A business may be categorized as small, but that doesn’t mean its collaboration footprint has to be. With collaboration rooms, small businesses have the chance to develop a system for communicating in-person and remotely across multiple devices. Collaboration rooms and solutions such as Cisco Webex Board are powerful tools for improving internal and external communications. Choosing the right collaboration room takes careful planning around several considerations.
Collaboration Room Considerations
Collaboration rooms can have a dramatic impact on your business. From lowering travel costs to facilitating more impactful communication with stakeholders, the right solution can help you achieve your business goals. Several factors will impact which solution is best for your business:
- Your network speed: Is your network ready for the increased demands of video content? The speed required varies by solution; Cisco Webex Video, for example, recommends at least 1.5 Mbps per screen for an optimal viewing experience.
- The connected devices: What devices will be connecting to your network? Do you anticipate end users connecting through mobile devices or desktops (or both)? Choose a solution that works with the devices you use most frequently.
- Integration with other applications: Does the collaboration room coordinate with other video conferencing platforms? This is particularly important if you plan to use it for external communications, as you have less control over which platforms others use.
- Video screen size: How many people will typically be using the collaboration room at a time? This will impact the size and type of collaboration room your business needs.
- Security: With regulations around customer privacy increasing, many businesses are looking for ways to improve security. Your collaboration room solution should have security measures in place to keep your private conversations away from prying eyes.
With these considerations in mind, your next step is to determine the right collaboration room setup for your business.
Collaboration Room Setups—Which is Right for You?
Your collaboration room setup is driven by practical concerns. The three most common types of collaboration room setups are mobile, dedicated, and multipurpose.
Mobile
A mobile collaboration room takes advantage of today’s collaboration technology to facilitate on-the-go meeting spaces. Rather than dedicating a physical space, you and your team collaborate from wherever you are: on a phone, on a tablet, or on a desktop. A mobile setup is ideal for busy businesses that are short on space.
For example, Cisco Webex Teams is an application that facilitates collaboration across devices. You can start a meeting from a desktop and continue it on your mobile phone. It includes file sharing and screen sharing so you can make the most of each meeting.
The main drawback to a mobile setup is that it typically works best for small group conversations. If you anticipate having more than two people at a time on a call, you may want to consider a multipurpose or dedicated setup.
Dedicated
A dedicated collaboration room is a room where your main video conferencing solution is permanently installed. This doesn’t mean the room can’t be used for other purposes, or that you can’t access your collaboration room through a desktop or mobile devices however.
For example, if you have a dedicated boardroom, you could choose to install a collaboration solution such as the Cisco Webex Board in that room. A Webex Board has an intuitive, touch-screen interface. It includes a wide-angle 4K camera that can pick up all your meeting participants and a 12-microphone array so you can hear everyone participating.
A dedicated room can simplify things. You simply go to the room, and with a few clicks you and your team are connecting with remote team members, vendors, or clients. The drawback to a dedicated solution is that it lacks portability. If you have meetings in several different rooms, you may want to choose a multipurpose solution.
Multipurpose
A multipurpose collaboration room allows you to collaborate from any space in your business. Many businesses are incorporating huddle spaces, which are small meeting area designed for five people or less. A multipurpose solution is ideal if your business’ room requirements and meeting sizes vary from day to day. Many small businesses are choosing multipurpose collaboration rooms for their flexibility and ease of use.
Multipurpose Collaboration Rooms—A Closer Look
Taking a close look at multipurpose collaboration solutions can help you determine whether this type of solution is right for your business. One of Cisco’s most popular options for multipurpose collaboration is the Webex Meeting Room Kit Mini.
Webex Meeting Room Kit Mini
Cisco’s Webex Meeting Room Kit Mini is ideal for three to five people. Business may incorporate the Webex Meeting Room Kit Mini into two or three rooms or more to allow for maximum flexibility. The kit includes:
- A 4K camera with a 120-degree field of view, allowing for maximum visibility and high-quality visuals.
- Integrated microphones and speakers for high-quality audio.
- Automatic suppression of background noises such as paper rustling and typing.
- Connectivity through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- End-to-end security.
It’s intuitive and simple to use. If needed, you can even mount the kit on a cart and move it from room to room, allowing for even more flexibility. It integrates with Cisco Webex Teams and Cisco Webex Meetings for an intuitive experience across devices.
An Award-Winning Solution
Regardless of the setup you choose, it’s critical to work with a collaboration provider who offers robust, flexible, world-class solutions that can scale with your business. Cisco Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMR) combines Cisco’s video conferencing infrastructure with their Webex cloud conferencing services, delivering an award-winning experience.
With Cisco CMR, you can offer innovative experiences such as a personalized virtual meeting space. It’s intuitive to use and reliable, and can be deployed in the cloud, on-premises, or as a hybrid of the two.
Choosing a collaboration room solution and setup is a daunting task for any small business. At IP Consulting, we work with growing businesses to help them choose a collaboration room that meets their needs and their budget. We’ll partner with you to ensure you implement a solution that will help your business grow and deliver stellar results to your customers. Contact us today to find out more about growing your business with a collaboration room.
