UK and world wide Video Conferencing and Telepresence experts

CCOMM design and build world-class IP Video Conferencing and integrated Audio Visual solutions for progressive organisations worldwide with an emphasis on high quality Telepresence solutions.

CCOMM is an innovative and highly experienced systems integrator based in the UK. As a market leader in the field of video conferencing, telepresence solutions and AV installation, CCOMM provide fully integrated solutions to increase business efficiency, improve customer service and reduce business costs.

Experienced in the delivery of video conferencing solutions CCOMM provide installation and fully managed services across all aspects of videoconferencing and fully integrated audio visual solutions.

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CCOMM - Video Conferencing & Telepresence Recommendations

Whether you are looking to implement a new video conferencing solution or you want to know how to get the most out of your current system, by following our guiding points below then you will have covered some of the key components that make the video conferencing experience successful every time.

1) Identifying Business Needs

The first challenge is to understand your business' needs. The focus may be to reduce costs, improve productivity, run a training program, or implement a distance learning program. Once you determine the particular application, you are ready to select and implement your system.

2) Internal Company Buy-in

You will need senior management commitment in order to implement real changes in your organisation. The executive team should deliver the message that video conferencing can increase productivity, enhance collaboration, reduce business travel, and decrease your company's carbon footprint.

3) Establishing a Single Process

One of the mistakes organisations often make is using a system of ad hoc dialling; users simply pick up the remote and the video conference begins. That works when the system belongs to the individual and it is a personal or a desktop solution. However, people usually do not wish to touch any remote controls! A single process means the video call is connected the same way each time - regardless of the type of meeting. Whether it is a point-to-point call or a multi-point call with more than two sites, the process should be the same.

4) Share Potential Problem Areas

You don't have to purchase your own hardware or hire your own staff to run successful video conferences. Most organisations do not have this expertise as their core competency or video engineering skill sets in house; which is why many companies choose to outsource this responsibility.

5) Managing the Environment

Companies tend to make the most mistakes by not appropriately managing their video conferencing environment. This means they are not managing the users, the rooms, the end points, the network, or the video infrastructure.

If your video systems are in meeting rooms, those are often scheduled resources. For these calls to be successful you will need to manage the user. This is best achieved with a web scheduling tool so that video conferencing is fully automated and made simple.

5.1) The Room

Whether it's a simple room for two people or a big auditorium, you need the right room with audio visual equipment that corresponds with the room's size. A small room requires a small system, and a large board room may require a fully integrated AV solution (please view our AV installation page). Or, if you want a multi-purpose room to also show DVDs and presentations, you may need a multi-purpose system to effectively manage that room.

5.2) The Endpoints

To ensure the system is working when you need it to, you need an advanced video management system to watch your solution 24/7. This system should provide proactive monitoring of the endpoints and fully automatic point-to-point or multipoint call launching.

5.3) The Networks

Video conferencing is unique because it is bi-directional and real-time. It doesn't function well with networks that suffer from packet loss or jitter. If you are running at standard definition, you may be able to get away with limited control of the network. However, now more companies are choosing high-definition video conferencing, and the network piece is becoming even more important. If the network isn't designed and architected to run scalable, reliable, and secure video conferencing then you may face performance issues.

5.4) The Infrastructure

The following comprises the video infrastructure; gatekeepers, gateways, video bridges, firewall traversal systems, video management systems, and video scheduling systems. The mistakes companies often make is not managing all of these components - only some - and the end result is that their meetings aren't successful. For example, many organisations say "We have a great network and that's all that we need," and they buy endpoints. But the video system is not often used, so they do not show return on their investment. Typically this is because the other components that are key to running successful video conferences have not been addressed.