you set a total AV/VC strategy. These companies will take the time to learn your strategic goals and where your company hopes to be in one, five, or ten years. Using that information, along with the current landscape of your technology capabilities, they can help you craft a strategy that sets you up for success down the line. If a company is not willing to take the time to help you make a strategy, then they are not the right company for you.
2. A network of top-tier technology partners
It’s important to know the technology you’re getting is state-of-the-art. Look for a company with a best-in-class partner ecosystem, as they will be able to provide the best audio video conferencing equipment for your specific needs. Rather than just pushing the same generic solutions on everyone, companies with a vast partner network can craft custom solutions with the right products and solutions for you.
Find a company that partners with major technology providers as well as niche product providers, as they are going to be able to meet all of your needs.
3. Dedication to communication and support
Some companies install your AV conferencing equipment and wash their hands of the situation. That won’t do your company much good when your teams need training, there are technical difficulties, or you are looking to further upgrade your systems.
What sets great companies apart is a sense of dedication to communication and support. Look for a company that acts more like an extension of your team rather than just a vendor. This will help with the adoption of new technology, troubleshooting, and making sure your company is always using the best solutions for its goals.
Look for a company that offers on-demand support when you need it and offers guidance before you have the chance to ask for it.
4. Establishment across multiple verticals
Ideally, you’ll want to work with a company that is an established industry leader with a presence in multiple verticals. If you know a company has a proven track record in industries like healthcare, higher education, government, finance, construction, and more, you’ll know they have the range and capabilities to solve even the most complex business challenges while protecting privacy and maintaining compliance.
When a company has more than 25 years of experience with companies in all industries, you can be confident that they can help you, too.
5. Innovation in solutions
Look for a company that’s not just on par with the latest technology but is the one blazing the trails. Innovation is the mark of a truly great technology company. For example, look for a company that is offering things like subscription-based programs. These Audio Visual as a Service (AVaaS) offerings make it easy for organizations to make sure they are using the latest technology and put them in control of costs.
This is just one example of how an innovation-focused company can transform your organization.
By keeping these things in mind, you’ll be able to find a video conferencing company that will set you up with the technology and support to help your company achieve its strategic goals.
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The decision to install video conferencing equipment is one you won’t regret for your business. Not only will this AV upgrade allow you to be on par with the latest technology trends, it will offer significant benefits to your company. Organizations with standardized video conferencing equipment tend to:
Create more flexible work environments which leads to better work-life balance and a larger talent pool.
Have more mobile teams and wider business territories.
Be more productive and collaborative
Save time and money that would otherwise be spent traveling for face time with clients and team members.
Succeed internationally more than companies that rely on phone calls and emails.
For some companies, there are even more benefits!
But, like with all major business decisions, there is a good deal of preparation that must happen before you can install your video conferencing system. Here are the five most important preparation steps:
1. Research video conferencing companies
Not all video conferencing companies offer the same things, which means that not all will be right for your business. With that being said, there are some research points to keep in mind when looking for a provider:
Look for a company that will help you not only get equipment but set a total AV strategy that aligns with your overall business goals.
Make sure your provider partners with best-in-class technology providers to help you achieve your greatest AV/VC goals.
Find a company that offers a user-inspired subscription service so you can have on-demand support, the latest technology, and terms that can be adjusted at any time.
2. Take note of your physical surroundings
While your meetings will be virtual, your physical surroundings still play a big role in preparing to install video conferencing equipment. The size of your rooms, the amount/type of lighting, the height of your screens, and whether or not you have soundproof/echo-proof walls will all make a difference in the type of video conferencing equipment you’ll need.
If you need to make any adjustments to lighting or sound within your meeting rooms, it’s a lot easier to do so before any equipment is installed. Also, be sure that you have no distracting decor on the walls that could take away from a meaningful meeting.
3. Plan the logistics
In order to select the right type and amount of equipment, you’ll have to take some time and analyze the logistics. Some things you’ll need to make note of:
How many attendees do you anticipate in an average meeting? How many do you anticipate in a large meeting?
What will the AV demand look like at any given point during the workday? Do multiple locations across different time zones have any overlap in working hours?
How many huddle rooms do you have?
If you have multiple locations, how many of them are getting new systems?
If you have international locations, are there differences in tech specifications?
Asking these questions will help ensure you pick the right technology for your company.
4. Prioritize based on your business goals
It’s important that the technology you’re using aligns with your business goals and actively helps you achieve them. Your strategic goals will drastically impact your priorities when setting up your equipment. For example, if you are using video conferences to pitch to potential clients, then quality should be your highest priority, no matter the cost. Using it exclusively for internal purposes, however, would warrant priorities of speed and bandwidth.
5. Pick the right solution
This sounds simple, but with so many video conferencing solutions out there, it can be easy to fall victim to a sub-par setup. Look for equipment from well known technology providers that have a good reputation for quality.
If you are unsure of which equipment is right for you, or don’t know where to begin, your best bet is to contact an expert. The team at IVCi is always here to discuss your goals, offer advice, and provide the best possible AV/VC experience to help your business achieve strategic goals.
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00fishbathttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngfishbat2020-03-19 12:00:572020-06-22 19:19:41Top 5 Things to Do When Preparing to Install Video Conferencing Equipment
Managing a team is one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences you can have at work. It’s widely known that employees often choose to stay with a company based on their experience with their direct manager. The way you form a team, share goals and work together through challenges creates a culture that out-lives deadlines. But what happens when a team takes on a new challenge – the experience of working together remotely?
