The digital age bears witness to the use of audio conferencing
to connect people from across the country in one real time
discussion. If you are attending your first conference call you
may have a false idea of the real process. It is just a virtual
meeting. It is not an informal call that deserves less respect
than any other meeting.
A personal conference call from the comfort of your home may
grant you some leeway in your appearance and dress, but that is
all.
The key to having a successful conference call is having a
clear understanding. You have to understand the differences and
similarities that it has with a normal conference or meeting.
Preparation for your conference call will be very similar to
preparation for any conference or discussion. You need to have
reviewed all of the related materials and have an established
understanding of the issues before you go into the meeting. One
of the best ways to ruin a teleconference is to have an
uninformed audience barely comprehending the speakers. There are
a few extra steps of preparation that should be remembered
though.
You should have your dial-in code in an accessible location to
avoid the last minute panic to find your number. Your conference
call equipment should also be checked to ensure that everything
is how you want it. The microphone should be set at an audible
volume that isn't too loud and any loud noisemakers around your
desk or on your person should be turned off or put away.
Finally, a good conference call will usually have an
established plan with time allocated carefully to each part. You
should take a few minutes and understand just how the meeting is
going to break down so that you can adopt your questions and
speeches to meet the agenda.
The conference call itself mainly just requires basic etiquette
that you would show at any other meeting. You shouldn't think of
it as informal. Don't think that you can multitask or do what
you want during the boring parts. You aren't really in your own
world.
Background noise is often very clear during a conference call
and eating a bag of potato chips during your boss's speech is
probably not a good idea. Remember to speak clearly since your
audience will rely solely on audio cues for information since
your facial expression will not be seen by anyone outside of the
room. Most important of all, you need to stay involved and leave
a good impression.
A host should follow a few special rules for their conference.
The host should log on early to greet members as they sign in
and introduce them to each other. Remember to introduce new
speakers and clearly give a little background information on
anyone involved so that listeners have a good understanding of
all the information.
Also try and keep the discussion guided and manage any
distractions to keep everyone on track for the most productive
meeting possible.
If you follow all of these basic tips you should find yourself
on the path to a good conference call. Just show basic respect
to everyone and you will be fine.
