Item: BlueJeans Meetings (discontinued)
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Two people in our organization have accounts, but we invite several team members to meetings. We mainly use BlueJeans for client meetings to share our screens. Team members and clients are often in different locations with limited availability, so BlueJeans allows us to present slide decks, collaborate on material, and walk people through the steps for processes live.

Pros and Cons

My favorite thing about BlueJeans is greater democratization of use compared to other tools I've used. The moderator does not have to be on the call for it to begin and everyone has the same and equal ability to share their screen. I believe you can limit that, but that default is great for us.
There is the option to download the app or use a web browser, which helps when meeting with people who have security restrictions on downloads.
There are a few things you can customize - I like that I set up the default for computer audio but not video - then I can select to use video on the call if I want. I also like that I set the default for the phone number options to be Canadian, which I can also change in the invite.

While I like that the web browser is an option, it's not always clear to the people I'm inviting to a meeting. I have found technical confusion with every tool so this is not a unique issue.
Some features have been unreliable. I liked the Outlook add-on but it hasn't worked in months despite re-downloading.

Return on Investment

It has allowed us to use virtual meetings where we would have been limited on a call or have to travel to one location.
It has increased our collaboration being able to share screens.
Saved us time and money on travel and length of meetings.

Alternatives Considered

WebEx Meetings

It is less expensive and easier for non-moderators to use. I am not sure since it has been awhile, but I believe BlueJeans offers more options to customize things like whether there is a sound or not when someone joins the meeting, what default audio and video to use, etc.

Usability

Usability is a strength for BlueJeans in my opinion, however there are a few things that would help me a lot. In particular, setting up a meeting could be easier. I used to be able to use their Outlook add-in, but now I have to go to the website to schedule a new meeting. It would be nice if that option were in the app I downloaded on my computer, or if the Outlook add-on worked again.

Likelihood to Recommend

It's well-suited for smaller and newer companies. It's easier, more accessible, and less expensive than standard alternatives like WebEx. There are challenges if you deal with a lot of security restrictions, such as employees not being able to download things. It is also less known by people I have worked with, so each time I tell them it will take a few minutes to download it for their first time. Generally they are able to follow the directions from BlueJeans to set up easily enough.

Easy to use during a meeting, somewhat less easy to set up

Overall Satisfaction with BlueJeans