Here’s our top tips on effectively managing a remote team:
Lead by example
If your team is new to remote work – they may have questions and nervously look to you to set the new cultural norms. “Is it ok if my team sees my home in my background? What if there’s unexpected interruptions like a dog barking?” As a leader, you set the tone for the transition.
1. Sharing video is the new face to face. Seeing you on video regularly is reassuring and gives you the chance to use your full communication skills – your gestures, tone and message are better received when your team can see the full picture.
2. When messaging, remember that your team can’t see your reactions. Give your team more context on the intent behind a message by choosing from thousands of Gifs in Webex Teams to express yourself.
3. Share moments that matter. In the office, colleagues regularly spend time celebrating birthdays, family news and personal moments that matter. When remote – your role as leader is critical to maintaining the connections – by creating time in existing meetings to connect on non-work news or scheduling entire sessions to celebrate team news, like this virtual baby/bridal shower!
Stay connected
In an office environment, you interact with your team in–between your weekly scheduled meetings and 1:1’s – for example, when you arrive in the morning, get coffee or go to lunch. There’s no reason the water-cooler conversations need to stop when you’re working remotely.
1. Let’s get social! In Webex Teams, create a space under your team for social interaction, like sharing family news, team member adventures or whatever becomes the topic of the day.
2. During 1:1 team calls, make sure you and your team member both turn on video. Whether it’s a project update, milestone or a more difficult coaching session – seeing you face to face makes all the difference.
Remote control your project
Your team may be concerned about moving away from an in-person experience, where they could talk on the fly, share an idea on a whiteboard and access you for help whenever needed. However, In many ways, working virtually on a project provides many new ways of working for your team and much more accountability, and visibility in to work in progress for you.
1. Kick off with a bang! During your project kick off meeting, leave time for open ideation – just like you would in an office. Leave space in the agenda for using a virtual whiteboard to brainstorm on ideas. anyone can contribute from their device and best of all – you can feel confident your ideas won’t be erased as they are saved and can be reopened whenever you need them.
2. Create space to catch up. Bringing together content, with messages, links and real time meetings in a Webex Teams space is a project game-changer. Even if you step away to deal with other priorities – you can check back into the project space at any time and catch up on the background conversations you missed – something that’s not even possible in a live office.
3. Being available in one click is invaluable when working remotely. Even when you’re in a meeting – your team can still reach out to message you 1:1 and you can view it and reply when you have a moment. If they need to escalate – share your personal meeting room (PMR). For your team – Knowing you’re available on video on any device and can easily add others to the call will leave them confident they can rely on you, even when remote.
Stay connected
Working remotely doesn’t mean that your team should feel remote. Stay connected through celebrations, deadlines and water-cooler conversations – on any device. Your leadership, support and use of Webex Meetings and Teams means your team can be set up for success from wherever they may be.
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00Lindsey Ingramhttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngLindsey Ingram2020-03-17 20:24:142020-03-17 20:24:15Working Smarter: Managing a Remote Team
Our partners at Cisco discuss the benefits of Cisco Webex in an academic environment. With the increased need for remote lectures and online classrooms, Webex is a helpful tool to keep students engaged and classes productive.
Classroom supplies and Webex
Every school year, teachers create a sacred list of school supplies they need for the year. Mine typically included tissues, hand sanitizer, sticky notes, whiteboard markers, and other standard supplies. As a former teacher—Mrs. Hamill—I always started my school year off telling parents to review “The List” and thanked them for their support. While I always appreciated any help I could get, I just recently realized what had been missing from my list: technology.
Webex collaboration tools
Ever seen Webex on a teacher’s wish list? I sure haven’t, but I wish someone would have shared the need to eliminate the endless bullets (or stars if you’re fancy) and replace them with one request: Cisco Webex Meetings and Teams. I wish I knew how much time, money, and valuable teaching time I could have saved by requesting Webex collaboration tools. I’ve saved you the time and written the list for you today—you’re welcome.
Fostering healthy, safe, and supportive learning
We’ve all seen a teacher’s wish list before: as a parent looking at a take-home folder, in the store shopping, or broadcast over TV and online advertisements. Educators prioritize keeping students healthy, safe, and cared for while teaching. The tissues, hand sanitizers, and markers are a good start, but they do run out, need resupplying (insert begging over many emails), and do not support significant classroom needs.
“How do I help the student who didn’t use the hand sanitizer and is out for the next week?”
“How can I revolutionize the use of sticky notes when we’re striving to be a green school?”
“How do I host an important study session when the state just closed down for a snow day?”
Importance of technology in education
At all levels of education, technology is not only a wish but a necessity. Had I known this when I was teaching, I could have shortened my list and added Cisco Collaboration tools, Webex Meetings, and Teams to the top of my classroom and school’s priorities. Unfortunately (an understatement), I didn’t know the answer was Cisco Webex collaboration solutions. Before exiting education, I had the opportunity to adopt and deploy Webex in an education environment. This is where the list started to shrink. Sticky notes, whiteboards, and markers are built right into the product. Connecting with kids, parents, and colleagues remotely with just one button to push? Check! Where were these amazing tools when I was teaching only two years ago? It doesn’t matter, because what I didn’t know then, I do know now.
