December 11, 2024
Putting flexibility and collaboration at the heart of BDO UK’s meeting spaces
The team at BDO UK uses our AI-powered cameras to create immersive meeting experiences across all spaces—from collaboration areas to boardrooms. For BDO, it’s the human factor that makes all the difference: people-focused technology paired with responsive, remote AV support.
Rethinking meeting spaces for a new way of working
As part of BDO Global’s international network, BDO UK have embraced an agile and collaborative approach to offering assurance, tax, financial advisory, and consulting services. Video meetings are central to how they interact with clients and solve challenges—but this wasn’t always the case.
When Bogdan Iosub joined BDO UK in early 2019 as AV Operations Manager, the company was using older AV setups, such as VGA systems and codec-based environments. These solutions worked internally but were less effective for external communication, particularly with clients —a key aspect of BDO UK’s work.
Then the pandemic hit. With the workforce shifting overnight from fully in-office to fully remote, the company seized the opportunity to reimagine their meeting spaces from the ground up. The challenge was finding a flexible, intuitive solution that worked seamlessly across a wide range of environments—small meeting rooms, training areas, classroom setups, open collaboration spaces, divisible rooms, and boardrooms.
Enter Huddly.
Smarter tools for seamless collaboration
Today, BDO UK have Huddly cameras installed in 280 of their meeting rooms, across their 18 offices. 18 of these rooms are equipped with Huddly Crew. Here’s what makes Huddly cameras a favorite:
Flexibility across spaces: By deploying Huddly IQ and L1 in smaller rooms and Huddly Crew in larger, dynamic spaces, BDO UK have achieved consistent, high-quality video experiences company-wide.
Engaging hybrid meetings: BDO UK take full advantage of Huddly’s AI capabilities, such as Gallery View for inclusive framing, ensuring every participant feels connected and involved, and Speaker Mode for dynamic speaker tracking in lager spaces. “The cameras create that immersive experience where people joining remotely, as well as those in the room, feel very engaged—even though it’s only a hybrid meeting, not face-to-face,” says Bogdan Iosub.
Compact, powerful design: “The amount of compute packed into their small size is outstanding. You can barely notice them, and they’re much less intrusive than other cameras.”
Seamless Microsoft Teams integration: All Huddly cameras are Microsoft Teams certified, making it easy to provide user-friendly technology and deliver great meeting experiences from room to room.
Evolving technology: Huddly’s regular software updates ensure their cameras stay cutting-edge and improve over time. “It’s great having those improvements. It’s so much better than a fixed solution that becomes obsolete.”
"Being able to point the cameras at the room and letting AI take over is crucial in minimising set up times."
Bogdan Iosub, AV Operations Manager
Huddly Crew: empowering high-stakes and dynamic spaces
For their larger meeting spaces, the company evaluated several providers before landing on Huddly Crew, our AI-directed multi-camera system.
“Huddly Crew was by far the best because it provides flexibility that no other camera system can offer. You can use two, three, or even four cameras and position them to create an absolutely immersive experience. The system’s flexibility played a key role in our decision.”
Another standout feature was ease of setup. While other systems require extensive configuration, Huddly Crew works right out of the box, with no presets or configuration needed. “It’s plug-and-play, and you can move it around and adjust it as needed.”
BDO has installed Huddly Crew in 18 spaces, including their boardrooms—used for critical events and conferences—and large divisible spaces that can be adapted to different needs.
The results speak for themselves. “We’ve been closely monitoring how people use the cameras and how they behave, so we can gather feedback and improve the solution. So far, it’s been an absolutely outstanding experience, providing a high level of immersion for everyone on the call.”
The human touch that makes it all work
Over the past few years, BDO UK have transformed how they work, with video meetings now playing a central role in their operations. “They have become essential for working together as a team and staying connected with our clients. We couldn’t live without them,” says Bogdan Iosub.
Reflecting on how quickly things evolved, he adds, “There were numerous aspects out of our control, but I am proud to say that I played an instrumental role in making that change happen.”
"The flexibility and promptness with which the team helped us deploy the solution were invaluable. That human factor is what tipped the scales in Huddly’s favor."
Bogdan Iosub, AV Operations Manager
He also credits the partnership with Huddly as a key part of the transformation: “The flexibility and promptness with which the team helped us deploy the solution were invaluable. That human factor is what tipped the scales in Huddly’s favor.”
We at Huddly can only return that compliment! Collaborating with BDO UK has been a fantastic experience, and we’re proud to help create meeting spaces where their teams and clients connect and thrive.