Zoom ramps up workplace offering

Zoom has announced major software upgrades to its communications platform designed to enhance its capabilities in workplaces.

Zoom has announced major software upgrades to its streaming platform designed to enhance its capabilities in workplaces.

Zoom has announced major software upgrades to its communications platform designed to enhance its capabilities in workplaces.

Much of it is around Zoom Rooms, which involves buying hardware such as larger TV-sized displays, audio devices and cameras that interface with Zoom’s software in meeting rooms.

Zoom became a household favourite in homes during the COVID-19 lockdowns for domestic video communications however with employees returning to work, the company is increasing its profile in workplaces.

Jeff Smith, global head of Zoom Rooms, said Zoom’s “video-first unified communications platform” had begun life as an enterprise focused service. The company launched its software in 2013.

With Australian cities becoming busier and employees returning to the workplace, Zoom faces a battle against the likes of Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex who have established video communication systems in offices. Packages such as Teams provide video conferencing as an integrated part of broader office software systems.

Zoom nevertheless believes it can build on its success in domestic environments in workplaces. Mr Smith said Zoom had been tailored to work with Microsoft and Google productivity suites.

New software capabilities include pairing a Zoom Room with an Android or iOS device and using the phone to control the functions in a room, such as full audio, video and participant controls. Mr Smith said people at physical meetings would not need to touch Zoom equipment.

Zoom, like Webex, will use its camera to count exactly how many people are in a room for social distancing purposes. Meeting participants can use the Zoom Dashboard and scheduling display to ensure social distancing mandates are met and meeting spaces aren’t overcrowded. Mr Smith said Zoom did not close down meetings if rooms were deemed overpopulated, it simply alerted participants.

In addition, a Zoom Rooms’ appliance called Neat Sense lets you monitor meeting rooms for air quality, humidity, CO₂, and volatile organic compounds. Zoom says you can view this environmental data on the Zoom dashboard, on the Zoom Rooms Controller, and on the Scheduling Display for real-time feedback.

Zoom virtual receptionist, kiosk mode.

Zoom also offers a contactless video entry system for greeting building guests. In ‘virtual receptionist/kiosk mode’, the ‘start meeting’ button is repurposed so that visitors can press it and be connected to a remote receptionist. It says Zoom Rooms Kiosk Mode is available on all Zoom Rooms for Touch devices.

Users can transmit the contents of a Zoom Rooms for Touch whiteboard to a Zoom Chat or email. “If it‘s a personal Zoom Room, you can also send it to your chat groups,” says Zoom. “It helps streamline content sharing outside the meeting room, greatly improving cohesiveness in the new hybrid workforce.”

Zoom last year had to overcome security issues after the explosion of interest in the platform. One of the concerns was Zoom bombing, which involved uninvited participants disrupting meetings, sometimes with obscene content. In some cases, invited participants had publicly shared links or passwords to those meetings. Zoom spent considerable resources dealing with those issues.

Mr Smith said Zoom was always looking at new ways to enhance its security. “Security is part of our DNA,” he told The Australian.