I wish I had Webex Meetings
Webex Meetings offers teachers a way to connect easily with students anywhere, anytime. Teachers never stop teaching. The bell may have rung, and the students have gone home, but there is still loads of work and planning that will go on into the night, bleeding right into the next day. Teaching remote is not an issue for an educator. I would have loved to host office hours or answer a student’s question in real-time from the comfort of my couch.
If the school called a snow day, I would have been able to keep the momentum going, not having to play catch up upon my return. Webex Meetings allows you to play video and enable audio, use chat, and share screens. It’s so simple and a great way to stay productive.
Parent or student can’t make it to a school conference to discuss academic progress? Say hello to Webex Meetings. It allows for more flexibility and personalized attention whenever needed.
Large scale? I know, first-hand, administrators, board office personnel, superintendents, content coaches, and more don’t have the bandwidth to attend every professional development session, curriculum gathering, or state-wide initiative meeting in person. With Webex, however, I can include all those parties. Everyone is where they need to be. You truly can be in two places at once.
And I’m just getting started.
Workflow, working in a group, and collaboration- peace of mind
Webex Teams is the epitome of collaboration. The integrations are endless, and there is no disruption or pause in the workflow when working on Teams.
One of education’s best practices is “group work,” as the facilitator roves the classroom to check in on table talk that nurtures productive discussion. Webex Teams allows leaders to use Team spaces as breakouts, which allows for even more focused, quiet conversations, and personal teacher attention. I would bop in and out of spaces to check in on my students and their shared efforts.
Gone are the days of leaving the classroom (a big no-no) and running down the hall (also a demerit) to quickly collaborate with a colleague. With Webex Teams, all of my peers are at-the-ready. I juggled being the basketball coach, literacy chair, social committee member, and bus duty scheduler, which meant I talked to a lot of people throughout the day. That’s a lot of emails and way too many forbidden hallway trips. Webex Teams was where my communication and collaboration should have (remember this is a wish list) lived.
Final thoughts
All in all, my wish list looks different these days, and that’s because I have been able to cross off the majority of the list items previously mentioned with one solution: Cisco Webex Teams and Meetings.
Today, I still teach and train others, but I do it remotely, from home. I connect with people across the world, and there is no time lost. I have only invested in one box of tissues in five months, and my germs are my own, so a travel-sized sanitizer fits the bill. I still utilize sticky notes, markers, and whiteboards as they’re available in-product.
Before, when I was confined to one room all day (except for those quick escapes), I never dreamed that teaching remote would be possible. Now, I know and believe anything is possible with Webex.
Consider adding Cisco Webex to your wish list, because the school year isn’t over yet! Who doesn’t love crossing off more than one list item at a time?
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00Lindsey Ingramhttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngLindsey Ingram2020-03-13 20:41:012020-03-17 20:01:46Teachers, here’s why you need Webex
Picture this: you’re all set to give a presentation to a potential client that could be the biggest sale your company has ever seen. You remember reserving Meeting Room A, so you go in early to set up with all of your adapters, cables, and audio equipment (since there will be people joining remotely too).
As you go to enter Meeting Room A, you see people are in it. That’s when you remember that the HR department reserved that room because they needed to fit more people, and asked you to switch to Meeting Room B. No big deal, you bring your stuff to Meeting Room B…
…and none of your equipment works in that room. The AV technology set-up is completely different. And the senior executives from your potential client will be calling into the meeting any minute.
The Importance of AV Standardization
The above scenario is unfortunately all too common. It’s also one of the biggest reasons why the standardization of AV tech and tools is so important.
Standardizing your AV tech and tools is twofold. On one hand, you want to be standardized across your organization. That means that systems and equipment are consistent throughout all of your workstations, huddle rooms, offices, and mobile devices.
It also means aligning your technology with your business goals. When you operate from one set of standards and a unified mission, it’s easier to see the value in AV and technology upgrades. When you have the latest technology within your organization, your business will become more efficient and you’ll be able to accomplish key initiatives more quickly.
Putting these two together, it’s clear that AV standardization is mission critical.
Benefits of AV Standardization
“But our organization has been operating just fine as is, so why would we want to spend time, effort, and money standardizing?”
This is a common question. And we get it, justifying a technology investment is never easy. But there are so many benefits of AV standardization that even businesses that have been operating just fine should pay attention to. They include:
Increased mobility. When your AV systems are standard across all of your devices and offices, your teams can work at any location without interruptions or compatibility issues. This allows them to work where they need to when they need to, yielding optimal results.
Easier adoption and troubleshooting. Each type of AV equipment requires training, buy-in, and troubleshooting efforts. When there’s only one system to learn, the burden here is decreased.
Centralizing AV. Standardization and centralization go hand in hand. Having all AV efforts operate on one system increases visibility and gives greater control over costs.
Avoiding compatibility issues. When introducing any new hardware, it’s a hassle to have to check that it’s compatible with multiple systems. Standardization ensures you only have to do one compatibility check.
Maintaining the Standard with Evolve AVaaS
While it’s important to standardize AV tech and tools, it’s also important to understand that AV is always evolving. So how do you maintain standard if it’s always evolving?
There is a way. Our Evolve AV as a Service, or Evolve AVaaS, helps maintain AV standards in your organization. Rather than spending money on pieces of tech that work together for now, and having to replace them ad hoc, Evolve AVaaS offers a seamless integration with software and technology that’s user friendly and cost efficient.
By utilizing a subscription, you’ll get all the equipment you need, full servicing and on-call help, and the ability to upgrade at any time. So not only will you be able to standardize across your organization, you’ll be able to keep the standard while always knowing you’re using the most advanced technology.
