Customer Satisfaction Aside from being able to talk to relatives and colleagues, one of the largest impacts that video conferencing has had on our lives is the way we network. Although Expos like MWC, ISE, and the AI Summit are all up and running and attracting delegates from around the world, the ability to be present in your own home has led to virtual awards and exhibitions. All the fun of the show but without the expensive hotel room! In turn, Franklin said that collaboration providers are leaning into these more eco- friendly themes in order to set themselves apart from the pack. “Over the last year or so, one of the most exciting developments in the video collaborations market has been the integration of environmental and sustainability initiatives into solutions. Conferencing manufacturers are now creating products with sustainability as a primary focus, leading to some innovative new features. “Cisco is a good example here. In line with its commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, Cisco has integrated environmental controls into its collaboration endpoints. This allows organisations to monitor and regulate air quality, temperature, and lighting via the Webex Control Hub, without the need to invest in separate components and detectors. Additionally, it provides reporting on meeting room usage across your VC estate. The Cinos Executive director went on to say that these sustainable ambitions have financial repercussions too. “What’s particularly exciting about these features is that they offer both sustainability and financial benefits. When rooms are unoccupied, lighting and temperature controls can be turned off, resulting in energy savings. “This is further exemplified by Cisco’s ‘Office Hours’ feature which can easily be configured to ensure user devices remain idle during off hours. This bird’s-eye view of meeting room usage can also aid in making informed decisions about how to allocate resources within a larger estate.”
and beyond is the ability for the platform to recognise what is on the screen, be it text, people, or brainstorming sessions, and have a corresponding action to carry out. These can come in the form of keeping participants on the screen, creating actions for participants after the meeting has ended, or digitising plans. Such AI features encompass analytics which we can expect more of according to Warner. “We expect the adoption of Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and other UC platforms to continue to rise as these companies evolve their platforms, incorporating AI-driven technologies, from occupancy and utilisation metrics to translations and subtitles. “Previously both capabilities and price tag determined most of what defined a ‘high-end’ system. With this shift, it’s now more about the functionality brought to the space and the benefits gained. “With that being said, businesses will still have larger spaces with integrated in-room systems, consisting of in-ceiling microphones and loudspeakers, cameras, custom control panels outside the room for scheduling, and inside the room for controlling blinds, lights, and other tech.” Future Innovations Artificial Intelligence is clearly set to be a mainstay of headlines in B2B technology. Warner added that these AI-enabled features will translate into sales. “We will continue to see growth in the smaller room systems including all-in-one Videobar solutions, but the expectation of having videoconferencing at our fingertips and on-demand access is forcing manufacturers to respond quicker to what the market is needing. “Businesses want video conferencing capabilities that really are easier to install,
Steve Franklin Executive Director
cinos.net
AI BPM While businesses will appreciate the
sustainability and cost-saving efforts that video conferencing provides, in terms of features, the acronym of 2023 pops up again: AI. At the heart of features introduced this year
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