Though the rationale for the latest Government rules is clear, the scale of change remote working presents for some businesses can present several challenges. Where business can continue, workers need to be taught about communication and the technology which enables it, fast.

This article will guide you through some technology available to ensure you and your staff are comfortable, and able to continue working efficiently, no matter where you are.

The technology we use at MPA daily, and find suits both ourselves and our clients are as follows:

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Join.me

Fortunately our business is able to operate fully using this technology, conducting team  and client meetings with video and screen share. We’ll talk in a little more detail now about what each of these offers, and the costs.

Zoom

Cost: Free – £15.99/month

Free use includes no time limit on 1:1 voice or video conferencing. However, there is a time limit of 40 minutes for free sessions with more than two users.  You can also host an unlimited number of meetings on this plan, providing you stick within the guidelines previously mentioned.

For £11.99 there’s a Pro option, which allows you to host unlimited number of calls, with a 24 hour time limit per call and capacity of over 100 participants on each call.

Please follow this link for guidance on getting started with Zoom.

Microsoft Teams

Cost: Included in Microsoft subscription

This is a facility within Office 365 that allows you to teleconference, video conference, screen share and chat.  It can be used internally and externally provided the external contact also has Office 365 and they provide you with their contact details.  This functionality will be included in your Office 365 licence, provided you have one.

There’s no limit on the number of call participants and you’re also able to  access, share, and edit Word docs, PowerPoint, and Excel files in real time.

A point worth noting is that Microsoft Teams will replace Skype for Business from 31^st July 2021, so if you’re choosing between them, Teams is the best option for the long-term.

Please follow this link to for guidance on getting started with Microsoft Teams.

Join.me

Cost: £9 – £20/ month

Join.me allows for simultaneous conference call and screen share through any channel – mobile, internet call or voice call.  There is no free option, but 3 tiers of service depending on the number of users and how many people you need to host in a meeting, which starts at 5 participants per meeting and goes up to 250. There are no time limits on any of the Join.me plan meetings.

It is also free to join a meeting hosted by a third party.

Please follow this link to for guidance on getting started with Join.me.

For more guidance on how to navigate through the business challenges presented by Coronavirus, visit our News & Insights page.