The best AVaaS offerings allow you to change your terms at any time. Scale up, scale down, upgrade, go in a different direction… whatever your goals are, Evolve AVaaS supports them.
So, don’t ever get stuck in a situation like we mentioned before. Instead, standardize your AV and create a more efficient work environment.
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As the U.S. braces for the coronavirus to spread, businesses have moved to both protect employee health and avoid disruption of their operations by taking steps to support staff to work from home. Though the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. remains low compared to other parts of the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned last week that the virus is likely to spread further in the coming months.
Remote work has surged in China as a result of restrictions
set forth by health officials. In a conference call last week, Dr. Nancy
Messonnier, Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases, advised U.S. Companies to start making similar
preparations.
However, businesses that have not invested in developing and onboarding the tools for broad remote-work strategy and enablement,may be at risk for serious disruptions in operations and bottom-line drops that are made worse by the slumping stock market. So, what can IT teams do quickly to adapt?
IT Teams Need to Act Now If businesses have yet to commit to a remote strategy and invest in enablement and adoption, it’s not too late to do so, but it will have to be done seamlessly and in a lot less time than originally planned. To make matters worse, a 2017 survey by Poly found that 62% of respondents didn’t believe the video conferencing tools they had in place were adequate and wanted their employers to provide better technology that’s both easy to use and help them stay connected. So even if businesses have made some effort to roll out video conferencing, employees aren’t using it effectively because of gaps in adequacy.
Considering the problems associated with timing and adoption
and utilization, IT teams are best suited to work with integrators that can
offer them a strategy that’s scalable, delivering fast deployments and helping
employees adopt and utilize any new or existing platforms that are available to
them.
IT Needs to Consider AVaaS The speed in which businesses will have to adapt also makes a compelling case to consider AVaaS options, for both short-term and long-term benefits.
In the short term, AVaaS allows companies to invest in AV design,
deployment, integration, adoption and support at a significantly lower upfront
cost; it’s the easiest way for IT teams to gain budget approval and deploy much
faster than the traditional method of upfront capital expenditure.
In the long-term, AVaaS offers SRG’s (solutions replacement guarantees) that allow for upgrades or the ability to migrate to new tech if the solutions no longer fit within the organization; if decision-makers are hesitant to act quickly, they’ll at least have flexibility to change later on if the business needs adjust in the absence of a threat like Coronavirus.
Where to Go From Here? The prospect of cancelled events and the need to keep workers productive provides the right time for companies to revisit collaboration tools and work-from-home policies, but more than anything it prioritizes the health of employees and mitigates the spread of the virus.
In response, many companies in the video conference industry
are doing everything they can to support those affected by the outbreak. For
example – video conferencing software provider Zoom scheduled several on-demand
resources and tutorials to help new adopters learn how to use the platform in
China. Networking hardware and software company Cisco has also expanded
capabilities of their free Webex offering, allowing unlimited usage, support
for up to 100 participants and toll dial-in. We can likely expect more offerings
from providers as officials restrict areas, making it even easier to act
quickly and reduce the chances of disruption.
For IT teams looking to quickly roll out remote work environments or get insight into what AV companies are offering while restrictions are enacted, IVCi is providing additional staffing to accommodate project deployment inquiries to ease the impact. Contact us here.
http://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.png00Kristy Hopperhttp://ivci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/fulllogosmaller-8.pngKristy Hopper2020-03-05 19:36:272020-03-05 19:36:27How IT Can Quickly Roll Out Remote Work Environments Amidst the Coronavirus Outbreak
By now, most businesses understand that equipping your workplace with cutting-edge AV technology is the best way to streamline and futureproof processes. But with a lot of moving parts — knowing what technologies to invest in, when to upgrade, how to manage maintenance and repairs — doing so can be a challenge for a lot of organizations.
With those challenges in mind, we’re rolling out Evolve, our user-inspired AV as a service program. With one single subscription, you can have everything you need for modern productivity.
You’ll never have to worry about your systems becoming obsolete, or unpredictable business changes drastically altering your technology needs. From strategy and design to deployment and service, you’ll be backed by a team of experts who can help bring the power of collaborative environments to your business.
Benefits of Audio Video as a Service
Audio video as a service (AVaaS) subscriptions has a substantial advantage over traditional AV implementation and maintenance processes. AVaaS allows businesses to:
Know what new technologies to invest in and upgrade at any time.
Re-set term options at any point to protect against changes to your business.
Get an in-room QR code that connects to a MVE team for on-demand support and learning.
Plan and achieve goals set for the future.
Have break-fix services for the entire lifecycle.
Regardless of industry, company size, or business goals, all organizations can benefit from more advanced technology and more collaborative workspaces. These benefits that are only available on a subscription basis will allow your teams to work together more efficiently and effectively.
Key Features of Evolve
Evolve has some key features that you just won’t find anywhere else:
The IVCi Portal which gives users full visibility into projects and quotes, with a helpdesk and all relevant documentation.
In-room QR Code Support for the most comprehensive adoption and utilization program.
Full, in-person QBRs so you can trace the impact of AV environment on your business goals.
Hardware and software that’s monitored by an in-house team ready to quickly resolve any issues that may arise.
Sound too good to be true? That just might be because your current AV environment isn’t measuring up. But with modern productivity evolving rapidly, it’s time to embrace the future by looking at AV in an entirely new way.
