Discover the Latest News and Information Related to Business Video Conferencing Systems from BCS

Why You Need a Huddle Room

/in /by

It used to be that company meetings were always held in big, elaborate boardrooms. While full-scale boardrooms are still relevant and necessary for some businesses and industries, many business owners are realizing that meeting-space needs are changing. More workers are telecommuting and the structure of the traditional office is shifting to smaller collaborative teams.  Enter the convenience and innovation of the huddle room.

What is a Huddle Room?

A huddle room is a small room or section of an open space that can support several meeting attendees. It is typically set up with a flat panel display, a small table and AV equipment (camera, microphone and/or virtual communication hub). While we are definitely seeing more huddle rooms in “traditional” offices, they are a very common feature of open offices.

Benefits

Huddle rooms are the future of meetings thanks to their:

  • Flexibility. No need to schedule time in a full conference room. The affordability and space-consciousness of huddle rooms make it easy to hold meetings at a moment’s notice.
  • Accommodation of small groups. Everyone loves a good staff meeting, right? Well, maybe not everyone. Streamline and get more productive with condensed meetings with fewer team members.
  • Affordability. Rather than incur the cost of setting up one or more full-featured conference rooms, small to medium sized businesses can take advantage of the lower price point associated with huddle rooms. But lower cost does not mean fewer features. A huddle room designed by an IT professional will give you everything you need to knock phone and video conferences out of the park without the commitment to a full conference room.
  • Space-consciousness. This one may seem pretty obvious based on what we’ve said so far, but one of the greatest benefits of a huddle room is the office space you save.

One of the more significant components of a huddle room for most organizations is video conferencing equipment, which just so happens to be our specialty at BCS Voice & Data. Sure, we can help build you a complex, impressive conference room. We can also utilize StarLeaf technology to set up a huddle room that meets or exceeds your business’s needs. Call now for more information at (757) 497-3100.

No More Conference Calls?

/in /by

In a recent (admittedly hilarious) New Yorker op ed, comedian Carrie Brownstein calls for the elimination of conference calls. She says:

We’re eight minutes into the call when Barb suggests that we get started. I agree. Except that I can barely hear what anyone is saying once we’re no longer speaking in clipped or stentorian phrases. There is a hiss, a delay, and two people who sound like ailing robots. Any ideas told at length are as distinct as a voice mail from a friend who pocket-dialled you while skydiving. It is for these reasons that most people prefer to be silent during the call, with their phones in speaker mode and muted. This is a good time to shower, write the word “Why?” on a notepad until the ink runs dry, or organize your closet by color. Every once in a while, I like to unmute and chime in with a “Yes,” “No,” or “I agree.” About what, I have no idea.

We’re fairly certain that most people have encountered a conference call like this one while at work. Without the right technology and IT support, connecting multiple people from multiple locations can be awkward and difficult, if not impossible. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Thanks to Starleaf and their suite of scalable products, your next conference call can go off without a hitch and accomplish what it needs to accomplish. From simple audio calls between two or three users to complex video calls on specialized monitors between 30 people, Starleaf has a solution. With exceptional call quality, intuitive interfaces on all products and compatibility with a number of existing platforms like Polycom, Cisco, and Microsoft Skype for Business, let BCS help make your conference calls better with Starleaf products.

Call 757-497-3100 for a no-obligation video conferencing estimate.

StarLeaf Breeze: The Smart, Scaleable Solution for Video Conferencing

/in /by

In business, you are required to make a number of decisions every day. Whether deciding on a new hire, choosing the price point for a proposal, or handling purchase orders, there are only so many hours in the day. At BCS Voice & Data, our job to make your days at work easier and more productive. That’s why we are pleased to offer StarLeaf video conferencing technology.

cropped-Starleaf_NO-TAGStarLeaf is the affordable, scaleable video conferencing solutions for businesses with anywhere from five to 500 employees. The hardware StarLeaf offers is state-of-the-art and can outfit a conference room with everything necessary for an excellent, efficient traditional virtual meeting. But for businesses that want the ultimate mobility and adaptability, we offer StarLeaf Breeze. If your desktop or laptop computer has a camera and a microphone, then you are set for success with this option.  Even better StarLeaf Breeze works with most smart phones and tablets, too.

Benefits of StarLeaf Breeze Video Conferencing Include:

  • Complete mobile support. Download the app to your smartphone and have a professional video conferences on the go.
  • Host video calls from anywhere.
  • Works seamlessly with existing voice and video installations like Skype for Business/Lync, Life-size, Polycom, Cisco and more.
  • Easily share desktops, switch between users and conference multiple people on the same call.
  • Support for video voice mail, transferring video calls and similar functions.
  • Unlimited guest invitations for your company. Conference with anyone outside of your business with ease.
  • Simple and intuitive. Even the least tech-savvy person on your team will find it a “breeze” to use.
  • Improves efficiency and decision making for busy teams. Why have an on-site meeting with a client when you can accomplish the same goals without leaving your office?

StarLeaf Breeze is available at no charge to all StarLeaf customers (those who have purchased any StarLeaf hardware endpoints or conferencing packages), and is available to non-hardware clients as well. It supports HD video and works with most operating systems. No matter the technology your business has used previously for video calls, BCS can help you utilize StarLeaf to make video communication easier and more affordable.

Call us today at (757) 497-3100  to schedule demo of any of the StarLeaf video conferencing products.