8 Apps to Improve Your Meetings

Can technology help you improve your meetings? Business Optimizer considers  eight apps that could help you to ensure meetings are more productive and
effective.

These eight apps – and one bonus information technology – can help you to arrange, better manage and improve your business meetings.

#1. Pick
This app enables you to share your availability on your own terms with the people with whom you wish to meet. They can then pick a timeslot that fits with your schedule – making the meeting scheduling process a whole lot easier.
Find out more: https://www.pick.co/

#2. Zapier
Zapier is an app that streamlines tasks by connecting your other apps. Use it to automate workflows and routine tasks, such as sending invites, saving proposed agenda documents and filing minutes.
Find out more: https://zapier.com/

#3. Slack
When you are busy prioritising tasks, arranging meetings and collaborating with colleagues, Slack helps to cut through the clutter – so you can stay organised. You can use it as a tool for one-to-one video calling or screen sharing. And it really comes into its own for keeping track of follow-up tasks.
Find out more: https://slack.com/

#4. Skype
If you’re a Microsoft shop, then Skype is the video conferencing tool for you. It supports meetings with up to 250 people, plus instant messaging and meeting recording. But you don’t need to be a huge organisation to benefit. Skype for Business is free for up to 25 people to use, so it is also a fantastic tool for small businesses.
Find out more: https://www.skype.com/en/business/

#5. Google Hangouts
If you’re using Google docs rather than Office 365, the natural alternative to Skype is Google Hangouts. This way, you have better integration with your other office and productivity tools. Use Hangouts for group chats for up to 150 people or free group video calls with up to 10 people.
Find out more: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?hl=en

#6. GoToMeeting
A further alternative as a web conferencing software solution is GoToMeeting.

This is a professional solution with great conferencing facilities, including the option to record meetings.
Find out more: https://www.gotomeeting.com/en-gb

#7. FirstAgenda
FirstAgenda offers a platform where you can collaborate on your meeting minutes in real-time with other team members and assign tasks and due dates. Team members automatically receive organised and searchable meeting minutes by email. Use the “activate Speech Recognition” function to capture meeting notes via FirstAgenda’s AI and voice recognition technologies.
Find out more: https://firstagenda.com/en/

#8. Truqu
Following the meeting, you can solicit feedback using the TruQu app. It is designed to help you stimulate an open feedback culture within an organization; helping you take control of your own development and gain insights into your team.
Find out more: https://truqu.com/

#9. Bonus technology
There is a further technology that can help improve your meetings, one of the oldest technological advances of mankind and one that remains relevant today – paper. It’s useful for sharing agendas, boosting collaboration, capturing notes, increasing engagement, mind-mapping and more… as ComputerWorld has stated, “paper may be the best information technology we have.”