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Conference Call
Etiquette
Negotiating conference call etiquette for more effective meetings
April 10, 2006
By: Alice Osborn
As conference calling has become more popular, more
business people need guidance with conference call etiquette
so that they are prepared when they present themselves in
front of others on the call. Above all, conference callers
need strong audio cues, rather than visual cues, to make the
meeting effective over the phone line, and they always need
to show consideration for their fellow participants during
the conference call.
The following is a list of teleconferencing etiquette
tips for conference facilitators and participants that will
help them negotiate the potential pitfalls of conference
call protocol to make the meeting as productive as possible.
Useful conference call strategies from the start
- Start on time -- The facilitator must start the
meeting on time and lead the introductions with a roll
call, which should include each conference call
participant's name, job title, and location. This tip
applies to both facilitators and participants who should
smile while speaking to spread enthusiasm and energy!
- Make an agenda -- The facilitator should write
up a clear agenda for the conference call that should be
distributed via e-mail before the meeting, so that the
conversation won't wander and the conference call will not
go over its allotted time. Also, the conference call
leader must send out all important conference call
information in advance, such as the dial-in number and
passwords.
- Turn off call waiting -- No one wants to hear
the distracting beep of the call waiting function.
- Find a quiet room and use good equipment --
This tip applies to everyone involved on the call:
speakerphones have a tendency to pick up outside noises
and this is especially the case in an open office with
multiple cubicles. If using a speakerphone because there
are multiple participants at the same location, it's best
to use the mute function until it is your turn to speak,
so that everyone on the call can hear himself or herself
clearly. Also, participants should try to use a
speakerphone that is full digital duplex, to eliminate the
echo effect and to hear all of the participants'
conversations over the call, even when participants are
speaking simultaneously.
Although cell phones may be more convenient than a
speakerphone, they can pick up static or the service can
be dropped during the call. If there is only a single
participant at a location, the best phone to use during a
conference call is a typical landline phone with a
headset.
What not to do during the conference call
- Don't interrupt -- Since there aren’t any
visual cues during an audio conference call, participants
must wait until the last speaker is finished before
speaking. Also, conference call participants should
introduce themselves before they address the others on the
call. It is the facilitator's job to discourage
interruptions and to redirect the focus of the call if the
call's conversation goes off-topic.
- Don’t do distracting activities -- Conference
call participants need to be aware that a speakerphone
picks up typing on the keyboard, paper shuffling, pencil
tapping, and chair squeaks. As mentioned earlier, muting
the call is a good etiquette practice when others are
speaking on the call.
- Don't put the call on hold -- If a conference
call is placed on hold, "hold" music will begin and
distract the entire meeting, or another employee can pick
up the held call, which will further interrupt the meeting
and jostle everyone's focus.
Wrapping up the conference call
- Let no one linger -- When the call is ready to
end, the facilitator needs to clearly state that the
meeting has concluded and they must be the last one to
hang up, so that there will be no extra minutes billed.
Most of these tips are common sense, but many conference
call participants can easily forget how to apply them
because the conference call takes place without any visual
cues. If there are new employees who don't have conference
call experience, the facilitator may want to pass out an
etiquette tip sheet, like this article, to help the new
participants adjust before they make a mistake during an
important conference call. Conference calls are here to stay
because they minimize costs and bring people together for a
timely purpose. If etiquette is observed, these meetings
will be more successful, everyone will be heard, and
participants will want to get more of their business done
through these calls.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Audio-Conferencing-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to everything you need to know about
audio driven communications, including audio conferencing,
conference calling services, and VoIP telephony for business
and personal use.
Also See: [
Audio and web
conferencing using VoIP conference software ]
[ What is VoIP? Advantages,
disadvantages and benefits of VoIP technology ]
[ A flat rate
conference call plan can save a small business money each
month ]
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