Reviewed by Alice Binney, internal sales executive at Pioneer Group
Where have you used this product?
Since adding Chromebox for Meetings (CfM) to our remit earlier this year we’ve completed many installations. Most of our clients use CfM in office to office meeting rooms to save travel costs. For most of our clients the main reason they choose the solution is business efficiency. A mobile equipment hire company found it the easiest option for connecting its remote workforce for example, and one of the charities we work with found it a cost-effective way to conduct business. We’ve even had one company connect multiple offices in the UK and in the US just by swapping the power cables.
We also use the product at Pioneer Group to connect our two UK offices. We’ve found it makes the biggest difference for quick instant communications or short brainstorms that wouldn’t warrant a full meeting with travel.
Why did you choose it?
We chose CfM because it is completely intuitive. We’ve found users don’t need any training to understand how to make it work. Set up takes around 15 minutes to get from the boxed product to a professional meeting room, and you only need a license and an internet connection to get started. It’s significantly cheaper than other videoconferencing systems too.
Overall, it can really make a change to how businesses communicate, especially in small to medium multi-site companies that haven’t been able to invest in video before.
We’ve also been able to provide great support packages with CfM. Because of our partnership with Google we are able to manage everything from engineer call outs to phone calls in house.
What do you like about it?
The reliability of the product is great. Crucially, it simplifies the user experience to make video conferencing an accessible resource. In our business, it has improved how our offices communicate on a day to day basis and helped our team feel more connected.
CfM is also integrated into the wider universe of Google applications which are already widely used in business.
The fact that there are different sizes available also offers flexibility to our clients. The smaller Chromebox for Meetings kit caters for 6-8 person meeting rooms with a camera, speaker, microphone and keypad remote, but there is also a larger setup for rooms of 8-15 people with two speakers and microphones, a better camera from Logitech with pan and tilt technology and the remote.
What would you change?
I’m looking forward to the integration of more robust controls on top of the remote system. Changes planned for release this year, such as a 10-in touch screen for navigation (which can integrate into calendars and room booking systems) will make it more effective in the corporate environment.