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For many of us, especially those working with Real Estate, the Coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we operate, probably forever. VIRTUAL MEETINGS have been around for awhile now, but they are totally mainstream. The Selfie Stick was once a joke, and now a useful tool to conduct virtual tours and virtual open houses, even virtual inspections. (See my video review for my top pick.) So it’s a great idea to learn everything you can about participating in and even hosting Virtual Meetins and Video Conferences and then DOING IT and getting comfortable with it. I really don’t think this is going to be a fad, do you?

The following is from the SacBee, by Sarah Murphy.

With millions working from home, here’s tips for etiquette on Zoom, Hangouts.

A month ago most of us had never even heard of Zoom. Video chats on Zoom/Google Hangouts, are a daily part of a lot of our lives.

Not everybody was prepped and ready for this new work-at-home life with an in-home studio/office. So, if you’re new to video calls, here are a few things to think about.

Here are a few tips that are important to all video calls.

1) Download any software you need long before the meeting.

2) Make sure you’ve checked out the software ahead of time, so you know what you’re doing and how the controls work.

3) Be ready to go on time. Do your call from the most quiet place you can.

4) Stay on mute unless you need to talk — nobody needs to hear your doorbell or kids fighting int he background.

5) If possible, test out your lighting situation. Are people going to be able to see you alright?

6) Make sure anyone else who is home knows when your calls are. This can help minimize interruptions.

7) Set up your workspace before the meeting, if you are not able to have it in a dedicated office space.

8) Test out what the participants will be able to see from your camera.

9) Some conferencing software allows you to blur out your background, or choose a background as if you had a green screen.

10) If that’s not an option, just make sure you’ve checked your desk area and everything is appropriate to your office culture.

11) Also make sure the device you’re using is plugged in or fully charged, and watch the battery life through the meeting.

12) Or to forget that you are also on camera.

Zoom blog offers advice for telecommuting for the first time, including:

▪ Get dressed. Get dressed from head to toe and get out of your pajamas.

This is work and you should be in work mode.

▪ Take 5 regularly. Take the dog out or get a quick chore done around the house. Whatever it is, step away from your computer once in a while.

▪ Stretch. Do a little something at least once an hour. Use a massager or lacrosse ball to work out kinks.

▪ Communicate your availability. Use an online calendar so co-workers can see when you’re busy and when you’re available to hop on a call.

▪ Eliminate distractions. Seal yourself off from the rest of your home space to create a nook just for work.

▪ But avoid isolation and loneliness. It’s helpful to have a daily check-in, whether it’s a post-work happy hour or a group lunch on a video conference.

It’s a new work world out there right now. The main thing is to be as prepared as you can be, and be patient with everyone. 

by  Stuart R Simone Esq

Realtor® | Broker Associate | Mortgage Loan Originator
DRE# 02084380
NMLS# 2246767
SBN# 269830
Stu@RockRealEstate.org
818-717-7605
facebook.com/StuSimoneRealEstate
https://stuart-simone.relofunding.com
https://stuartsimone.exprealty.com

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