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Senior Manager-Collaboration (Presales) at syndrometech
Real User
It's easy to manage, it always works, and they're constantly adding new features to cater to the average user
Pros and Cons
  • "It always works, and they try to appeal to what the user wants. They added features like background music for those people who use Zoom for online church services. They try to make the solution more useful for the user. For example, I tried to sell WebEx to a church, but I also gave them Zoom for a trial. They were impressed with that because that was the feature they were looking for."
  • "Zoom will be cheaper if you want to have a general meeting, but if you want a real enterprise version, Cisco will be cheaper."

What is our primary use case?

We use Zoom in two or three ways. One is for regular meetings. Most of our meetings are done over Zoom because people work from home due to COVID. A cloud meeting is the best way to go. People can initiate a meeting and invite people for one hour or two hours at a specific time.

When people want to do that, they have to buy Zoom's cloud meetings and licenses. If you want to conduct a cloud-based event, Zoom has a solution for events, and you have to buy an event license from them. 

The third thing is Zoom rooms or Zoom video communications. Suppose you want to have a video conferencing device in your office, and you want to use that to connect via Zoom. You're in a boardroom where you have done the A/V integration. You can buy a Zoom room license and connect that solution to your Zoom meetings.

What is most valuable?

Mostly, we like Zoom meetings and Zoom rooms.

For how long have I used the solution?

We started using Zoom last year.

How are customer service and support?

Zoom has an email address. You write to them about any issues, and they respond.

Buyer's Guide
Zoom
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Zoom. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
815,854 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Every solution has its special features because they're all competing with Zoom now. Zoom has started cornering the commercial market. WebEx was already in the enterprise market. Since the COVID outbreak, things have changed. Everybody's competing to update looks and features. I've been selling WebEx for a long time and Zoom also. I've used BlueJeans. All of the solutions are doing well, but Zoom's main benefit is that it's easy to manage.

Zoom is orienting itself to the commercial market. They are considering allowing users to start with a hundred participants per meeting, and then if you want to increase, you pay more. Webex allows a thousand participants to start. You can join from any video device. With WebEx, if you want to join from a video device, you have to buy additional licenses.

Most of our customers use Webex, but the government offices can't because of security issues. Banks also limit cloud applications to general meetings. Official meetings are on-prem only because they don't want to leak data on the cloud. Every major meeting must be recorded, so they won't do any cloud calling. If it is an urgent corporate meeting, they will not host it online. They only use Zoom or Webex for customer meetings or outside meetings.

Zoom costs less and offers more features if you're going for the lower versions. Zoom will be cheaper if you want to have a general meeting, but if you want a real enterprise version, Cisco will be cheaper.

How was the initial setup?

Everything is easy with Zoom. You don't need to do anything but order it and tell the admin for that organization, and they will give one ID. For the remaining IDs, the admin will add the rest of the users. It's the same for any service, be it WebEx, BlueJeans, etc. You'll get one ID assigned to the administrator, and they can assign the rest of IDs to anyone in the organization. If you have 10 licenses, one ID is configured for the administrator, and they distribute the rest. We give a training on how to do it. It's all cloud-based, so nothing needs to be implemented in the office or anything.

What was our ROI?

Any cloud-based service offers a lot of benefits for customers. They don't have to invest in any on-prem infrastructure and they can use it on the go. They can be in the office, at home, traveling, at a hotel, or wherever, and they can start a meeting. There is no investment or recurring costs aside from the annual licenses.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Zoom nine out of 10. It always works, and they try to appeal to what the user wants. They added features like background music for those people who use Zoom for online church services. They try to make the solution more useful for the user. For example, I tried to sell WebEx to a church, but I also gave them Zoom for a trial. They were impressed with that because that was the feature they were looking for. Zoom got most of these churches globally because of one feature.

