Holding Virtual Meetings

19-11-2020

Holding Virtual Meetings 

Our Meeting Hub will be available from April 2021 and we can’t wait to launch it!

A project has come up and you do not have time for a long back and forth email trail? Once our Meeting Hub is live, our powerful interface will enable Members to quickly schedule a virtual meeting with a fellow partner across several communication platforms.

For now, our Members can reach out to their global DigiFreight partners via email, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet or Skype directly from our Member Centre – you can even see their local time to make sure it’s not midnight for them!

Our experience shows it is essential to prepare for virtual meetings, so we have put together a few tips…

TIP 1: REDUCE ANY DISTRACTIONS

Distractions can make a significant impact on a video call so stay focused on the meeting and switch off notifications on your devices. Avoid rustling papers, eating noisy foods or other distractions in the background.

TIP 2: KEEP THE MEETING MOVING

Bear in mind that many Members may be juggling childcare or other responsibilities on top of their usual workload. So, keep the meeting moving and be as succinct as possible.

TIP 3: FOCUS AND AN EFFECTIVE WRAP-UP

Remember to look at the camera, not the meeting screen if you want to look like you are paying attention. End the meeting with a quick recap of your discussions and ensure that you follow up with answers to questions that you weren’t able to provide during the meeting.

TIP 4: RECORD THE MEETING

It is very easy for to forget or even misunderstand what was discussed or what decisions were made during the call. That’s where call recording software is incredibly useful, and many communication platforms including Skype and Zoom offer this service.

When we are face-to-face in a meeting room we can hear ourselves in the same environment as our audience hears us and we adjust accordingly – but that’s not possible online.

Sounds such as key tapping and swallowing will be captured and amplified through your microphone. It can help to record a meeting on your own and listen back to understand how others hear you. Something as simple as adjusting the position and distance of your microphone could make a big difference. Switching from a laptop’s built-in microphone to a headphone microphone can mask a lot of environmental noises such as keyboard clicking or room echo. Have you heard of “Zoom Fatigue”? It refers to the mental exhaustion associated with online video conferencing. Here are some interesting links: 

The Reason Video Calls Drain Your Energy

Zoom Fatigue is Real

Held efficiently, virtual meetings are:

- Cost effective compared to physical meetings.
- Allow sharing of a broad variety of information in real time with all participants.
- Contribute to environmental protection.
- Allow for more engaging conversations and personal connections than telephone calls.
- Are simple and efficient allowing you to make decisions and deliver information faster.