Before the pandemic, remote meetings were about as common as a solar eclipse. They were the last resort — usually used when someone had to stay home with a sick child or couldn’t attend in person for another reason. You’d dial in through a half-asleep conference phone, and that was pretty much it. Improving an “unnecessary” process wasn’t even on the map.
Maybe we weren’t ready, but a few pioneers had already started talking about the benefits of video and phone conferences. The main arguments back then were:
- Environmentally friendly
- Cost-effective
- Time-saving
Today, video and phone conferences are the norm. We simply assume our meetings will be digital — just like we once assumed Leif “Loket” Olsson would be on TV when Bingolotto ruled the ’90s.
That said, there are still good reasons for face-to-face meetings. Interaction matters — but it’s not critical. Before the pandemic, that interaction was the main reason to meet in person. Companies swallowed high travel costs and lost work hours because traveling from Umeå to Skåne for a one-hour meeting was considered completely normal. Suggest that today and… well, you get the picture.
Pre-COVID: Video meetings — for internal use only
Back then, video meetings were mostly for internal purposes. Occasionally you’d get an invite, and right on cue, the classic issues followed. People couldn’t connect, audio didn’t work, video lagged — and by the time everything was finally up and running, there were about 15 minutes left of the meeting. The tools simply weren’t user-friendly.
Fast forward nine months, and now we’re talking about video meeting fatigue. Quite the shift, right?
Phone conferences — yesterday’s standard
For many companies, phone conferences (or “telcos”) were the standard go-to. When someone couldn’t attend in person, the solution was simple: call in.
Not surprising, really — the telephone’s been around since Antonio Meucci built the first one in 1849 (though A. Graham Bell conveniently patented it later, but that’s another story).
The benefits of phone conferences:
- Easy to book
- Simple to join
- Scalable
- External participants join as easily as internal ones
- Lower travel costs
How phone conferences work in lynes
In our world, there are two types of phone conferences: scheduled and spontaneous.
A scheduled conference works just like it sounds — participants receive an invite with a clickable link to join, plus the option to call in with a unique code (why anyone chooses that option, we’re not sure — but apparently, people still do).
Spontaneous conferences, or as we say in Stockholm, ad hoc conferences, are incredibly easy in lynes. You can add participants directly from a call or send out a link so they can join instantly — just like a scheduled conference.
No need to call someone and say:
“Hey, we need to talk about the report. Can you dial 091234567 and enter code 46537?”
Whether scheduled or spontaneous, conferencing in lynes is simple. You can mute all participants, invite as many as you like, and skip the limitations of traditional setups. Phone conferences shouldn’t be complicated — they should be lynes.
Video conferences — the new normal
These days, we don’t ask where to meet. The question is how — or rather, which platform? We automatically assume it’s a video meeting.
Before, in-person interaction was the key argument against video. That, combined with the lack of technology, made video meetings rare. But now, the playing field has changed — and video meetings are our MVP. They’re personal, engaging, and feel more natural — like a “real” meeting.
How video conferences work in lynes
A video meeting in lynes couldn’t be simpler. Click the link in your invitation — done. External participants can join straight from their browser, no downloads or plugins needed.
In the lobby, you can test your microphone, camera, and audio before joining — meaning no more “Can you hear me?” every time someone enters.
We don’t limit the number of participants either. Whether you’re 10 or 100, lynes handles it with ease.
Need to share your screen? Of course. Because let’s be honest — what’s a meeting without a PowerPoint? Just click once, choose whether to share your full screen or a single window, and you’re good to go.
Why video conferencing rocks:
- Easy to join
- No expensive equipment needed
- Faces to names — more personal interaction
- Screen sharing for presentations and visuals
- Lower travel costs
- Huge time savings
Phone and video conferences in lynes
A conference in lynes is exactly what it sounds like — a conference. Whether it’s audio or video depends on how participants choose to join. You can even start as a phone call, switch to video midway, and share your screen — all within the same ongoing session. No need to create a new meeting or switch tools.
You can also mix participants — some via phone, others on video. Sure, the ones calling in can’t see the video participants (unless they’re using our mobile app), but everyone can hear each other just fine.
We’ve truly lynesified conferencing. You decide how it works.