It all depends on what the customer needs. Some people come along and say, "I want Zoom" just because they've heard of Zoom. However, it might not be a good fit when I tell them about the features. I speak to the customer, understand the requirements, and recommend they try this or that. Some people don't even need Zoom, but they ask for it. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Integration Architect at Keystone Consulting
Real User
Top 20
A cloud solution for meeting with high video quality
Pros and Cons
  • "Zoom provides different background screen functionalities for privacy protection."
  • "Zoom has frequent updates, occurring every week or twice a week. This poses a significant issue because sometimes when we attempt to initiate a call, the system begins an upgrade process, taking at least 30 seconds and sometimes up to two minutes. This unscheduled upgrade can be inconvenient for users, as they must wait for the update to complete."

What is most valuable?

Most collaboration tools share common features. Recently, Zoom has increased the number of concurrent users for collaborative purposes. Previously, the limit was 50, but now it's 10,000. You can host multiple thousand people with a licensed or free version. This is beneficial because both teams and individuals can use the service. Zoom has aimed to cater to both corporate sectors, where licences are prevalent, and individuals who may be using the free version, such as students, faculty, or small to medium enterprises.

The video quality and stability of Zoom are good, but they depend on the communication network and backbone infrastructure. Sometimes, when we use Zoom and don't have a good backbone facility, there can be issues. Zoom provides different background screen functionalities for privacy protection. These are standard functions worldwide. You can opt for new backgrounds, customise settings, and establish privacy preferences. In terms of collaboration and reviewing, Zoom offers standard features similar to other collaboration tools.

What needs improvement?

Zoom has frequent updates, occurring every week or twice a week. This poses a significant issue because sometimes when we attempt to initiate a call, the system begins an upgrade process, taking at least 30 seconds and sometimes up to two minutes. This unscheduled upgrade can be inconvenient for users, as they must wait for the update to complete.

When users who don't have the plugin available, they sometimes encounter difficulties using the browser-based system. They don't need to download any additional applications for the purpose of meeting. Zoom should invest more in this area.

Secondly, the primary target customers are the enterprise or business sectors, rather than students. Microsoft is heavily targeting the business sector. However, if these users eventually adopt Zoom for educational purposes, they will need to use the same application.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Zoom for 3-4 years. We are using this latest version of the solution.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is stable.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution’s scalability is high. if you record everything, It's encrypted. It is in the Oracle database, which is a piece of mind for me that my communication, my recording should not be. Security breach should not be there. I can set all the security parameters accordingly.

200+ users are using this solution. We are using two hours a day.

I rate the solution’s scalability a seven out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used the Microsoft team because it is built-in hardware and is easy to manage.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy and takes very little time since It is a simple configuration. Zoom has a backend agreement with Oracle. Oracle is managing end-to-end infrastructure and cloud services of Zoom. Any user can deploy the solution depending on their expertise.
It is managed or maintained by Oracle and Zoom itself but on the client side, updates are a bit annoying.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Buyer's Guide
Zoom
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Zoom. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
815,854 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Leslie Mavonyani - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of technical and projects at BI Dynamics Pty Ltd
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A tool with a free version and a deployment phase that takes around two minutes
Pros and Cons
  • "Zoom is a product that offers users convenience, so you won't be left out of any meetings, especially when others need or prefer to hold meetings on Zoom."
  • "When you join a meeting in Zoom, you may feel it is difficult to find some windows until you click a few buttons to help you eventually get to the window you want to see."

What is our primary use case?

I join meetings via Zoom only when someone sends me a link to join it. I don't use it actively. I use Zoom to attend general meetings with my company's suppliers or customers.

What is most valuable?

I hardly use Zoom. I just connect to Zoom and attend the meeting of whoever has set it up for me on Zoom. There isn't something that I like particularly about Zoom.

What needs improvement?

Some windows on Zoom can look hidden. When you join a meeting in Zoom, you may feel it is difficult to find some windows until you click a few buttons to help you eventually get to the window you want to see. I operate on a macOS, where the chat window is not immediately available when I join a meeting. In general, Zoom's UI needs improvement.

The appearance of important windows in Zoom, especially the chat window, is an area that needs improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience with Zoom. I am just a user of the solution.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

My company has around five users of Zoom.

How are customer service and support?

I never had a reason to use the solution's technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In our company, we normally use Microsoft Teams, but we use Zoom whenever there is a client that requires us to be on a call via Zoom.

How was the initial setup?