With Evolve AVaaS, you’ll be able to get there first, go with confidence, become the experts, and achieve your goals. In other words, you’ll be charging ahead and setting the pace in your industry, allowing you to achieve things you never could before.
Ready to Embrace the Future of AV?
The future of AV is here, and it’s yours for the taking. Interested in learning more or getting started in future-proofing your AV capabilities? Contact us and start speaking with an Evolve expert today!
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QR Code – Evolve Service
NewsOne thing that many successful businesses have in common is the willingness to harness cutting-edge technologies to outshine their competition. To continue to make innovation possible, technology solutions providers like us have to think outside the box and find even better ways to apply technology.
That was the driving force behind our Av as a service solution, Evolve. As a subscription-based service solution, users can consistently modernize, have full protection, train their team, and have all the tools they need to achieve their business goals. With Audio Visual as a Service (AVaaS) through IVCi’s evolve, you will have access to:
All with terms that can be changed at any time.
You might think there really is no better way to deliver state of the art technology to a workplace…
But what if we told you there is?
We’re proud to introduce our new and revolutionary in-room QR code support solution available through the Evolve AVaaS subscription. By scanning your unique QR code with your mobile device, meeting starters can connect with an in-house expert, navigate educational resources, and learn useful information that is specific to your room.
Beyond keeping your huddle room on par with the latest technology, utilizing a QR code support solution can offer the following benefits:
It’s time for an AV evolution — and the QR support feature of IVCi’s Evolve subscription will help you get there.
If you’re ready to take the next steps into the future of AV solutions, speak to one of the experts at IVCi today.
What to Look for When Choosing an Audio Visual Conferencing Company
NewsAV and video conferencing is becoming standard in most businesses — and for good reason. Having video conferencing capabilities within your organization drastically improves collaboration, increases efficiency, and opens up endless possibilities for business growth.
Choosing which company will install and maintain your AV conferencing is a big business decision. Hastily choosing a company could cause you to choose one that isn’t the right fit for your company, and that could lead to a lot of frustration and costly repairs or replacements down the line.
With that being said, you will want to make sure you thoroughly research companies to find the right one for you. Here’s what to look for when choosing an audio video conferencing company.
1. Willingness to help you set a strategy
It’s easy for a company to sell you equipment, any AV conferencing company can do that. What marks a great company, however, is one that helps you set a total AV/VC strategy. These companies will take the time to learn your strategic goals and where your company hopes to be in one, five, or ten years. Using that information, along with the current landscape of your technology capabilities, they can help you craft a strategy that sets you up for success down the line. If a company is not willing to take the time to help you make a strategy, then they are not the right company for you.
2. A network of top-tier technology partners
It’s important to know the technology you’re getting is state-of-the-art. Look for a company with a best-in-class partner ecosystem, as they will be able to provide the best audio video conferencing equipment for your specific needs. Rather than just pushing the same generic solutions on everyone, companies with a vast partner network can craft custom solutions with the right products and solutions for you.
Find a company that partners with major technology providers as well as niche product providers, as they are going to be able to meet all of your needs.
3. Dedication to communication and support
Some companies install your AV conferencing equipment and wash their hands of the situation. That won’t do your company much good when your teams need training, there are technical difficulties, or you are looking to further upgrade your systems.
What sets great companies apart is a sense of dedication to communication and support. Look for a company that acts more like an extension of your team rather than just a vendor. This will help with the adoption of new technology, troubleshooting, and making sure your company is always using the best solutions for its goals.
Look for a company that offers on-demand support when you need it and offers guidance before you have the chance to ask for it.
4. Establishment across multiple verticals
Ideally, you’ll want to work with a company that is an established industry leader with a presence in multiple verticals. If you know a company has a proven track record in industries like healthcare, higher education, government, finance, construction, and more, you’ll know they have the range and capabilities to solve even the most complex business challenges while protecting privacy and maintaining compliance.
When a company has more than 25 years of experience with companies in all industries, you can be confident that they can help you, too.
5. Innovation in solutions
Look for a company that’s not just on par with the latest technology but is the one blazing the trails. Innovation is the mark of a truly great technology company. For example, look for a company that is offering things like subscription-based programs. These Audio Visual as a Service (AVaaS) offerings make it easy for organizations to make sure they are using the latest technology and put them in control of costs.
This is just one example of how an innovation-focused company can transform your organization.
By keeping these things in mind, you’ll be able to find a video conferencing company that will set you up with the technology and support to help your company achieve its strategic goals.
Top 5 Things to Do When Preparing to Install Video Conferencing Equipment
NewsThe decision to install video conferencing equipment is one you won’t regret for your business. Not only will this AV upgrade allow you to be on par with the latest technology trends, it will offer significant benefits to your company. Organizations with standardized video conferencing equipment tend to:
For some companies, there are even more benefits!
But, like with all major business decisions, there is a good deal of preparation that must happen before you can install your video conferencing system. Here are the five most important preparation steps:
1. Research video conferencing companies
Not all video conferencing companies offer the same things, which means that not all will be right for your business. With that being said, there are some research points to keep in mind when looking for a provider:
2. Take note of your physical surroundings
While your meetings will be virtual, your physical surroundings still play a big role in preparing to install video conferencing equipment. The size of your rooms, the amount/type of lighting, the height of your screens, and whether or not you have soundproof/echo-proof walls will all make a difference in the type of video conferencing equipment you’ll need.
If you need to make any adjustments to lighting or sound within your meeting rooms, it’s a lot easier to do so before any equipment is installed. Also, be sure that you have no distracting decor on the walls that could take away from a meaningful meeting.
