In the past, video conferencing software with all of its features was something that only big businesses could afford. Today, top video conferencing capabilities are available to businesses of all sizes; a quick comparison of hosted video conferencing products can ascertain that. Whether used by a corporate manager with 500 active users or a freelancer needing an occasional conference call, there are tools that can make every part of the experience enhanced and more efficient.

With SaaS proliferating the digital landscape, enterprise software is now more affordable and accessible than ever before. Simply pay a nominal fee for a subscription (which is also free from any long-standing commitments, in most cases) and avail enterprise-grade video conferencing capabilities for an entire organization. Over time, this can be conveniently scaled if needed, especially if employee numbers increase.

Due to the versatility provided by SaaS, the features and functionalities available in video conferencing software are also made to scale, so that users need not configure certain features separately, when buying or upgrading video conferencing software. 

Below, we outline some of the most useful features of video conferencing software.

Participant lists.

With this feature, moderators are allowed much more control on what access each participant will have, by generating a pre-approved list of participants who are allowed to join the teleconference. As a result, only participants who are in the list can obtain access. This feature makes your voice conference highly secure. Designated users can also be given special access privileges, such as presenter capabilities.

Digital recording.

A key feature that can help both small and large businesses is digital recording. This allows conference calls to be recorded and replayed at any time. Additionally, calls can be listened to at any time during the conversation by a supervisor or manager. There are features such as play, pause, rewind and fast-forward as well as raise and lower the audio to review and experience the recording at the most convenient time. 

Recorded meetings are also a useful resource for training purposes; these can be shared to trainees/students to reduce loads on educators, as these recorded sessions can conveniently take the place of lectures, demonstrations and the like.

Desktop controls.

These controls allow the conference call to be regulated by your computer. This allows the moderator to mute and un-mute particular lines, view all participants on the call, enable or disable recording, as well as many other options - all with a click of their mouse. Also, see which employees are on the call at all times with attendance tracking. The entry and exit tones that normally interrupt a conference call when a participant has dropped off a call will also be eliminated. Being able to control the flow of meetings with such capabilities can make virtual meetings smarter and more effective, as agendas can be maintained within scheduled timeframes. 

On a more technical note, many desktop controls are also available to stabilize call quality - especially in the wake of unreliable internet connectivity. Toggle between HD quality and noise suppression, so call quality is smooth and free from distractions.

Screen and app sharing.

With screen and app sharing, your virtual teams can collaborate seamlessly, and emulate an environment that is as interactive as in real life. As a presenter, display slideshows and documents as part of briefings, or guide team members through a journey or workflow by showing them your step-by-step process, from your perspective. 

In turn, this can not only alleviate the need to share documents separately or compose lengthy emails, but it can also vastly improve clarity during overall communication. 

Question and Answer (Q&A).

Perfect for large calls, this feature allows full function to have live Q&A sessions. All participants can be muted for presentation (speech) mode, and then selectively un-mute a particular line when there is a question. Participants can also "raise their hand" in due course of discussions that are taking place between other team members, similar to a real-life conference environment. 

Whether it’s Zoom or Google Meet, numerous popular video conferencing features are available across many leading video conferencing products. However, features could either be offered with limits (for example, allowing only a certain number of participants on the free plan) or they may be add-ons which require an extra fee in order to obtain. 

Irrespective of the vendor you choose, ensure your video conferencing software has not only the capabilities you need, but can also grow with the changing needs of your business, in the future.