I carried out the setup phase of Zoom a couple of years ago, so I don't remember whether its procedure was complex or straightforward.

The deployment phase of Zoom took two minutes to be completed.

Regarding the deployment process, I just downloaded the Zoom installation file and pressed the install option to install Zoom on my system.

What about the implementation team?

I managed the installation phase of Zoom in our company.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I use Zoom's free version.

What other advice do I have?

Zoom is a product that offers users convenience, so you won't be left out of any meetings, especially when others need or prefer to hold meetings on Zoom.

I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Vanita Sood - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Kapylon
Real User
Top 20
Helps increase productivity by allowing online collaboration through video calls
Pros and Cons
  • "Zoom has a security feature that allows only authorized participants to join the meeting."
  • "The solution should include the integration of AI-based tools that could transcript or record the meetings."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution to conduct online meetings and video calls.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution helps increase productivity by allowing online collaboration and conducting video calls.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is its ability to blur the background. This feature allows me to take calls even if I'm not in an office setting. The solution's 'mute all' feature allows you to mute the other participants in a large webinar if you do not want everybody talking. Zoom has a security feature that allows only authorized participants to join the meeting.

What needs improvement?

The solution should include the integration of AI-based tools that could transcript or record the meetings.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Zoom for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Zoom is a pretty stable solution.

I rate the solution’s stability ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Pretty much everybody in our organization uses the solution once a few days.

I rate the solution’s scalability ten out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also use the Google Meet tool. We decided to use Zoom because it is easier to set up and more intuitive.

How was the initial setup?

First-time users have to download an app on the machine, which takes time and adds to the time required for the setup. Setting up Zoom for the first time took three to four minutes.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup an eight out of ten.

What was our ROI?

The solution increases efficiency and productivity by allowing people to collaborate during the pandemic while working from home or during odd hours.

What other advice do I have?

I am using the latest version of Zoom. Zoom is deployed on the cloud, and we use the Google Workspace cloud provider.

Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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reviewer1316499 - PeerSpot reviewer
Research Assistant at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Has background noise cancellation and recording features
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool has made remote work possible for us. It's not just about the technology but also about staying connected with colleagues. ..........I can share documents directly in the chat during meetings, which is helpful, especially when collaborating with my project team. Before, I had to download the chat manually, but now I can see all the chat directly in the Zoom application. Plus, I can automatically save the meeting chat to my computer."
  • "We use screen sharing, but sometimes it can be awkward because you might accidentally share the wrong screen, including personal ones. ......Similar to the integration between Google Calendar and Google Meet, having everything in one environment would be much more convenient for scheduling meetings."

What is our primary use case?

We use Zoom a lot for meetings. We schedule regular meetings in advance, sometimes even a month in advance. Sometimes, we have last-minute meetings, too. For those, we use personal meeting links. Our work setup is a mix of in-office and online, so even in the office, we still use Zoom because some team members work remotely.

What is most valuable?

The tool has made remote work possible for us. It's not just about the technology but also about staying connected with colleagues. When everyone works from home, using Zoom for meetings becomes very common. One great thing about the product is its ability to cancel out background noise. This helps a lot, especially when construction or other noise surrounds your home. 

The Zoom recording feature is really useful. Sometimes, when you need to interview sensitive users, they might not feel comfortable if you record a video. We might have used a phone or another recorder in the past. However, it records only the audio of the meeting, not the video or screen sharing. This makes customers feel safer because they know only the audio is being recorded, which can be more effective for sensitive interviews.

I can share documents directly in the chat during meetings, which is helpful, especially when collaborating with my project team. Before, I had to download the chat manually, but now I can see all the chat directly in the Zoom application. Plus, I can automatically save the meeting chat to my computer.

What needs improvement?

We use screen sharing, but sometimes it can be awkward because you might accidentally share the wrong screen, including personal ones. It's a common function in Zoom meetings but can lead to some uncomfortable moments.

Even though we use screen sharing a lot, it can still be awkward because we don't always know what the other person's screen looks like. Technical issues often arise during screen sharing, especially in hybrid meetings where some people are in physical meeting rooms, and others are online. In those cases, it isn't easy to know which screen is being shared, especially if multiple screens are connected.

