Let’s face it: It’s not always easy to communicate with large groups of people during online meetings. Dealing with upwards of 10 attendees, for instance, is hard without a variety of chat management tools; dealing with 40 or 50 is just about impossible.
For this reason, it’s critical to invest in an online meetings platform that offers flexible chat options. Armed with flexible chat options, you can better manage discourse and keep everyone on track. For example, an online meetings platform should offer:
Direct messaging: If your online meetings platform does not offer direct messaging, employees will be liable to engage in dialogue using third-party applications like Skype or Google Hangouts during a meeting. Keep everyone focused on the meeting platform by offering real time private messaging options.
Streaming video: In addition to direct messaging services, attendees should be able to address other users—or the group—via live streaming video. This feature allows for face-to-face communication directly in the browser, which also helps keep attendees focused on the meeting at hand.
Audio communication: Video is not always the preferred communication of choice for attendees, as some prefer to use voice only; so make sure your platform offers crystal clear audio as well as video.
Small group options: The best way to handle a large online meeting is to break down into smaller groups. So make sure your online meetings platform offers the ability to branch out apart from the main group discussion when needed.
Onstream Meetings, a leading online meetings provider, makes it possible to seamlessly switch chat formats at any point during a communications session. You can learn more about Onstream Meetings’ advanced suite, which comes with access to over 100 exciting features, by clicking here.
