As more and more businesses start to become more online orientated, teleconferences are becoming one of the main ways they communicate. With some people being in different locations (and some even in different time zones) it can be hard to keep track of everyone and communicate with them all.
Teleconferencing is an effective way to be able to communicate and work with a very dispersed team. However, though it may sound simple to just join a call and go at it like a normal meeting, there are a few things that can be done to help make the most of your conferences and make them more effective. Without the following tips, your meetings may be hard to manage and can even result in wasted time if people are not ready, or they can become unproductive without a clear agenda.
1. Deal with Noise
Having a dog barking or a child screaming in the background can be very disruptive during a teleconference call. Any unexpected noises can be interruptive to a call and can cause people to lose their train of thought, which can disrupt the flow of the call.
When participating in a call, it is important that you try your best to find an area with the least amount of background noise. Even better, if you can wear any form of earbuds or headphones, this can help mitigate the incoming noises. Headsets and earbuds microphones help lower the incoming background noise and help make you sound clearer when you speak.
It is also very important to mute yourself when you are not actively speaking as this blocks out any additional noises that may come in from your end of the call.
2. Follow an Agenda
Having an agenda is the best way to have a productive teleconference call and keep the call in order and efficient. Knowing who is speaking, when they are speaking, and for how long helps keep the call flowing smoothly. Agendas also help ensure there is no open air at any point and that transitions between speakers are smooth.
Nobody wants to join a call and have no clue what is going on, and even worse, be called on to talk about something out of the blue with no preparation. That is why it is important to make sure before a call, that everyone is aware of what the call is about and who is speaking, along with what they are speaking about and how much time they have to speak.
As well, no one wants a call that drags on for too long, as it can also be unprofessional if you are speaking to a client and you seem unprepared, and the call takes longer then promised. So, make sure for each call you have a schedule or agenda of what is going to be covered in the call.
3. Introduce Yourself
If you are on a call with new people, and even if there are people who already know you, it is always good to introduce yourself along with your role. This helps people to be able to better know who you are and what you do and how it relates to the context of the call. This is important as well if someone has a question and/or would like to talk to you, they will know who they are talking to.
It is even more important to include your name when you are not using cameras as people may not know who is speaking at any given time. It never hurts to mention your name once in a while ahead of speaking, as you do not know who may have caught your name the first time and who has not.
4. Record the Teleconference
Recording the teleconference call is a great way to make sure that important things said during the call can be reviewed later and looked over if needed. It is also good way to let people who could not attend the call go back and listen and see what they may have missed. You can also use the recording to help give feedback on how a presentation or sales pitch went to help people learn.
Additionally, people are more mindful of what they say when they know they are being recorded and waste less time during the call, helping improve the efficiency of the meeting.
Start Using Teleconferencing Now!
Want to get started with teleconferencing but are unsure of where to find a solution? Check out SimplyCast’s Instant Teleconference!
SimplyCast’s Instant Teleconference allows you to initiate a teleconference with a single, automated call to multiple contacts without needing to have them sign in or use a password. You just need to select who you want to be in the call, and then it will send a call out to them, helping you start conference calls quickly and easily.
Sound interesting? Want to give it a try? Click on the button bellow to request a demo of Instant Teleconference and get in touch with a SimplyCast team member.