One area where the tool could improve is providing better clarity during screen sharing. It would be helpful to have a feature where participants can see what others see on their screen, especially when sharing presentations like PowerPoint slides. Sometimes it's hard to know which screen is being shared. Additionally, indicating when screen sharing has stopped would be beneficial. Another aspect that could be enhanced is noise cancellation. While Zoom does have this functionality, it's not widely known among participants.

Maybe the solution could promote noise cancellation features more effectively, especially for users in open office environments where background noise can be problematic. Users could access noise cancellation with just one click, which works well in my experience. However, having a dedicated button on the dashboard might be helpful for quick access rather than navigating through the audio settings. The noise cancellation feature also has different levels, like low, medium, and high, depending on the background noise level. But if you set it too high in a quiet environment, it can also cancel out your voice.

One thing I'd like to see in a new version of Zoom is better control over Otter.ai. If someone is invited to a meeting but doesn't attend, Otter.ai will join the meeting and record it without the host's consent. There's no way to block or prevent this from happening, even though Zoom works with Otter.ai for transcription purposes. It would be helpful to introduce settings allowing hosts to block or manage Otter.ai from joining meetings without permission. This would prevent situations where meetings are recorded without consent. 

While attaching a link to a calendar invite for personal meeting rooms is straightforward, it's not as smooth for dedicated meetings created within Zoom. Sometimes there are issues with logging in or stability when connecting Zoom with Outlook calendars. As a workaround, I often create a quick Zoom meeting in Zoom itself, copy the link, and then add it to my calendar invite. It would be great if Zoom had smoother integration with calendars like Outlook or Google Calendar to streamline this process. Similar to the integration between Google Calendar and Google Meet, having everything in one environment would be much more convenient for scheduling meetings.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product since 2019. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable since I haven't faced any issues with big meetings. My meetings usually consist of 10-20 users. 

How are customer service and support?

I haven't contacted the tool's technical support yet. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Compared to other products like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, Zoom is pretty great overall. My experience with Microsoft Teams hasn't been very smooth, as I often encounter issues with turning on my camera, hearing clearly, or using the chat functions. While this might be due to my computer, it's still frustrating. As for Google Meet, although it's not necessarily bad, I prefer Zoom because I'm more familiar with its layout and settings. I've gotten used to Zoom, so Google Meet feels a bit harder to use in comparison.

What other advice do I have?

It's hard to give Zoom a specific reliability rating because it can vary depending on factors like internet issues or technical glitches. Sometimes, updates occur, which can cause delays when joining meetings. 

I use the tool's desktop version. I rate it an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Ahmad Hida - PeerSpot reviewer
Application and BI manager at Ithmaar-solutions
Real User
Top 5
Reliable, stable, and performs well
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Zoom for enhanced team collaboration are its high video quality, comprehensive meeting features, and reliable performance."
  • "I would appreciate it if the updates weren't so frequent."

What is our primary use case?

We use Zoom for our daily maintenance since we mainly work online and our team members are in different cities. It helps us hold meetings and collaborate on projects efficiently.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Zoom for enhanced team collaboration are its high video quality, comprehensive meeting features, and reliable performance. It is also quite user-friendly and the sound quality is good.

What needs improvement?

While Zoom is an excellent product overall, I would appreciate it if the updates weren't so frequent.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Zoom for three years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 15 users at our company that use Zoom daily.

How was the initial setup?

Setting up Zoom was straightforward and took almost no time at all. Just downloading the file and following the instructions made it easy. Deployment can be completed in just a couple of minutes, and adding a custom logo is a simple process.

What was our ROI?

Zoom has provided a positive ROI by saving time and money through remote meetings, eliminating the need for in-person gatherings, and reducing costs associated with travel and office space.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate Zoom as a ten out of ten. It is reliable, stable, and performs well. I would recommend it to others.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Md. Al Imran Chowdhury - PeerSpot reviewer
Cyber Security Analyst at Link3 Technologies
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Useful to hold virtual meetings, but video quality needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a stable solution."
  • "In Zoom meetings, video quality is an area of concern where improvements are required."

What is our primary use case?

