As we face the challenges of our new reality in the age of self-isolation, social distancing and working from home, the idea of meeting with clients face-to-face seems on hold indefinitely. While we will get through this period, we have to figure out ways to continue to conduct business.
Beyond a phone call, a great way of connecting with people is through our computers. There are a number of providers that offer video conferencing and screen sharing technology – often for free. Video conferencing gives a much more personal feel than a phone call and screen sharing allows for an interactive experience that is more impactful and educational.
At Bristol Gate we have been connecting with clients during this bout of volatility using Zoom which offers up to 40 minute calls with up to 100 participants for free (a Premium account allows for no time cap on calls). Zoom is a web-based tool so your clients do to need to download on their compute – just click a link. The response from our clients has been very positive. As a result we wanted to share a few video tutorials on how you can get set up on Zoom and start using it with for client contacts.
Setting up an account – The basics of how to set up your Zoom account
Scheduling a meeting – What to do to start your Zoom meeting and what to send to your participants to get them ready to meet with you over Zoom
Meeting controls – Everything you need to know about running your Zoom meeting from managing the participants to sharing your screen
Sharing your screen – How to share your screen with participants
Recording a meeting – Someone can’t make the session but would like to view it after? Record the session and send the link afterwards
While it is an excellent tool, proper precautions should be taken to ensure your privacy is not compromised:
- Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
- Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.
- Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”
- Ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to randomly scan for meetings to join.
- Lastly, ensure that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.
We hope you find these tips useful in your efforts to stay connected with your clients. If you have any questions please let us know. We are here to help.