Don't Use Zoom Until You've Read This

Ever since people are locked down all over the world due to COVID-19 Pandemic, they start to use video conference tools.  Among all, Zoom is the most popular because it is free, cheap (for the host) and extremely easy to use.  But the initial enthusiasm over Zoom soon dies off because people realised that Zoom is not secure and online video seminars or meetings are not as what they expect. Many also find that quality (not the content) of the meetings are way below physical meetings. 

So what's next now? If you don't use Zoom, you can use Skype, Cisco, Gotomeeting, Teamview and Google Hangouts.  I have tried many of them and find that Zoom is still the best because it offers me and the participants what we want: simulation of a real physical meeting. (For how to use Zoom, read here)

How about the security issues of Zoom?  My article here already addressed them.  Based on my experience, plus many people all over the world, as long as you do the security measures, you are quite safe in using Zoom.  You can read it at here https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-secure-your-zoom-online-meetings.html

Let me now state in summary the 8 Dos and Don'ts for Zoom:

1. Treat Zoom Meetings Seriously. Most people don't treat virtual online meetings seriously and they do silly things including coming late, making lots of noise, never use an earpiece, don't show video despite being told umpteen times, never change to their real names and video is not showing their face at all. 

2. Participate.  Most people don't participate much in real physical meetings and in virtual meetings, they don't participate at all.  Understand that in virtual meetings, participation is even more important.   This is because to keep your eyes glued on your computer screen for over 30 minutes and don't move much is more difficult than to pay attention in real physical meetings.  How and when to participate?  Participate when the hosts ask you so. 

3. Don't Know How To Operate the 3 Important functions of Zoom: Mute, Show Video and Group Chats.  You can learn how to operate Zoom at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9guqRELB4dg

4. Never Focus.  People have not learnt how to be focused in front of a computer.  You have to pay attention and really listen.  SIT DOWN AND DON'T MOVE.  Unless you have missed your meals, don't eat too. 

5. Never Use an Earpiece.  If you don't use an earpiece, you cannot hear clearly and also people cannot hear you because your mouth could be too far from the microphone on your computer

6. Never Use Computer for Zoom.  People think that Zoom is okay on a phone but in reality, only a computer can give you security.  All computers are protected by Microsoft or Apple security tools.  Also, your computer is not switched on all the time, unlike your phone, so it has a lesser risk of being hacked. 

Most importantly, only a computer can give you 3 views on one screen: the PowerPoint slides or anything shared by the host, the participants' faces and the group chats.  Plus the fact that most people are not very savvy on their own phones, and many don't even know how to 'go back' as there is no back button on their iPhones. These people are heading for disaster when they don't use their computers on zoom. 

7.  Never Enter the Meeting Earlier.  The zoom meeting room is usually opened earlier than the meeting start time. Many people come at or after meeting starting time and they start to disturb everyone with noise, questions on how to use zoom and ask silly questions on basic stuff like 'How to mute ah?'  Because they are late, they are quite panicky and don't know how to respond to requests from the host.  YOU NEED TO ENTER THE MEETING AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE MEETING START TIME. 

8.  Think that Zoom is a Fad and Will not be used once the lockdown is over.  This is not true, as evidenced from China, Hebei and Wuhan where people continue to use such tools even when they can go out.  Why? Because they realised that virtual meetings are much more productive than physical meetings.  (Find out how life will not go back to normal post COVID at here).  So you either have to use Zoom or you are OUT! Related articles:

1. How to Use Zoom Effectively https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-use-zoom-cloud-meetings.html
2. How to Convert Your Work from Offline to Online in 5 Ways https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-convet-your-work-from-offline-to.html
3. More deadly than COVID-19 virus is this P https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/procrastination-and-covid-19-which-is.html
4. 5 Things That Will Change Totally After COVID-19 and Lockdown https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/5-things-that-will-change-forever-after.ht
5. Further 5 Things that Will Change Post COVID-19 Pandemic https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/further-5-things-that-will-change-once.html
6. Zoom is a Fad and Will NOT be used once the lockdown is Over, So Don't Bother about Zoom https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/zoom-is-fad-it-is-not-secure-thats-why.html
7. How My Business Cope with No Business Now at https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-my-business-cope-with-covid-19.html
8. 31 Reasons to not use WeChat at https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/03/31-reasons-to-use-wechat.html
9. Are you the Good or Bad Quality People in this COVID-19 lockdown? https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-and-b-people-from-covid-19.html
10. How low will the stock market go?  https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-low-will-stock-markets-go.html
11. This WeChat book has no content! https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/01/table-of-contents-for-wechat-marketing.html
12. Your mobile number is not important as no one remembers it https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2019/11/everybody-who-is-anybody-has-mobile.html
13. WeChat is a Big SCAM https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2019/11/wechat-is-cheat-how-singapore-people.html
14. 13 Ways to Advertise on WeChat https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-13-ways-to-advertise-on-wechat.html
15. Switch and Save: How Much can you REALLY SAVE? https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2018/10/singapore-open-electricity-market-how.html
16. Work From Home 5 Things to Watch our for https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/work-from-home-5-things-to-watch-out-for.html 
17. Dealing with Stress from COVID-19 https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/dealing-with-stress-from-covid-19.html
18. How to Secure Your Zoom Meetings https://andyngtrainer.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-secure-your-zoom-online-meetings.html