I deal with Zoom as a solution that my company provides to its clients. Basically, my company sells Zoom to clients.

Zoom is a good product, and there are no limitations when you plan to include lots of members. Basically, I haven't directly handled Zoom's consoles and other areas, so I won't be able to tell you all the details regarding the tool. I want to tell you Zoom is a good product for remote meetings and conferences.

What needs improvement?

In Zoom meetings, video quality is an area of concern where improvements are required.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience with Zoom. My company is a reseller of Zoom.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the product depends on the licensing model a user chooses for his company. I am not very experienced with the scalability features of the product.

My company has sold the product to two customers.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In our company, we use Microsoft Teams for our internal and external meetings.

Previously, I used Webex.

How was the initial setup?

The product can be deployed on the cloud. Zoom provides a cloud console, and the user needs to log in to it to activate the licenses. After the licenses are activated, the admin user can create user credentials and passwords for the person who will be the admin, and then it gets shared with that person who can arrange meetings on the tool.

The solution is deployed on the cloud. Deploying the product on an on-premises model may take some time, considering that some hardware devices are involved in the process.

It didn't take much time to deploy the product.

What was our ROI?

Zoom's ability to allow its users to hold virtual meetings is valuable for our company. It helps to hold a lot of regular meetings with team members who are located outside the company's headquarters. Before the invention of Zoom, employees were forced to come to the office to attend meetings. Zoom saves money by eliminating the need for employees to spend money on travel costs and the costs of holding meetings in the head office.

What other advice do I have?

In terms of reliability, I haven't heard about any recommendations from the clients who use the tool. I think it is better for a regular user of Zoom to speak about the product since only such a person can provide more details regarding whether the tool is good or bad. If you want to know about Zoom from my perspective, I think that I can't give you much information related to the solution.

When I join Zoom meetings, especially the external ones, I feel that the video quality is okay. I rate the tool's video quality a seven and a half out of ten when compared to Webex.

Though I haven't thought about the sound quality offered by Zoom, I feel it is okay.

During multiple conference calls, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex post different limitations in terms of screen sharing and presentation capabilities.

I would recommend that instead of Zoom, others can also use Webex and Microsoft Teams.

I know that nowadays, Zoom is securing their communication in the area of conferencing, specifically video conferencing.

Others can use Zoom if they want to use it.

I rate the tool a seven and a half out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Assistant Investment Manager at Al Ashram Investments
Real User
An affordable, easy, and user-friendly tool useful for setting up virtual meetings
Pros and Cons
  • "Zoom is quite easy to use and user-friendly."
  • "The only limitation in Zoom is related to the time limit for a call, which is about 40 minutes."

What is our primary use case?

Zoom is quite easy to use and user-friendly.

The main purpose of Zoom is to hold virtual meetings.

What is most valuable?

Zoom has many features, but our company uses the solution's basic features, like scheduling meetings on the calendar, chatting, and sharing screens and documents.

What needs improvement?

The only limitation in Zoom is related to the time limit for a call, which is about 40 minutes. The aforementioned area can be considered for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Zoom since 2020, around COVID-19. My company is just a customer of Zoom. I use the solution's latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Around 15 people in my company use Zoom.

Zoom is used at least once every couple of days, but in the past, Zoom was used every day.

Personally, I plan to increase the use of the solution since I prefer to have more virtual meetings.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't interacted with the solution's technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I had used Skype, which was exclusively for personal use.

How was the initial setup?

I rate Zoom's initial setup phase around nine to ten, on a scale of one to ten, where one is a difficult setup and ten is an easy setup.

The solution is deployed on an app, which is an on-premises version.

Zoom's initial download or deployment process was completed in a couple of minutes.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate the product's pricing two or three on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price. Price-wise, it is an affordable solution. The cost, in addition to the standard licensing fees, is related to the premium. Generally, a person can use it for free or go for a premium if they want to upgrade or extend the meeting time.

What other advice do I have?

I think Zoom is a great tool.

I recommend Zoom to others because I found it very easy to use, especially for old people unfamiliar with technology. With Zoom, you just send the link and the invite to allow a person to join a meeting easily.

I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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