Meetings, eh? While there are some that could reasonably be replaced by emails, in other cases, it’s vital to get the gang together for a face-to-face discussion. But as important as this can be, there’s no denying that meetings are often a whole lot longer than necessary - taking up time that we can’t afford in an increasingly frenetic world.
The good news is that, while we maybe can’t banish meetings altogether, there are some things we can do to keep them as short and concise as possible (and prevent attendees losing the will to live…) As with so much else these days, the secret sauce here is, of course, technology.
New tech - particularly our pal, Artificial Intelligence - is paving the way for productivity with tools like
Teams transcription API services which help you to do away with having somebody taking up too much time during your meetings. In this article, we’re going to be looking at some of the many ways in which AI can make your meetings pitch-perfect … and more productive.
What Are AI Tools?
Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days - and for good reason. This clever tech can make light work of repetitive, time-consuming and tricky tasks; leaving your team free to focus on more human-centric endeavors. One of AI’s
many benefits is automation - essentially zipping through those jobs that hold your team back and cause a time black hole. But of course, as time goes on, AI is doing so much more than just super-simple tasks and so, in this section, we’ll open up the floor to some of the AI game changers that can transform your meetings:
Save the date
Often, time is taken up before your meeting even begins due to the dreaded scheduling. AI can now take up the mantle here by not only co-ordinating employees’ diaries but also sending out invitations, collating attendee responses and juggling meeting room availability - all of which means cutting out significant time and hassle for hard-working staff. Scheduling is often the bane of employees’ lives when they find themselves running around chasing responses, sending reminders and juggling time conflicts and so handing this over to the tech can be a lifesaver as well as a time saver.
1. Putting in the prep
Once a meeting is set, your new best friend can then whizz up an agenda and even source the relevant documentation for the relevant folk - so no more delays or excuses from Andy in Accounts. This can be a significant time-saver - particularly if you have several attendees all scrambling to find the same document in the system at the same time.
Your partner in time
Here’s where things get pretty darn smart. AI tech is now able to manage the meeting once it’s underway through some proactive tools like:
2. Minute taking and transcription
Traditionally, an important meeting would require a member of staff to sit in for the sole purpose of providing a record of what’s been said and agreed. In the “olden” days this would be a secretary - something that most companies today don’t have the budget for. This means that in many cases, the job would have to be done by a meeting participant which, needless to say, is not a great use of resources.
Thankfully, those days are now long gone as transcription software is here to do the heavy lifting by recording the meeting and then handing over a detailed transcription; allowing all attendees to be fully engaged with the agenda.
3. Setting the pace
Ever been in one of those meetings where one person dominates the proceedings or where Tangent Tracey keeps deviating from the topic? Annoying, right? Not any more. Your AI-powered prompter keeps an eye (and an ear) on the pace of your get-together and will give the meeting host a little prod if things plod too much or keep steering away from the subject in hand.
4. Making sure every voice is heard
Whether your meeting is online or in-person, there will almost always be that one person who fades into the background. The lurker will often be somebody who has something to say but can’t get a word in edgeways - or someone who prefers to spend the meeting scrolling their phone. Either way, this is rarely a good thing.
Your advanced pal is now able to recognise the different speakers during the meeting and therefore identify those who are not having their say. It can then notify the host to allow him or her to call on the quiet folk for their input.
5. When it’s all over
As well as sending out transcriptions of the meeting, this technology can also put together some really valuable analytics to let you know how it all went. This can include data-driven facts on engagement, speaking time and general effectiveness which, in turn, let you get smarter with your agendas for future meetings. It can also provide summaries and catch-ups for those who have been unable to attend to make sure that everybody is kept in the loop, wherever they may be.
Making Ends Meet
For many businesses, meetings are an integral part of their operations but that doesn’t mean that they have to be epic affairs. By harnessing the power of AI, anyone in charge of a company meeting can make sure that every minute is used effectively without the waffle or distractions that often prove to be a time-suck for busy professionals.
Whether we like it or not,
advanced technology is the future for most sectors worldwide, and the sooner you take this on board, the more effective and competitive your business will be. Don’t worry, all of this isn’t as complicated or as expensive as you might think. Today, tools like transcription services can be easily integrated into your existing tech and, while there may be some upfront costs involved, this should be considered an investment rather than an expense.
And if your accountant disagrees, we’d suggest you use them as a bookkeeper, not an advisor.
We’re not of course talking about going all sci-fi and letting the technology take over - this is simply getting smart and partnering up with some great tools to help streamline your meetings and make them much more productive.
Which, you’ll surely agree, is a positive outcome with no downside…
