Conference Calling: How To Make Better Conference Calls

Conference calls are not the most exciting of activities to participate in. Normal face to face meetings are usually as boring as they are and when you have to join a meeting where you have to deal with only voices on the other end of a telephone, things can become dull. Even video conferencing can be mind-numbing.

However, there are ways to make sure that the conference calling goes on without having half the participants yawning within the first few minutes. The idea is to keep the conference well-organized and take control of the situation.

* Noise levels need to be lowered.

Conference Calling: How To Make Better Conference Calls

Any sound is amplified over the speaker phone. A fan can sound like a raging wind, and the sound of paper shuffling can be painful to the ear. Problems related to noise can be minimized by making sure that all participants are reminded to keep their noise levels down. Advise all participants to keep their line on mute unless it is their turn to speak.

* Speak slowly.

During conference calls, everyone needs to speak slightly slower than normal. This is especially useful during video or web-based conferences. There are times when the audio is slightly off with the video and speaking slower than normal can help people understand what the speaker is saying better.

* Do not interrupt.

There is nothing more frustrating during conference calls than to have people cutting each other off. People having their own conversations while someone else is speaking can also be irritating. Make sure that there is a moderator who has the leadership role and can stop any side conversations as they start.

* Stick to the agenda.

The moderator needs to control the situation. When a discussion is going off topic, the participants need to be notified. Nobody wants to be stuck in a call that lasts hours and hours. It is important that everyone sticks to the agenda, speaks briefly and to the point, and any topics that come up on the fly need to be nipped in the bud.

* Take conference calls seriously.

Call conferencing is as important as any face to face meeting and needs to be regarded as such. Because participants are not physically face to face, some may tend to find excuses not to be present or join in late. It is important that all participants are reminded of the need for the calls. It is also important to keep things on schedule so that no one loses interest on the next call. If participants know that the call will start and end on time, they will be more likely to participate with enthusiasm.

Conference Calling: How To Make Better Conference Calls
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Conference Calling

As businesses evaluate the type of conference calling that is right for them they will need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each. In this article we will evaluate and compare the three major types of conference calls including audio, web, and video conferencing.

The biggest advantage, for many companies, in choosing audio or web conferencing over video conferencing is the cost. Audio conferencing tends to be the cheapest. Virtually the only costs involved when choosing audio conferencing is the cost of a telephone and then the charge of a long distance call. Many companies already have phones with a built-in speakerphone and if not they can be purchased for as little as 0.

However there are disadvantages in choosing audio conferencing as well. The first distinct disadvantage is that businesses lose personal relations when all they hear is a colleague's voice. Jokes and remarks can be taken the wrong way or be offending when those involved can not see a caller's smile of facial expression. Another disadvantage to audio conferencing is that the quality of the call declines as additional locations are added. When several parties are involved the chance of two of them talking at the same time are great and neither of them will have their thoughts heard.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Conference Calling

Web conferencing offers its rewards and shortcomings as well. While web conferencing can be free, it is usually in the companies best interest to choose to pay a little more to avoid annoying ads and pop ups. Web conferencing is especially useful for business calls that involve viewing digital files because these files can be sent in an instant via email to all parties involved. Documents can be viewed, analyzed and returned so they can be discussed all at once rather than waiting and communicating through mail or several phone calls. Web conferencing also allows more than one person to talk or type at once without going unheard.

Like any type of conference calling though, web conferencing also has its disadvantages. One of these down sides is that, again, it is difficult to gauge a person's seriousness or humor in a comment. There is no personality in a typed sentence. It is also difficult for those who are uncomfortable with technology to use web conferencing efficiently.

Finally the biggest advantage to video conferencing is that it offers a visual connection with the other attendees. When using video conferencing callers are able to view each other on a TV screen and hear each other through the speaker system. Associates are able to hear each other's voices, put a voice to a face, and understand each other's joke and comments. Financially, the cost of video conferencing is quite a bit higher due to the equipment that is involved. If equipment is not high quality it can also be limiting because the video feed can be jerky or delayed. Whatever type a business chooses, every type of conference call has it ups and downs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Conference Calling
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Jeremy Thompson is the author of ConferenceCallingServicesGuide.com your online guide to conference calling and conference calling services. Visit his site at ConferenceCallingServicesGuide.com.

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