3. Plan the logistics
In order to select the right type and amount of equipment, you’ll have to take some time and analyze the logistics. Some things you’ll need to make note of:
Asking these questions will help ensure you pick the right technology for your company.
4. Prioritize based on your business goals
It’s important that the technology you’re using aligns with your business goals and actively helps you achieve them. Your strategic goals will drastically impact your priorities when setting up your equipment. For example, if you are using video conferences to pitch to potential clients, then quality should be your highest priority, no matter the cost. Using it exclusively for internal purposes, however, would warrant priorities of speed and bandwidth.
5. Pick the right solution
This sounds simple, but with so many video conferencing solutions out there, it can be easy to fall victim to a sub-par setup. Look for equipment from well known technology providers that have a good reputation for quality.
If you are unsure of which equipment is right for you, or don’t know where to begin, your best bet is to contact an expert. The team at IVCi is always here to discuss your goals, offer advice, and provide the best possible AV/VC experience to help your business achieve strategic goals.
Working Smarter: Managing a Remote Team
NewsManaging a team is one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences you can have at work. It’s widely known that employees often choose to stay with a company based on their experience with their direct manager. The way you form a team, share goals and work together through challenges creates a culture that out-lives deadlines. But what happens when a team takes on a new challenge – the experience of working together remotely?
Here’s our top tips on effectively managing a remote team:
Lead by example
If your team is new to remote work – they may have questions and nervously look to you to set the new cultural norms. “Is it ok if my team sees my home in my background? What if there’s unexpected interruptions like a dog barking?” As a leader, you set the tone for the transition.
1. Sharing video is the new face to face. Seeing you on video regularly is reassuring and gives you the chance to use your full communication skills – your gestures, tone and message are better received when your team can see the full picture.
2. When messaging, remember that your team can’t see your reactions. Give your team more context on the intent behind a message by choosing from thousands of Gifs in Webex Teams to express yourself.
3. Share moments that matter. In the office, colleagues regularly spend time celebrating birthdays, family news and personal moments that matter. When remote – your role as leader is critical to maintaining the connections – by creating time in existing meetings to connect on non-work news or scheduling entire sessions to celebrate team news, like this virtual baby/bridal shower!
Stay connected
In an office environment, you interact with your team in–between your weekly scheduled meetings and 1:1’s – for example, when you arrive in the morning, get coffee or go to lunch. There’s no reason the water-cooler conversations need to stop when you’re working remotely.
1. Let’s get social! In Webex Teams, create a space under your team for social interaction, like sharing family news, team member adventures or whatever becomes the topic of the day.
2. During 1:1 team calls, make sure you and your team member both turn on video. Whether it’s a project update, milestone or a more difficult coaching session – seeing you face to face makes all the difference.
Remote control your project
Your team may be concerned about moving away from an in-person experience, where they could talk on the fly, share an idea on a whiteboard and access you for help whenever needed. However, In many ways, working virtually on a project provides many new ways of working for your team and much more accountability, and visibility in to work in progress for you.
1. Kick off with a bang! During your project kick off meeting, leave time for open ideation – just like you would in an office. Leave space in the agenda for using a virtual whiteboard to brainstorm on ideas. anyone can contribute from their device and best of all – you can feel confident your ideas won’t be erased as they are saved and can be reopened whenever you need them.
2. Create space to catch up. Bringing together content, with messages, links and real time meetings in a Webex Teams space is a project game-changer. Even if you step away to deal with other priorities – you can check back into the project space at any time and catch up on the background conversations you missed – something that’s not even possible in a live office.
3. Being available in one click is invaluable when working remotely. Even when you’re in a meeting – your team can still reach out to message you 1:1 and you can view it and reply when you have a moment. If they need to escalate – share your personal meeting room (PMR). For your team – Knowing you’re available on video on any device and can easily add others to the call will leave them confident they can rely on you, even when remote.
Stay connected
Working remotely doesn’t mean that your team should feel remote. Stay connected through celebrations, deadlines and water-cooler conversations – on any device. Your leadership, support and use of Webex Meetings and Teams means your team can be set up for success from wherever they may be.
Teachers, here’s why you need Webex
NewsOur partners at Cisco discuss the benefits of Cisco Webex in an academic environment. With the increased need for remote lectures and online classrooms, Webex is a helpful tool to keep students engaged and classes productive.
Classroom supplies and Webex
Every school year, teachers create a sacred list of school supplies they need for the year. Mine typically included tissues, hand sanitizer, sticky notes, whiteboard markers, and other standard supplies. As a former teacher—Mrs. Hamill—I always started my school year off telling parents to review “The List” and thanked them for their support. While I always appreciated any help I could get, I just recently realized what had been missing from my list: technology.
Webex collaboration tools
Ever seen Webex on a teacher’s wish list? I sure haven’t, but I wish someone would have shared the need to eliminate the endless bullets (or stars if you’re fancy) and replace them with one request: Cisco Webex Meetings and Teams. I wish I knew how much time, money, and valuable teaching time I could have saved by requesting Webex collaboration tools. I’ve saved you the time and written the list for you today—you’re welcome.
Fostering healthy, safe, and supportive learning
We’ve all seen a teacher’s wish list before: as a parent looking at a take-home folder, in the store shopping, or broadcast over TV and online advertisements. Educators prioritize keeping students healthy, safe, and cared for while teaching. The tissues, hand sanitizers, and markers are a good start, but they do run out, need resupplying (insert begging over many emails), and do not support significant classroom needs.
