5 Home Office Technology Tools You Need
Impress Your Team With Optimized Conferences, Superior Integration Tools and Flattering Lighting Design!
According to a Gartner study released in July, more than 80% of company leaders surveyed said their organizations plan to permit employees to work remotely at least part of the time upon reopening from the novel coronavirus pandemic. This shows a large uptick even from last year, when telecommuting still looked like a “nice-to-have” benefit instead of a necessity.
Though many love the flexibility of working from home, the setup comes with challenges. Suddenly, you don’t have the enterprise-grade network, AV conferencing technology or high-end lighting that your workplace provided. Nor do you have an IT support person to call when your presentation doesn’t appear on the screen. At ACS, we install home office technology that streamlines your devices and automates many processes to keep this transition as smooth and easy as possible. Keep reading for some tools we recommend.
SEE ALSO: Learn More About Our Professional Home Networking Solutions and Support!
Zoom Rooms
Whether you’re talking about a home office or a conference room, a Zoom Room is any location that has hardware and a Zoom Room program installed on it. And if you’re going to spend several hours in this office per day, and the majority of that time on video calls, you’ll need a Zoom Room that features high-quality audio and video as well as a one-touch join option. We’ll install all the necessary hardware and connect any other technology you’d prefer, such as additional speakers or microphones, soundproofing, sound masking or interactive whiteboards.
Clearer Cameras
No one wants to appear grainy or fuzzy when they pop up on camera, so take a second look at your camera equipment before you start your next meeting. And don’t even think about using the webcam on your laptop! To look professional when you run meetings or present, you’ll need an HD camera.
Beyond that, your choice will depend on your individual needs, so we will talk you through camera features to narrow down your selection. Will you need auto-zoom to show people an object you’re holding? Or 365-panning to display multiple people working from your home office? Do you want any technology built in, like speakers or microphones?
New Microphones
Working from home often prompts employees to invest in better microphones. Why? If you have children or pets, you’ll need a microphone with sound-reduction technology to minimize background noises. Beamforming technology uses advanced signal-processing techniques to boost desired sounds and attenuate distracting sound signals.
Crestron HomeTime
Logitech and Zoom paired up to create Crestron HomeTime, a complete HD video and audio conferencing system with the size and scale to handle videoconferencing anywhere in the home. This configuration lets you engage with larger, more lifelike meetings because you can now view them from your living room screen, so be sure to try some virtual happy hours this way as well.
Even without a laptop, users can host and join Zoom meetings in one touch from a Crestron remote or mobile app. The HomeTime kit includes the Logitech MeetUp camera, a UC engine that runs the Zoom Rooms app and a one-year subscription to the Crestron Xio cloud service.
Proper Lighting
If you spend plenty of work hours in a video conference meeting, you want your light to illuminate your environment without distracting attendees. We’ve found that strategic placement and easily controllable dimming primes you and your spaces to look your best on a call.
Contact ACS Today!
Want to learn more about how you can enhance your home office? Our team has you covered. Give us a call or fill out our online contact form here. We’d love to hear from you!
