Item: Webex Meetings
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Just before the pandemic started, my company was using Skype to communicate via IM. We very rarely, if ever, conducted virtual meetings. When the pandemic started, we switched to WebEx. Now, communication for the whole organization is seamless on many different levels: Vastly improved IMs, screen sharing, ability to host private and larger meetings. It’s been great.

Pros and Cons

Instant messaging
Screen sharing
Video calls
Virtual presentations

The polling feature is unintuitive. Sometimes I can use it, sometimes it doesn’t work at all.
Breakout sessions were hard to learn how to use, initially. Even now, there’s always a break in the presentation flow when I use them. But that could be a user error!

Return on Investment

Like many others, our organization had to go virtual. We were behind the times when the pandemic started and had to adjust fast. WebEx teams helped bring us into the 21st century. So I imagine the ROI was immense.
The ease of using WebEx has also (likely) positively influenced our return to work plans. Had we chosen bad software to help facilitate our change from in-person to virtual, I could be sitting in an office right now. As it stands, everyone I work with enjoys and finds value in WebEx. I think that’s helped us be productive no matter where we work, which in turn has influenced leadership.

Alternatives Considered

Skype for Business and now part of Microsoft Teams

The version of Skype we were using, pre-pandemic, was antiquated. It was the only such software I’d used, and it got the job done, but I knew there were better options. From a business standpoint, though, if it wasn’t broke we weren’t going to fix it. Now, 3 years into using WebEx, it stands high above Skype.

Key Insights

Do you think Webex Meetings delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Webex Meetings's feature set?

Yes

Did Webex Meetings live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Webex Meetings go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Webex Meetings again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft 365, Absorb LMS, Articulate Storyline, Final Cut Pro X, BizLibrary, Google Sheets, Google Drive

Reliability and Availability

I very rarely, if ever, have issues with WebEx. I use it across multiple devices and, again, it never crashes, stutters, or failed to work. I think once I had difficulty getting it to open, but that was likely due to our very busy IT department constantly updating the software.

Scalability

From Day One, this was rolled out to our entire organization. We didn’t experiment with a smaller unit or department, which would have been the cautious and/or understandable thing to do. And from that day, the software has worked swimmingly. The same can be said, again, as people come and go (new hires, retirees). From what I’ve heard, it’s very easy to deploy.

Performance

Again, I’ve never had issues with WebEx. That includes load times and integration with other software, though I’ve done very little of the latter. For the former, I’ve never experienced or witnessed prolonged load times. Last, I’ve never had to pull reports from the software myself, so I can’t answer that question.

Likelihood to Recommend

It’s very well suited for most forms of work communication: Formal or informal, private spaces or scheduled meetings, one-on-one or small groups. I haven’t been in a scenario where it’s inappropriate. Rather, it’s just not the best tool for all work communications. For example, it doesn’t replace email, but that’s not WebEx’s function.

Webex Meetings is a good choice for any business!

Overall Satisfaction with Webex Meetings