“How do I help the student who didn’t use the hand sanitizer and is out for the next week?”
“How can I revolutionize the use of sticky notes when we’re striving to be a green school?”
“How do I host an important study session when the state just closed down for a snow day?”
Importance of technology in education
At all levels of education, technology is not only a wish but a necessity. Had I known this when I was teaching, I could have shortened my list and added Cisco Collaboration tools, Webex Meetings, and Teams to the top of my classroom and school’s priorities. Unfortunately (an understatement), I didn’t know the answer was Cisco Webex collaboration solutions. Before exiting education, I had the opportunity to adopt and deploy Webex in an education environment. This is where the list started to shrink. Sticky notes, whiteboards, and markers are built right into the product. Connecting with kids, parents, and colleagues remotely with just one button to push? Check! Where were these amazing tools when I was teaching only two years ago? It doesn’t matter, because what I didn’t know then, I do know now.
I wish I had Webex Meetings
Webex Meetings offers teachers a way to connect easily with students anywhere, anytime. Teachers never stop teaching. The bell may have rung, and the students have gone home, but there is still loads of work and planning that will go on into the night, bleeding right into the next day. Teaching remote is not an issue for an educator. I would have loved to host office hours or answer a student’s question in real-time from the comfort of my couch.
If the school called a snow day, I would have been able to keep the momentum going, not having to play catch up upon my return. Webex Meetings allows you to play video and enable audio, use chat, and share screens. It’s so simple and a great way to stay productive.
Parent or student can’t make it to a school conference to discuss academic progress? Say hello to Webex Meetings. It allows for more flexibility and personalized attention whenever needed.
Large scale? I know, first-hand, administrators, board office personnel, superintendents, content coaches, and more don’t have the bandwidth to attend every professional development session, curriculum gathering, or state-wide initiative meeting in person. With Webex, however, I can include all those parties. Everyone is where they need to be. You truly can be in two places at once.
And I’m just getting started.
Workflow, working in a group, and collaboration- peace of mind
Webex Teams is the epitome of collaboration. The integrations are endless, and there is no disruption or pause in the workflow when working on Teams.
One of education’s best practices is “group work,” as the facilitator roves the classroom to check in on table talk that nurtures productive discussion. Webex Teams allows leaders to use Team spaces as breakouts, which allows for even more focused, quiet conversations, and personal teacher attention. I would bop in and out of spaces to check in on my students and their shared efforts.
Gone are the days of leaving the classroom (a big no-no) and running down the hall (also a demerit) to quickly collaborate with a colleague. With Webex Teams, all of my peers are at-the-ready. I juggled being the basketball coach, literacy chair, social committee member, and bus duty scheduler, which meant I talked to a lot of people throughout the day. That’s a lot of emails and way too many forbidden hallway trips. Webex Teams was where my communication and collaboration should have (remember this is a wish list) lived.
Final thoughts
All in all, my wish list looks different these days, and that’s because I have been able to cross off the majority of the list items previously mentioned with one solution: Cisco Webex Teams and Meetings.
Today, I still teach and train others, but I do it remotely, from home. I connect with people across the world, and there is no time lost. I have only invested in one box of tissues in five months, and my germs are my own, so a travel-sized sanitizer fits the bill. I still utilize sticky notes, markers, and whiteboards as they’re available in-product.
Before, when I was confined to one room all day (except for those quick escapes), I never dreamed that teaching remote would be possible. Now, I know and believe anything is possible with Webex.
Consider adding Cisco Webex to your wish list, because the school year isn’t over yet! Who doesn’t love crossing off more than one list item at a time?
Standardization of AV Tech and Tools with Evolve
NewsPicture this: you’re all set to give a presentation to a potential client that could be the biggest sale your company has ever seen. You remember reserving Meeting Room A, so you go in early to set up with all of your adapters, cables, and audio equipment (since there will be people joining remotely too).
As you go to enter Meeting Room A, you see people are in it. That’s when you remember that the HR department reserved that room because they needed to fit more people, and asked you to switch to Meeting Room B. No big deal, you bring your stuff to Meeting Room B…
…and none of your equipment works in that room. The AV technology set-up is completely different. And the senior executives from your potential client will be calling into the meeting any minute.
The Importance of AV Standardization
The above scenario is unfortunately all too common. It’s also one of the biggest reasons why the standardization of AV tech and tools is so important.
Standardizing your AV tech and tools is twofold. On one hand, you want to be standardized across your organization. That means that systems and equipment are consistent throughout all of your workstations, huddle rooms, offices, and mobile devices.
It also means aligning your technology with your business goals. When you operate from one set of standards and a unified mission, it’s easier to see the value in AV and technology upgrades. When you have the latest technology within your organization, your business will become more efficient and you’ll be able to accomplish key initiatives more quickly.
Putting these two together, it’s clear that AV standardization is mission critical.
Benefits of AV Standardization
“But our organization has been operating just fine as is, so why would we want to spend time, effort, and money standardizing?”
This is a common question. And we get it, justifying a technology investment is never easy. But there are so many benefits of AV standardization that even businesses that have been operating just fine should pay attention to. They include:
Maintaining the Standard with Evolve AVaaS
While it’s important to standardize AV tech and tools, it’s also important to understand that AV is always evolving. So how do you maintain standard if it’s always evolving?
