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Using video calling?
Posted by David Hammond on February 4, 2025 at 3:30 pmI did a local site visit/survey, and got chatting with the potential customer, who advised they were having a video call with another company.
I can see some pro’s to having an initial video call, but does can’t see it negating the requirement to visit site and do a survey?
Curious is anyone else is using video/zoom/meets as part of their business and to what effect?
Mark Johnston replied 5 days, 17 hours ago 5 Members · 8 Replies -
8 Replies
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We have done video calls but we mainly use “screen sharing” to design or discuss product visuals with selective customers and jobs.
It is more about speed and finalising work as well as making it more convenient for the customer, than anything else. However, it’s not something we do often, but it does always impress the customer when we suggest connecting computers, out of the blue!
We have done this since around 1997! -
yes, we have a video call set up for Teams / Zoom etc.
Quite a few larger companies / councils / International clients like to speak to us this way, and I find it easy then a 1 (or more!) hour trip out of office for a 10min meeting!
Advice: set a time limit for meetings and be prepared to end them (they can over run sooo easily). Have files to show clients ready, open to go. Have any important emails / whatsapp messages, or other information that you don’t want to share closed, and finally a good background that’s not distracting to the others in the meeting (or set up a computer generated effect background or blur).
I have been in meetings, when people share screens, and share the whole of desktop with items I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to show! Or delay while they try to find a file etc.
Having a good set up looks professional, pet hate is someone joining meeting from a Iphone flat on a desk so we just look at a ceiling…
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Thanks for the reply @Colin-Crab, sounds like you’re using it in a similar way thanks for the pointers too. I hope you don’t mind me asking more questions.
What is the purpose of the video calls? I appreciate you can show examples, previous work etc, all in the comfort of your office. Is it more to qualify the customer/job before investing time in making a visit to site?
Or do you get the customer to show you potential areas where they intend to have graphics/signage installed?
Do you have pre prepared presentations that you can use?
@robert-lambie I like the idea of presenting proofs etc over it, not something I’ve ever done, as most of mine are quite straight forward. Could be something to look at aghain.
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I have a few teams meetings a month with some of my larger clients. Usually between a number of people though. Rarely one on one.
If you are asking about a video call to replace a site visit, however, I only do this if it’s a long distance installation. Locally I would always insist that we see the space in person to avoid any little surprises.
Also. I find offering to visit in person works in our favour, most people still like to interact and discuss options in the real world. I would also never suggest a video call for fear of coming across as lazy tbh.
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I don’t think it will remove the need to visit a site, but could be a good way to show a customer options, and discuss budget before investing time to go and visit them.
Many call they want an all singing and dancing sign, yet when you’ve been out to see them it suddenly transpires they can barely afford the installation. A video call could be a good way to filter out some of these types.
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I totally agree, an in-person visit is much more professional and I definitely prefer it when it comes to sign work. No matter what type of sign it is, I like to see where the sign is going, how high, how level the ground is below, blah blah blah. I always take lots of photos and videos, just for reference.
A similar thing though, I don’t want to travel unless it will be worth my time. so its back to “give me a rough size, an idea of what you want, give an approximate price and if they bite, then sure, a visit is the next best move.
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Like most things, there are pros and cons. But using it to your advantage, at the right time, is a win win for both you and your customer.
I will give you a recent example…
our guy in design was back and forth by email with a good customer of ours.
He called me for something else and while he was on the phone I asked “how his new van design was coming along?” (I already knew the situation )
As we chatted away, I quickly sent him an email with nothing but a link in it.
I then said, “Are you at your desk?” If so, open the email I sent and click the link!
seconds later he was watching my computer screen, which I already had opened his van on.
I asked what he liked and didn’t like. moved it around, changed some bits and within 5-10 minutes he was happy, and we could proceed with 5 vans.I am not saying this is the answer to designing vans. I am just saying, to use it as a tool to help close down customers from ongoing emails or visits to your workplace etc. At the same time, it does impress them over your competitors. The key is not to make a big deal of it, streamline from a basic chat to a one-on-one screen share design experience.
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great idea but i could see it being difficult to put a time limit on designing this way.
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