视频会议应用Zoom借疫情壮大，但它的“逆袭”其实早已开始
过去几天，我身边的人似乎都听说了硅谷视频会议软件公司Zoom。我上小学的孩子学校已经停课，他们要通过Zoom与老师保持联系。根据旧金山湾区的“封城”规定，我七十多岁的姑姑说她也要用Zoom上每周的钢琴课（她在短信里惊叹道：“Zoom —— 谁知道是啥？”）。
事实上，新冠疫情让我们不得不通过新的方式进行互动、学习和工作。许多人是第一次使用Zoom。新冠疫情使这家科技公司的视频聊天服务需求激增，这并不意外。Zoom没有披露自上一次季度报告以来的用户数据，但公司CEO袁征在3月4日表示，公司的“免费用户数量、会议时长和视频案例大幅增加。”实际上，Zoom的“逆袭”早已开始。
天使投资人丹·施曼在2011年为Zoom创始人袁征提供了第一笔种子投资25万美元。施曼说：“多年来，我告诉每个人[科技记者和分析师]他们低估了Zoom。后来公司上市，人们的反应是：‘哦，天哪，看看Zoom。’”
施曼所指的上市是Zoom在4月份备受关注的首次公开募股。Zoom的股价自首次公开募股之后上涨了约200%，公司市值超过310亿美元。
施曼说，近10年前公司刚成立的时候，很容易被人们忽略，因为当时视频会议行业给人们的印象是竞争激烈。当时市面上已经有许多产品，比如微软的Skype、思科的Webex和苹果的FaceTime等。为什么Zoom能够成功？它是如何做到的？
笔者联系到几位资深用户，希望找到问题的答案。
硅谷种子投资人亨特·沃克说：“在Zoom出现之前，我感觉人们在讨论视频会议应用的时候，是在想：‘你觉得哪个应用是最不糟糕的？我们就用那款吧。’”（沃克没有投资Zoom，但他是Zoom的长期用户。）“Zoom运行稳定，性能出色，而且容易使用。在网络效应的推动下，Zoom迎来飞速增长。”
其他热心用户也表达了相同的观点：虽然有许多应用可供选择，但Zoom更优秀。
风险投资公司牛仔风投的创始人李艾琳表示：“他们的系统提供了超级简单的、现代的用户体验，而且使用这款应用不需要太多点击。”（李艾琳也不是Zoom的投资人，但她是该应用的固定用户）。“你可能以为科技巨头有更多资源，所以他们能提供好的产品，但事实并非如此。”
或许是因为老牌公司最开始没有把Zoom视为竞争对手。最初，Zoom刚刚成立的时候，它的目标客户是教育领域和中小企业，包括新兴科技公司。新兴科技公司通常是各种新软件的早期采用者，因为他们更愿意使用简化版本，而不是老牌公司提供的更臃肿的版本。
企业文件共享服务Box的创始人兼CEO阿伦·利维说：“Zoom的表现令人难以置信，他们保证每次的产品体验都是简单有效的。”
如果你问Zoom的首位投资人施曼公司是如何成功的，他会说这一切都要归功于袁征和他的背景。作为Zoom的CEO兼创始人，袁征曾在Webex工作过十多年时间，当时他希望用视频和云优先架构重新构思协作软件，但遭到了拒绝。于是袁征带着40位工程师一起离开了Webex，创建了Zoom。
施曼说：“他白手起家创建了Zoom，创造了一个视频的世界。”
这意味着开发一款即使在网络连接状态不佳的情况下也能使用的产品，人们可以随时随地使用它进行视频通话。施曼说：“Zoom的架构可以在非常糟糕的网络状态下使用。”
Zoom还添加了其他许多很受欢迎的功能，比如自定义背景和自动会议转录服务（理论上消除了记笔记的必要性）等，为其他视频会议服务确立了新的标杆。
施曼说：“Zoom公司的经营理念是让客户开心。”
我问他：“这不应该是每家公司的理念吗？”
施曼回答说：“不是的。”
我想思科、苹果和微软（拥有Skype）肯定不会赞同他的话。本周早些时候，思科称，疫情爆发之后，其旗下的Webex的用户数量也创下了历史新高。其他公司提供的视频会议工具肯定也会迎来大幅增长。但视频聊天是Zoom的专长，如今它正在享受它的产品带来的成功，尽管在经济遭遇冲击的艰难时刻，大大小小的公司大多数都无法从中受益。例如：过去三个月，Zoom的股价上涨了近63%；但纳斯达克综合指数却下跌了超过17%。（思科的股票在同期内下跌近26%。）
本月早些时候，袁征在与分析师的电话会议中说道：“这是非常关键的时刻。”
事实上，Zoom的需求创下历史新高。Zoom表示，截至1月底，员工超过10人的企业客户达到81900家。（公司没有透露免费用户和付费用户的具体数量。）分析师估计，Zoom在过去两个半月内新增的活跃用户，已经超过了2019年全年的新用户数量。
但现在新增的用户会有多少升级为付费用户，还有待观察。Zoom的视频会议软件可以免费使用不超过40分钟；小型团队付费订阅的费用为每月15美元起。公司首席财务官凯利·斯塔克伯格确认，到目前为止最近新增的大批用户都是“免费用户”。