There is a way. Our Evolve AV as a Service, or Evolve AVaaS, helps maintain AV standards in your organization. Rather than spending money on pieces of tech that work together for now, and having to replace them ad hoc, Evolve AVaaS offers a seamless integration with software and technology that’s user friendly and cost efficient.
By utilizing a subscription, you’ll get all the equipment you need, full servicing and on-call help, and the ability to upgrade at any time. So not only will you be able to standardize across your organization, you’ll be able to keep the standard while always knowing you’re using the most advanced technology.
The best AVaaS offerings allow you to change your terms at any time. Scale up, scale down, upgrade, go in a different direction… whatever your goals are, Evolve AVaaS supports them.
So, don’t ever get stuck in a situation like we mentioned before. Instead, standardize your AV and create a more efficient work environment.
How IT Can Quickly Roll Out Remote Work Environments Amidst the Coronavirus Outbreak
NewsAs the U.S. braces for the coronavirus to spread, businesses have moved to both protect employee health and avoid disruption of their operations by taking steps to support staff to work from home. Though the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. remains low compared to other parts of the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned last week that the virus is likely to spread further in the coming months.
Remote work has surged in China as a result of restrictions set forth by health officials. In a conference call last week, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, advised U.S. Companies to start making similar preparations.
However, businesses that have not invested in developing and onboarding the tools for broad remote-work strategy and enablement,may be at risk for serious disruptions in operations and bottom-line drops that are made worse by the slumping stock market. So, what can IT teams do quickly to adapt?
IT Teams Need to Act Now
If businesses have yet to commit to a remote strategy and invest in enablement and adoption, it’s not too late to do so, but it will have to be done seamlessly and in a lot less time than originally planned. To make matters worse, a 2017 survey by Poly found that 62% of respondents didn’t believe the video conferencing tools they had in place were adequate and wanted their employers to provide better technology that’s both easy to use and help them stay connected. So even if businesses have made some effort to roll out video conferencing, employees aren’t using it effectively because of gaps in adequacy.
Considering the problems associated with timing and adoption and utilization, IT teams are best suited to work with integrators that can offer them a strategy that’s scalable, delivering fast deployments and helping employees adopt and utilize any new or existing platforms that are available to them.
IT Needs to Consider AVaaS
The speed in which businesses will have to adapt also makes a compelling case to consider AVaaS options, for both short-term and long-term benefits.
In the short term, AVaaS allows companies to invest in AV design, deployment, integration, adoption and support at a significantly lower upfront cost; it’s the easiest way for IT teams to gain budget approval and deploy much faster than the traditional method of upfront capital expenditure.
In the long-term, AVaaS offers SRG’s (solutions replacement guarantees) that allow for upgrades or the ability to migrate to new tech if the solutions no longer fit within the organization; if decision-makers are hesitant to act quickly, they’ll at least have flexibility to change later on if the business needs adjust in the absence of a threat like Coronavirus.
Where to Go From Here?
The prospect of cancelled events and the need to keep workers productive provides the right time for companies to revisit collaboration tools and work-from-home policies, but more than anything it prioritizes the health of employees and mitigates the spread of the virus.
In response, many companies in the video conference industry are doing everything they can to support those affected by the outbreak. For example – video conferencing software provider Zoom scheduled several on-demand resources and tutorials to help new adopters learn how to use the platform in China. Networking hardware and software company Cisco has also expanded capabilities of their free Webex offering, allowing unlimited usage, support for up to 100 participants and toll dial-in. We can likely expect more offerings from providers as officials restrict areas, making it even easier to act quickly and reduce the chances of disruption.
For IT teams looking to quickly roll out remote work environments or get insight into what AV companies are offering while restrictions are enacted, IVCi is providing additional staffing to accommodate project deployment inquiries to ease the impact. Contact us here.
Evolve: the Future of AV is Here
NewsBy now, most businesses understand that equipping your workplace with cutting-edge AV technology is the best way to streamline and futureproof processes. But with a lot of moving parts — knowing what technologies to invest in, when to upgrade, how to manage maintenance and repairs — doing so can be a challenge for a lot of organizations.
With those challenges in mind, we’re rolling out Evolve, our user-inspired AV as a service program. With one single subscription, you can have everything you need for modern productivity.
You’ll never have to worry about your systems becoming obsolete, or unpredictable business changes drastically altering your technology needs. From strategy and design to deployment and service, you’ll be backed by a team of experts who can help bring the power of collaborative environments to your business.
Benefits of Audio Video as a Service
Audio video as a service (AVaaS) subscriptions has a substantial advantage over traditional AV implementation and maintenance processes. AVaaS allows businesses to:
Regardless of industry, company size, or business goals, all organizations can benefit from more advanced technology and more collaborative workspaces. These benefits that are only available on a subscription basis will allow your teams to work together more efficiently and effectively.
Key Features of Evolve
Evolve has some key features that you just won’t find anywhere else:
Sound too good to be true? That just might be because your current AV environment isn’t measuring up. But with modern productivity evolving rapidly, it’s time to embrace the future by looking at AV in an entirely new way.
With Evolve AVaaS, you’ll be able to get there first, go with confidence, become the experts, and achieve your goals. In other words, you’ll be charging ahead and setting the pace in your industry, allowing you to achieve things you never could before.
Ready to Embrace the Future of AV?
The future of AV is here, and it’s yours for the taking. Interested in learning more or getting started in future-proofing your AV capabilities? Contact us and start speaking with an Evolve expert today!