In the fast lane of communications and on the super-highway to innovation, companies that choose the right technology will reach their destination reliably and safely. Enterprise collaboration is like taking your employees on a journey where video conferencing, calling, and messaging can help drive greater efficiencies.
Most of the time road users do not think about the safety systems in their vehicle. Yet, when an incident occurs you are grateful for the fact that you’ve got ABS braking to prevent an accident. So, why would you standardise on video conferencing solutions that are not built with the appropriate safety standards, which could put users’ data at risk?
Driving change
Information is the most valuable company asset. The world is more wired and connected, which presents opportunities to engage more effectively, but at the same time, the threat landscape is increasing exponentially.
Enterprise leaders are faced with increasing pressures to keep their businesses compliant. Being in the driving seat today means that decision-makers must make data privacy a priority to avoid living in fear about hearing the words “we’ve had a data breach”. Selecting the best video conferencing solution is like choosing a car. There are many vehicles available on the market, but not all are equipped to securely and reliably get you to where you want to go. On the surface, some vehicles may appear to be sporty, easy to drive, and offer many bells and whistles, but if they have not been engineered correctly to last the distance they could break down and leave you stranded.
Similarly, all video conferencing solutions need to be intelligently engineered with robust controls and the highest safety mechanisms, so that data is secure in transit and storage, as well as provide all the user features to ensure the experience is reliable.
When selecting any video conferencing system, always follow the key principle of ‘kick the tyres’ before purchasing – demo, trial, and validate. Testing room system equipment and solutions gives enterprise decision-makers the opportunity to be sure they are standardising on a solution that can meet all of their collaboration needs. Ask yourself some essential questions. Does the solution scale to meet my long-term needs? Will it integrate with my existing video and audio equipment? Is it reliable and get me to where I want to go? Are all stakeholders from executives to users onboard with the functionality? Fundamentally, is it secure?
“…always follow the key principle of ‘kick the tyres’ before purchasing – demo, trial, and validate”
Technology can be deceptive, so always take a closer look at what is underneath the hood. Here are some top tips to keep you on the road for the long haul:
- Information is a valuable asset. It needs to be protected at all costs. Check whether the engine of the vendor’s video conferencing business meets the highest standard. If they have achieved ISO/IEC 27001 certification, you can be certain that they have best-practices for information security management system and controls that can protect data
- Ask for a service that delivers industry-leading secure and reliable video conferencing with an unparalleled 99.999% uptime SLA guaranteeing no more than 6 minutes of downtime per year. In addition, request that the vendor has their own platform with global points of presence to provide a fully redundant service and the data they share with will be processed in compliance with data protection regulations in the jurisdiction of your choice
- With user demand for video conferencing thriving and with the rapid adoption of mobile devices, ensure your enterprise breaks traditional barriers by adopting cloud-based integrated video, messaging, and meeting systems that offer seamless interoperability – from endpoints to web-based solutions
- Work with a trustworthy video conferencing vendor that maintains your company’s data integrity. The right partner can significantly help reduce the risk of a data breach, which could have negative PR for your brand. Essentially, give your customers a reason to have peace of mind that your company is trustworthy
Keeping control
The engine of any good collaboration solution is security (i.e. built on an integrated architecture that can scale and safeguard users’ information). The wheels of commerce are fuelled today by data, which needs constant protection to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Video conferencing has become an integral part of enterprise communications. However, like choosing your next car, don’t just go by how it looks on the forecourt. Inspect under the hood to see if the vehicle is built to give a truly reliable performance. It may look like a Ferrari from the outside, but if it is flimsily held together with poor engineering, you can never reach your destination safely. At every junction in your collaboration journey, video conferencing needs to scale seamlessly to help the workforce gain a better-quality meeting experience. With intuitive room systems, feature-rich conferencing, and total interoperability, now is the time to future-proof enterprise collaboration and put your business communications in the driving seat.
Guest Blog by Francesco Maestrelli, Systems Engineer, StarLeaf
StarLeaf brings people together through the power of messaging, meetings and calling. StarLeaf is a privately held company with offices throughout the world. We are a service provider and manufacturer with both messaging and video conferencing services and a comprehensive range of video endpoints for meeting rooms, desktops and mobility.
