Company News

Zoom’s Commitment to User Support & Business Continuity During the Coronavirus Outbreak

5 min read

Updated on September 01, 2022

Published on February 26, 2020

In this blog

01 Our commitment to our customers - Jumplink to Our commitment to our customers
02 Zoom use in the affected areas - Jumplink to Zoom use in the affected areas
03 Advanced capabilities with a free license - Jumplink to Advanced capabilities with a free license
04 How to manage a temporarily remote workforce - Jumplink to How to manage a temporarily remote workforce
05 Learn more about Zoom - Jumplink to Learn more about Zoom

Eric S. Yuan

CEO

Here at Zoom, we are closely monitoring the coronavirus public health emergency that has affected thousands of people across China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, and numerous other countries. We have been in constant touch with our employees in regions impacted by the epidemic, as well as our customers in those areas, and we’re providing support in every way we can. I grew up in the eastern Shandong Province of China and studied at the Shandong University of Science & Technology. It's a place I still hold dear. I am continuously inspired by the courageous efforts of those treating patients in China and around the world — working hard to try to further prevent the spread of the virus. The growing epidemic has broadened my view on what it means to be a video communications technology provider in times of need. I know many organizations are grappling with how to maintain business continuity and keep employees engaged amid the threat of the virus, and I’m compelled to help anyone who needs it. It's my responsibility as Zoom’s CEO — and Zoom’s unique responsibility as a company — to do everything in our power to support those impacted by the coronavirus outbreak by committing our reliable technology, expanded access, and agile customer service.

We created Zoom nearly 10 years ago to build a better video communications platform and simplify how people communicate. Foundational to that goal was establishing a company that actively demonstrates genuine care for every user. That’s why Care is one of Zoom’s core company values. The word is displayed prominently across the walls of every Zoom office, on our internal Digital Signage, and on our About Zoom webpage. We believe every business has the social responsibility to contribute back to the community and to society, and it's critically important during times of crisis. With this tenet in mind, Zoom is doing everything we can to provide resources and support to those navigating the coronavirus outbreak, including:

For our Basic (free) users in China, we’ve lifted the 40-minute limit on meetings with more than two participants, providing unlimited time to collaborate.
We’re proactively monitoring servers to ensure maximum reliability amid any capacity increases, as uptime is paramount.
We’re scheduling informational sessions and on-demand resources so anyone can learn how to use the Zoom platform with ease — and at their convenience.

The coronavirus is massively disrupting daily life as people are increasingly staying home in order to avoid potential infection. Hospitals and medical clinics are being inundated with sick patients, putting additional strain on doctors and nurses. Businesses are scrambling to manage remote teams and provide business continuity. Educational institutions are trying to maintain coursework for their students amid school closures. Zoom gives people the ability to collaborate using the devices they already have and provides multiple channels of communication when travel and connectivity are limited. Here are some of the ways Zoom has been put into action in China during the outbreak:

Mental health training: Zoom has provided free services and technical support to NGOs, such as charitable foundations and medical institutions, to assist with disaster relief efforts. Beijing Well-being Foundation, one of those NGOs, in partnership with psychology professors from top universities including Qinghua, are using Zoom Webinars to train thousands of mental health counselors and prepare them for psychological consultations with doctors, patients, and their families in Wuhan. From Jan. 29 to Feb. 25, 58 training sessions were held for 312,056 participants, with a total training duration of 84.6 hours.
Online education: In cooperation with the China Educational Information Platform, we launched a Zoom video conference platform that supports online education and research for all universities and colleges in China. Top universities like Tsinghua University, the University of Science and Technology of China, Nanjing University, and Shenzhen University, are using the Zoom platform to continue their teaching activities online.
Telemedicine enablement: Doctors from more than 1,000 public hospitals in China are using Zoom’s high-definition video meetings to conduct online consultations, remotely diagnose patients, and provide treatment during the coronavirus epidemic.

We’re proud that the flexibility and ease of use of the Zoom platform make these interactions possible for every user.

With a free Zoom Meetings license, users have access to all the audio and video conferencing and group collaboration features needed, including:

An unlimited number of video meetings with up to 100 participants
Crystal-clear audio and HD video
Breakout rooms
Private and group chats
Online support

Plus, it’s easy to download and deploy Zoom using our client application or via any web browser, so users can start communicating right away.

The coronavirus outbreak has transformed many organizations into fully remote operations almost overnight, but managing that type of workplace isn’t always easy without face-to-face communication. Whether teams are fully remote, part-time remote, or temporarily remote due to travel restrictions, Zoom ensures that a dispersed workforce can be managed using:

Instant 1-on-1 video meetings
Daily team stand-ups with up to 49 video participants via Gallery View
Real-time collaboration with screen sharing and annotation
Chat channels for project-specific communications
Cloud recording and sharing capabilities
Company-wide webinars to distribute important updates

Here at Zoom, we are committed to doing our part to help during this challenging time. When employees are not able to get to the office, when teams cannot travel to see customers, and when students cannot participate in on-site classes, Zoom provides a platform where they can still be productive with just a free Zoom Meetings license. Here are some additional resources to keep organizations up and running using Zoom: