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Dos and Don’ts of Video Conferencing

More than half of our work at DLE Court Reporters is remote, which means we’ve become experts at video conferencing. No matter your industry, this technology has made it easy to connect with clients and partners around the world.

We asked our reporting staff and videographers for their best advice for creating the optimum video conferencing experience – before, during, and after – and they were more than willing to chime in. They also made sure to add a few etiquette tips, too.

 

  • Double- and triple-check your video’s settings. That means making sure your microphone works, and your colleagues’ do, too.
  • Simulate eye contact. Strange camera angles can be extremely distracting. Drag the video window to the top of your computer screen right underneath your webcam. Now your eyes will focus on that area and appear as though you’re making direct face-to-face contact.
  • Consider the background. If you’re working remotely from a home office, for example, make sure you set up in a closed-off, zero traffic area. Also, make sure nothing is visible behind you that may appear unprofessional or be distracting.
  • Remain attentive. Don’t slouch, check emails, or work on anything unrelated to the call. It’s easy to forget that you’re being watched, but you are.
  • Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. And, while we’re on the subject of microphones, make sure that everyone speaks slowly and carefully whenever possible. In a case of a heated deposition, this is sometimes difficult, but a gentle same-time nudge to the legal team reminding them of this tip may help.
  • Dress appropriately. It might be tempting to only dress the visible portion of your body, choosing shorts or yoga pants to round out your ensemble, but consider the what-if situations that could arise, like if your camera falls or you have to unexpectedly stand.
  • Technical issues will occur, whether your connection fails or you forget to turn on your mic or your webcam is suddenly focused on the ceiling. Try to resolve any issues as quickly as professionally as you can, and refrain from placing blame on anyone else.

Our best advice? Treat every video conferencing session as a face-to-face interaction. Basically, that means the DLE Court Reporters team are prepared, professional, respectful, and ready to work hard. If that sounds like a team you’d like to be part of, give us a call.