Video calls are now the standard in unified communications for internal and external use, and even if the video quality is poor, the cliché of a picture being worth a thousand words still holds a lot of truth — moving pictures even more so.
However, while it is the ideal, video isn’t always possible in every circumstance. As Gavin Sear, EMEA Product Marketing Manager at Poly, pointed out recently, “Everyone is now being instructed to work from home, and you may have a lot of other people in that household or that building using the shared Wi-Fi signal. UC providers are enjoying the benefits of unexpected growth but occasionally struggle to provide full service.”
“UC users can suffer from video freezes or audio breaking up and in these real-time communication situations there’s a need to act quickly. Firstly, check that your PC has not just started a routine cloud backup and avoid sending large file attachments during video calls. If the internet connection isn’t up to scratch for a video meeting, my advice is to switch to audio-only calls to preserve bandwidth and properly prioritise the critical part of the call: the voice.”
Staying connected with voice only
It can be more difficult in a group conversation to maintain a feeling of connectedness and mutual communication when in audio-only mode, and there’s a temptation to let it slide into listening to a one-way broadcast. But if you’re chairing such a call, there are things you can try to deepen that emotional connection and flow, such as:
- Asking a question for everyone to answer in turn — to hear each other’s voice (and check everyone’s sound quality or delay)
- Keep mics on, if the group is small — a judgement call, because those little noises of agreement or engagement deepen rapport but can escalate unpleasantly to become active interference
- Use team photos rather than avatars in your collaboration platform, so you see someone’s personal image enlarged or flashing as you listen to their voice
- Check in with anyone who doesn’t contribute for a while — make sure they’re still connected in every sense. Maybe they’re afraid to interrupt or unsure when to speak up, without the usual visual cues that someone else is ready to concede the floor
Prioritising quality sound
Sear also points out a number of practical ideas that can help you make the most of the crystal-clear audio provided by the Poly Voyager headset range:
“If you can, connect to your router via a hard Ethernet cable, not Wi-Fi, if your bandwidth seems limited. And while Poly’s range of cordless headsets provide excellent audio, the best wireless experience is via Poly Savi 8200 Office and UC DECT , which have greater range and use a protected voice frequency band, which means less wireless interference and better audio quality.
“When relying on Bluetooth, make sure no one is using the microwave nearby, which can generate not just acoustic but wireless interference”
If you’re lucky enough to have a quiet dedicated office space at home or elsewhere, you don’t even need a headset for perfect audio, thanks to the Poly range of Calisto personal speakerphones with 360 degree voice pickup — ideal for listening to long broadcasts, or delivering a webinar without wearing headsets. And Poly’s credentials for audio meetings go right back to the days of the famous Trio ‘spider phone’, with the new C60 model now offering a pickup range that enables conference call participants to socially distance safely within a large meeting room.
This reminds us that whatever the circumstances in which we connect with each other, being able to hear each other clearly is critical, for empathy, communication and collaboration. And there’s a Poly device to support that, wherever and however you find yourself working today.