此外，随着业务的快速增长，Zoom预计会迎来或好或坏的审查。例如，该公司提供的一种可选功能“参会者注意力跟踪”已经引起了部分人的担忧。该功能支持视频会议主持人跟踪参会人员的专注情况，不需要其他标签或应用程序。（Zoom的在线支持团队称该功能不会跟踪任何音频或视频。）
但Zoom终究在悄然之间成为当下很受欢迎的视频会议工具。不仅如此，它在一个恰当的时间成功逆袭 —— 突然之间，从我的孩子和退休的姑姑到许多公司都不得不争先恐后加入“在家办公”潮流，他们需要这样一款应用。
Box公司CEO利维提到远程办公的兴起、数十亿移动设备和全球协作。他说：“事实证明，视频通信市场的规模远远超过任何人的想象。”
而且这是在疫情大流行之前。（财富中文网）
译者：Biz
过去几天，我身边的人似乎都听说了硅谷视频会议软件公司Zoom。我上小学的孩子学校已经停课，他们要通过Zoom与老师保持联系。根据旧金山湾区的“封城”规定，我七十多岁的姑姑说她也要用Zoom上每周的钢琴课（她在短信里惊叹道：“Zoom —— 谁知道是啥？”）。
事实上，新冠疫情让我们不得不通过新的方式进行互动、学习和工作。许多人是第一次使用Zoom。新冠疫情使这家科技公司的视频聊天服务需求激增，这并不意外。Zoom没有披露自上一次季度报告以来的用户数据，但公司CEO袁征在3月4日表示，公司的“免费用户数量、会议时长和视频案例大幅增加。”实际上，Zoom的“逆袭”早已开始。
天使投资人丹·施曼在2011年为Zoom创始人袁征提供了第一笔种子投资25万美元。施曼说：“多年来，我告诉每个人[科技记者和分析师]他们低估了Zoom。后来公司上市，人们的反应是：‘哦，天哪，看看Zoom。’”
施曼所指的上市是Zoom在4月份备受关注的首次公开募股。Zoom的股价自首次公开募股之后上涨了约200%，公司市值超过310亿美元。
施曼说，近10年前公司刚成立的时候，很容易被人们忽略，因为当时视频会议行业给人们的印象是竞争激烈。当时市面上已经有许多产品，比如微软的Skype、思科的Webex和苹果的FaceTime等。为什么Zoom能够成功？它是如何做到的？
笔者联系到几位资深用户，希望找到问题的答案。
硅谷种子投资人亨特·沃克说：“在Zoom出现之前，我感觉人们在讨论视频会议应用的时候，是在想：‘你觉得哪个应用是最不糟糕的？我们就用那款吧。’”（沃克没有投资Zoom，但他是Zoom的长期用户。）“Zoom运行稳定，性能出色，而且容易使用。在网络效应的推动下，Zoom迎来飞速增长。”
其他热心用户也表达了相同的观点：虽然有许多应用可供选择，但Zoom更优秀。
风险投资公司牛仔风投的创始人李艾琳表示：“他们的系统提供了超级简单的、现代的用户体验，而且使用这款应用不需要太多点击。”（李艾琳也不是Zoom的投资人，但她是该应用的固定用户）。“你可能以为科技巨头有更多资源，所以他们能提供好的产品，但事实并非如此。”
或许是因为老牌公司最开始没有把Zoom视为竞争对手。最初，Zoom刚刚成立的时候，它的目标客户是教育领域和中小企业，包括新兴科技公司。新兴科技公司通常是各种新软件的早期采用者，因为他们更愿意使用简化版本，而不是老牌公司提供的更臃肿的版本。
企业文件共享服务Box的创始人兼CEO阿伦·利维说：“Zoom的表现令人难以置信，他们保证每次的产品体验都是简单有效的。”
如果你问Zoom的首位投资人施曼公司是如何成功的，他会说这一切都要归功于袁征和他的背景。作为Zoom的CEO兼创始人，袁征曾在Webex工作过十多年时间，当时他希望用视频和云优先架构重新构思协作软件，但遭到了拒绝。于是袁征带着40位工程师一起离开了Webex，创建了Zoom。
施曼说：“他白手起家创建了Zoom，创造了一个视频的世界。”
这意味着开发一款即使在网络连接状态不佳的情况下也能使用的产品，人们可以随时随地使用它进行视频通话。施曼说：“Zoom的架构可以在非常糟糕的网络状态下使用。”
Zoom还添加了其他许多很受欢迎的功能，比如自定义背景和自动会议转录服务（理论上消除了记笔记的必要性）等，为其他视频会议服务确立了新的标杆。
施曼说：“Zoom公司的经营理念是让客户开心。”
我问他：“这不应该是每家公司的理念吗？”
施曼回答说：“不是的。”
我想思科、苹果和微软（拥有Skype）肯定不会赞同他的话。本周早些时候，思科称，疫情爆发之后，其旗下的Webex的用户数量也创下了历史新高。其他公司提供的视频会议工具肯定也会迎来大幅增长。但视频聊天是Zoom的专长，如今它正在享受它的产品带来的成功，尽管在经济遭遇冲击的艰难时刻，大大小小的公司大多数都无法从中受益。例如：过去三个月，Zoom的股价上涨了近63%；但纳斯达克综合指数却下跌了超过17%。（思科的股票在同期内下跌近26%。）
本月早些时候，袁征在与分析师的电话会议中说道：“这是非常关键的时刻。”
