How to Build a Video Chat App: A Comprehensive Guide
A custom-built video chat app helps you maintain workplace efficiency as workplaces continue transitioning toward remote.
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Video chat apps have become crucial for businesses throughout the world. In many cases, video chat apps and other remote business solutions have become the cornerstone of business continuation and production.
The usual commercial video chat app was good for emergencies. To preserve your privacy and continual productivity, though, you will want to build a video chat app specific to your company. That way, you can maintain the highest level of privacy and security, while including everyone in your company.
Thankfully, to build a video chat app, you do not need app development skills or advanced programming knowledge. All you need is StarNavi. Here are all the excellent features and benefits you can enjoy from building a video chat app specific to your business and customers.
Build a Video Chat App With Video Conferencing Options
The main thing that you want when you are creating your video chat app is a plethora of options. Of course, you want to have the ability to offer the features that mainstream chat apps provide. However, you also want to be able to choose the options that work best for your business and circumstances. Here are all the different video conferencing options to choose from when developing your company's video chat app:
One-to-One Calls
There is going to come a time when you need to utilize a one-to-one call feature to run your business effectively. When that time comes, you want to be sure that you have the same standard capabilities for that call as you would for a conference call or any other remote meeting. Implementing one-to-one calls when you build a video chat app is vital for competing in a plethora of industries. If you do not have all the features available at your fingertips, you are only creating more work for yourself and whoever is on the other end of the call.
Conference Calls
Conference calling is another specialized meeting tool that is an essential capability for your video chat app. With remote working becoming more normalized and necessary long-term, many businesses turn to conference calls to keep up to date with their teams throughout the globe.
Giving everyone on your team the ability to be productive at a conference call through a specialized mobile video chat app offers more opportunities for productivity and growth. There are so many different benefits to having complete control over your conference calls, including internal and external meeting availability.
Internal & External Meetings
Opting to build your company's video chat app with internal and external meeting capabilities offers unprecedented room for expansion. The abilities that come with incorporating internal and external meetings can grow your business on a global scale. Industries throughout the world have continued to incorporate the development of globalization into their business practices. Yet, the current business climate has forced business owners to jump into this encompassing idea of global business unity with both feet.
When you introduce internal and external meetings into your capabilities, through your video chat app, you open up a whole new world of possibilities. This capability means you can organize meetings with new clients and staff meetings all in one place. Plus, if you want to combine clients and multiple employees in one meeting, you have that opportunity while maintaining your security and professionalism.
Who can Benefit from Video Chat Apps
Maintaining a valuable connection with other people is the cornerstone of video chat apps. Especially today, when social distancing becomes the new norm, more people are likely to benefit from this medium. Here are a few industries that can take advantage of video chat apps.
Teachers and Students
Video chat can be a valuable educational aid for teachers and students. Video chat apps are especially beneficial in sustaining quality classroom learning amidst the pandemic. Even teachers who are not tech-savvy can take advantage of this medium as most apps are easy to navigate. Collaborative learning will also bolster students to have the freedom to express their opinions and socialize while at home. Connecting with different people brings excitement to classroom activities keeping students engaged.
Additionally, teachers can acquire high-profile speakers who can provide a fresh perspective to the class. With the flexibility of video chat apps, you can bring in speakers from different organizations across the globe to bring fresh perspectives directly to your students. At the same time, teachers can communicate and coordinate with these organizations through the same video chat app that will be used for the presentation. Most of all, this medium can guarantee safety for both educators and students. It can even be a less obtrusive mechanism to extend welfare for students who need assistance.
Medical Consultations
Telemedicine became the newest frontier when it comes to innovative communication technology. Professionals in the healthcare software industry take advantage of video chat apps for medical research, training, and patient care. With higher productivity, healthcare providers can help more patients. This form of treating patients can save additional costs and time for both health service providers and patients. Most of the time, consultations and follow-ups don't require extensive tests, making it advantageous to do video conferences instead. Successfully meeting all the needs of your patients through video calls can provide a competitive advantage for health service providers.
Additionally, video conferences can help healthcare providers and patients communicate effectively, helping them see visual cues. Effective communication is critical to inform the patients regarding important news about their health reliably. As mentioned, patients have the freedom to do medical consultations while at home. This use of video conferences makes it possible to reach out to different doctors regardless of location for second opinions.
Game Streaming Platforms
Video chat apps can be beneficial for those who want to profit from their gaming sessions. It is easy to get started. You only need relevant video, audio equipment, reliable internet, a streaming platform, and you’re good to go. Streaming through video chat apps can provide a broader audience potential that can help increase your online presence. You can acquire a variety of viewers, considering that video chat apps can be compatible with computers and phones. Additionally, you can utilize different tools and software to monitor your progress and evaluate what you need to improve your content.
Financial Services
Video chat apps can help fulfill growing customer demands. This medium can allow financial professionals to effectively communicate with customer service reps face-to-face with their phone or computer. It enhances customer convenience while providing real-time and personalized services. Applications with screen sharing features makes it easier to troubleshoot issues as you can see what the customers are doing in real-time. Video chat apps improve the efficiency of financial services as you can focus on your customer's specific issues from anywhere in the world.
Sales & Marketing
As mentioned, leveraging video chat apps improves overall customer service, which can boost sales and customer retention. For instance, many customers have a variety of inquiries when shopping in online portals. It is integral to have salespeople on standby to provide clarifications towards their concerns. Not only that, but they can also report issues such as faulty site browsing to be solved right then and there.
As a marketing strategy, video conferences provide a competitive advantage. Marketers can schedule virtual events and meetings to reduce travel time and costs while optimizing attendance for their prospective leads. Events like sales conferences can help build personalized connections with clients.
Fitness Platforms
Video chat can extend fitness platforms that accommodate the different learning styles and fitness preferences of people. They can learn proper fitness techniques of various exercises and training at their own pace. Additionally, video chat can be hugely beneficial to people with mobility problems and disabilities. They don't have to experience the hassle of traveling to get fit and get access to health information.
The Main Features You Need for Your Video Chat App
Firstly, your app will be likely built on IOS or Android platforms. Learn more about this process here. And remember, integrating video chat features to your business's communication platforms allows you to bring customer service to the next level. Not only does it expand your communication capabilities, but it also provides flexibility and scalability to your business. Accordingly, these benefits make it imperative to optimize your app using the most suitable features available. Here are the features that can give your video chat app a competitive advantage.
Log in or Sign up
A reliable login system is vital for the security and protection of users. It is also critical for login and sign up boxes to be apparent, making it easier for users to find them. Do not overcomplicate the system. Instead, place crucial elements somewhere users can spot as soon as they open your page.
It is also necessary to provide a "Remember Me" cookie option on login pages, so your customers and clients don't have to type in their credentials every time they are on your site. Lastly, give your users a way to retrieve their password if they forget them. "Forgot Your Password?" functionality can be placed near login and sign up boxes for convenience.
Contact List
A contact list helps your users manage and easily access their social network. It can be great to provide an option to modify the user display name for privacy and security. Additional information, such as their presence status and category, are also helpful.
Messages
A message feature allows users to chat with other people at any time. Group or individual conversations can be great for expanding the user's reach and designating messages to the right people. Other features that can be helpful are letting you and others know when messages are delivered and read. Second, it can be beneficial if users can determine when others are typing out or online. It is also essential for message features not to compromise the quality of photos and videos sent over chat.
Video or Voice Calls
Ensure that first time users grant Camera and Audio permissions whether they make or receive a call. To emphasize privacy, voice and video calls should have end-to-end encryption. It reduces susceptibility against hacking or theft. Furthermore, a feature for group calls can also be beneficial to conduct video conferences.
Presence Status
Presence status informs your availability to the users within your network. A feature that allows users to modify presence status can be beneficial. This feature is helpful when employees are on break from work or don't want to be disturbed.
Notifications
This feature keeps everyone on the team updated with the recent messages and calls they receive. Additionally, notifications provide them with timely information and relevant information about the app through push notifications.
Video chatting remains the most effective platform to communicate with other people at your convenience. Businesses need to integrate video chat apps with valuable features to address growing customer demands in an increasingly online world. Additionally, it also provides opportunities for businesses to optimize operational efficiencies. To get started on developing a high-quality video chat app made specifically for you, contact the StarNavi Team today!