Today’s business arena is highly competitive, heavily driven by technology, and ever-evolving at a rapid pace. Organizations that don’t take deliberate and decisive steps to keep up will quickly be left behind.
In the modern era, implementing effective systems for communication and collaboration isn’t a luxury—it’s vital to the longevity and overall success of any organization. Video conferencing has emerged as a game-changing way to facilitate real-time, face-to-face communication.
Zoom is a vanguard of the video conferencing industry, regularly introducing innovative features that have the potential to completely transform the contemporary workplace. Let’s explore the latest Zoom hybrid work solutions that are poised to do precisely that.
Zoom AI Companion: A Smart Assistant
AI is everywhere. Whether for better or worse remains to be seen, but Pandora's box has been opened. AI has already revolutionized the video conferencing sector in a number of ways, so it’s no surprise that Zoom is using the tech so prominently as of late.
While some AI features work in the background and aren’t immediately obvious, Zoom’s AI Companion isn’t one of them. It’s an intelligent assistant that can perform many tasks, such as taking notes, providing summary reports, identifying action points, and answering questions.
This Zoom hybrid work assistant can drastically improve the efficiency of meetings by allowing human personnel to focus on the meeting rather than juggling tedious tasks. It can replace interns whose time and skill would be better utilized in other ways.
The bot can also analyze the session and provide valuable insight. For example, it can gauge whether or not a customer seems interested in a product or service. Meeting leaders can also ask if participants seem happy or upset, allowing them to reevaluate their approach accordingly.
Zoom AI Companion 2.0: An Optional Upgrade
Expanding upon the foundation laid by the original Zoom AI Companion in September of 2023, the new Zoom hybrid work assistant launched in October of 2024 with some exciting updates.
While the original AI Companion remains free for paid users, the optional 2.0 add-on requires an additional fee for the subscription.
Among many upgrades to the original, the major enhancement is AI Studio, which makes it possible for users to custom-tailor AI Companion to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual organization. It’s more flexible, adaptable, and agile than its precursor.
Zoom Workplace: An All-in-One Interface
Zoom Workplace combines the major communication channels—telephone, email, chat, and call centers—into one unified platform. This AI-driven Zoom hybrid work interface can significantly streamline operations by eliminating the need to switch channels.
For relevant users, the implication is profound. Being able to seamlessly move among communication vehicles allows for efficient workflows, simultaneously boosting productivity and reducing bottlenecks and the stress that accompanies them.
AI Avatars & Backgrounds: Personalized Visuals
Presentation matters. Creating physical backdrops isn’t practical, especially when they need to be changed based on the context of the meeting. Zoom provides an effective solution—AI-generated virtual backgrounds that can be switched out on the fly.
These backgrounds make it possible to maintain a professional appearance regardless of the user’s location. This Zoom hybrid work feature is perfect for remote employees who don’t have dedicated offices, as well as traveling team members.
In addition to backgrounds, Zoom is unveiling AI-powered avatars that can accurately replicate the user’s appearance and voice. The user can then write a message and the avatar will speak it during the video call. This feature may seem unusual, but it can be quite useful.
Say you’re unable to attend a meeting, and you just need to give a quick team update. The avatar puts your face and voice to the message. While it’s not a substitute for real human interaction, it’s more personal than sending an email.
Zoom Docs: AI-Powered Document Collaboration
This Zoom hybrid work tool makes it possible for up to 100 users to create, edit, organize, and share documents together in real-time.
Powered by AI, Zoom Docs is much more than just another document platform. It’s capable of using information from the meeting to create highly relevant documents immediately after. It also has robust features that enhance productivity, such as the ability to suggest content and generate templates.
This handy tool is integrated directly into the Zoom platform, allowing participants to move seamlessly from the meeting to the document without ever leaving the Zoom ecosystem.
Smart Name Tags: On-Screen Attribution
Another Zoom hybrid work feature worth mentioning is the platform’s smart speaker tags. The most common use for this feature is to highlight each participant’s name, ensuring that all participants know who’s present in the room.
Besides fostering a sense of friendliness and inclusivity by putting a name to every face, the tags can also be used for real-time captions, summaries, and transcripts.
Like many other Zoom innovations, the tags are AI-powered. They can be activated and adjusted manually or automatically. Zoom also offers speaker-specific tags that only highlight the names of the person currently speaking.
Zoom Revenue Accelerator: Smart Sales Coaching
This Zoom hybrid work tool uses AI to analyze video calls and then provide valuable insight. Ideal for sales teams, Zoom Revenue Accelerator can be used to determine which tactics are effective and which pain points need to be improved.
For example, if a team member closes a sale, the AI could analyze the call and determine which strategies played a role in the successful outcome. Similarly, AI can highlight potential reasons why a sale may not have come to fruition.
By providing a consistent flow of data based on call reviews, Zoom Revenue Accelerator empowers team leaders to better coach their staff and make sure that protocols are being followed.
Level Up Your Communications
There’s no denying that Zoom hybrid work technologies are reframing and reimagining how work is done in the modern era. Now is the time to implement a communication system that allows you to take advantage of these features and more.
Whether you need help with a Zoom Room configuration or a complete Zoom Rooms setup and integration, we can facilitate a smooth transition as you embrace state-of-the-art communication technologies.
Profound Technologies is a talented, industry-certified team of AV specialists who know the ins and outs of the industry. With over 20 years of experience, you can count on us to meet your unique needs and exceed your expectations.
If you’re ready to discover what Zoom hybrid work solutions can do for your business, contact us for a free consultation with a highly qualified expert. We’ll be happy to walk you through the next steps and provide free demos of our powerful room solutions. Transform your workspace.