事实上，Zoom的需求创下历史新高。Zoom表示，截至1月底，员工超过10人的企业客户达到81900家。（公司没有透露免费用户和付费用户的具体数量。）分析师估计，Zoom在过去两个半月内新增的活跃用户，已经超过了2019年全年的新用户数量。
但现在新增的用户会有多少升级为付费用户，还有待观察。Zoom的视频会议软件可以免费使用不超过40分钟；小型团队付费订阅的费用为每月15美元起。公司首席财务官凯利·斯塔克伯格确认，到目前为止最近新增的大批用户都是“免费用户”。
此外，随着业务的快速增长，Zoom预计会迎来或好或坏的审查。例如，该公司提供的一种可选功能“参会者注意力跟踪”已经引起了部分人的担忧。该功能支持视频会议主持人跟踪参会人员的专注情况，不需要其他标签或应用程序。（Zoom的在线支持团队称该功能不会跟踪任何音频或视频。）
但Zoom终究在悄然之间成为当下很受欢迎的视频会议工具。不仅如此，它在一个恰当的时间成功逆袭 —— 突然之间，从我的孩子和退休的姑姑到许多公司都不得不争先恐后加入“在家办公”潮流，他们需要这样一款应用。
Box公司CEO利维提到远程办公的兴起、数十亿移动设备和全球协作。他说：“事实证明，视频通信市场的规模远远超过任何人的想象。”
而且这是在疫情大流行之前。（财富中文网）
译者：Biz
Over the past few days, everyone around me seems to have caught on to Zoom, the Silicon Valley–based videoconferencing software company. My elementary school–age kids are using it to keep in touch with their teachers while their school is shut down, and my septuagenarian aunt, under orders to “shelter in place” in the San Francisco Bay Area, reported that her weekly piano lessons will now take place over Zoom as well (as she marveled via text message: “Zoom—who knew?”).
Indeed, the coronavirus pandemic is forcing us to adopt all sorts of new ways of interacting, learning, and working. And for many, that includes using Zoom for the first time. Not surprisingly, the virus outbreak has supercharged demand for the tech company’s video-chat service. Zoom won’t disclose usage numbers beyond its last reported quarter, but CEO Eric Yuan said on March 4 that the company has seen a “large increase in the number of free users, meeting minutes, and new video cases.” Then again, Zoom has actually been zooming for quite some time.
“For years, I told everyone [technology journalists and analysts] they were undercovering Zoom,” says Dan Scheinman, an angel investor who gave Zoom founder Yuan his first check, a $250,000 seed investment, in 2011. “Then it went public, and it was like, ‘Oh, my God, look at Zoom.’”
By going public, he means Zoom’s hot initial public offering in April. Since then, the company’s shares have soared about 200%, giving it a market cap of more than $31 billion.
