It’s no secret that many of our lives have permanently changed. If you’re fortunate enough to have kept your job in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, you likely have been working from home. Or, if you’re a medical coder or biller, maybe your position is a remote one. Either way, you have lots of virtual meetings in your future.
If this isn’t comfortable for you, that’s OK! There is plenty of time to practice and gain familiarity with the process. Whether you’re getting ready for your first remote meeting or you’re a seasoned veteran in need of a refresher or two, here are some tips to help you have a successful meeting:
Get Familiar with the Conferencing Software
Zoom is the most popular video conferencing tool, but it’s not the only option out there. Your company might use Cisco, GoToMeeting or Skype. There’s also Google Hangouts, join.me and Zoho. Even Facebook is getting in on the action with its messenger rooms. There are lots of options and it’s impossible to be familiar with all of them. But you can do some research and test runs with the specific tool you’ll be using. Go to the company’s website, view some demos, read some articles and test the tool yourself if you can.
Set Up Ahead of Time
Before your actual meeting, make sure you’re all set up beforehand. That means putting on appropriate clothing, making sure your lighting is good and that there is nothing distracting in the background (assuming you can’t blur your background). Also, check your microphone and video to make sure other attendees can both see and hear you (reset your internet if you have to). This way, you can avoid as many technical difficulties as possible.
Be Prepared for the Meeting
After you confirm your computer is ready to go for the meeting, make sure you are as well. Come prepared to the meeting by going over the agenda, if you have one. Also write down any questions you have, if it’s appropriate. You want to appear engaged and not distracted. Treat the meeting like you would a meeting in a conference room at work.
These are just a few tips for remote meetings. If you have any questions about remote work, feel free to contact us today.