Virtual meeting programs have many features that can serve a variety of needs. Not all programs offer every feature; however, even the most basic features provide widespread benefits. The first feature of virtual meetings is the ability to share your screen with all meeting attendees. This feature is the backbone of virtual meetings. If the host pulls up a website, PowerPoint, or Word document, everyone else sees the program on their own screen. This is extremely beneficial when walking through multiple documents. Other benefits of this feature include developing a collaborative document. Everyone can see whatever the host is writing to ensure their comments were accurately captured.
Virtual meetings and trainings allow for multiple presenters in multiple locations. This feature allows a second trainer to share their screen with all attendees even if they are in a different office or even state. The process is usually simple and only requires a click of a button to transfer control.
The last key feature included in many programs is an interactive element to virtual meetings. This includes polls, evaluations, or question and answer capabilities. These features are especially important during lengthy training sessions when it is hard to keep the audience engaged. An attendee sitting at their desk may be easily distracted by email, phone calls, or people coming to their door. Polls can also be used to quiz attendees to establish a benchmark of their content knowledge or learning preferences. Evaluations can be done after a session to assess the effectiveness of training. Finally, questions and answers can be used throughout to share ideas or learnings.