Scheinman says it was easy for people to dismiss the company when it launched nearly 10 years ago, because videoconferencing was already considered to be a crowded market. To be sure, Microsoft’s Skype, Cisco’s Webex, and Apple’s FaceTime were already in existence in 2011, to name just a few. So why and how did Zoom take off?
I reached out to a few power users to find out.
“Previous to Zoom, I felt like the debate around videoconference apps was ‘Which do you feel is least terrible? Let’s use that one,’” says Hunter Walk, another Silicon Valley–based seed-stage investor. (Walk did not invest in Zoom, but he is a longtime user.) “Zoom had an intersection of stable, high-quality performance plus ease-of-use, and the network effect started snowballing from there.”
Ask other avid users, and they bring up that same theme: While there were plenty of other options out there, Zoom just provided a better one.
“They built a system with a super simple, modern UX [user experience] and very few clicks to get working,” says Aileen Lee, founder of venture capital firm Cowboy Ventures (again, Lee is not an investor but a regular user of Zoom). “You’d think big tech companies with more resources would have been able to offer something as good, but they never did.”
It’s possible that the incumbents didn’t immediately see Zoom as competition. Early on, the fledgling startup went after the education space and small and medium businesses, including young tech companies—classic early adopters who were eager to sign up for a simplified alternative to the bigger, incumbent vendors.
“Zoom has done an unbelievable job making sure they delivered a product experience that was dead simple and worked every single time,” says Aaron Levie, the founder and CEO of enterprise file-sharing service Box.
If you ask Scheinman, Zoom’s first investor, just how the company managed to do that, he says it all comes down to Yuan and his background. The CEO and founder of Zoom spent more than a decade at Webex, but has said repeatedly that when he wanted to completely rethink the collaboration software with a video- and cloud-first architecture, they turned him down. So Yuan left and started Zoom, taking 40 engineers along with him.
“He built Zoom from the ground up, for a world of video,” says Scheinman.
That meant developing a product that was geared to work even with suboptimal Internet coverage, easily available whenever and wherever someone needed to dial in via video. “The architecture was built to work on as crappy an Internet connection as possible,” says Scheinman.
Zoom added plenty of other popular features along the way, from customizable backgrounds to an automated in-meeting transcription service, which theoretically eliminates the need to take notes, helping to set new standards for other videoconferencing services.
“The company was built with the philosophy of making customers happy,” says Scheinman.
“Isn’t every company?” I ask.
“No,” says Scheinman.
I’m betting Cisco and Apple and Microsoft (which owns Skype) would disagree. Earlier this week, Cisco, which owns Webex, said that it too is seeing record usage numbers in light of the virus outbreak. Other companies that offer videoconferencing tools are likely seeing big spikes as well. But video chats are all that Zoom does, and it is now basking in the glory of what it has created—albeit in the midst of a painful economic hit that the vast majority of companies of all kinds will not be benefiting from. Case in point: Over the past three months, Zoom’s stock has risen nearly 63%; the Nasdaq Composite, meanwhile, is down more than 17%. (Cisco stock, in case you’re wondering, went down nearly 26% in the same time period.)
“This is a very critical moment,” Yuan said during a call with analysts that took place earlier this month.
Indeed, the demand for Zoom is higher than ever. As of the end of January, Zoom says it had 81,900 business customers with more than 10 employees. (The company doesn’t break out the exact number of free vs. paying users.) And analysts estimate that it has already brought in more mostly active users over the past two and a half months than in the whole of 2019.
But just how many of its current influx of new users will convert to paying customers remains to be seen. The company offers free access to its videoconferencing software for meetings that max out at 40 minutes; paid subscriptions start at $15 per month for small teams. So far, its chief financial officer, Kelly Steckelberg, has acknowledged that a lot of its recent uptick in usage is on the “free side.”
What’s more, Zoom can expect the ensuing scrutiny, good and bad, to be just as intense as its rapid growth. Already, an optional “attendee attention tracking” feature, which lets video-call facilitators track which participants are focusing on their meeting versus other tabs or applications, is raising some concerns. (Zoom’s online support page says that this function doesn’t track any audio or video.)
Ultimately, though, Zoom has not only managed to quietly turn into the videoconferencing tool du jour. It has managed to do so at just the right time—when, all of a sudden, everybody from my kids and retired aunt to companies forced to join the “work from home” trend desperately seems to need it.
“It turned out that the market for video communication is just so much larger than anyone ever realized,” says Levie, Box’s CEO, pointing to the rise of remote work, billions of mobile devices, and people collaborating globally.
And that was before the pandemic.
