How to Make a Conference Call?

Answer 1

A conference call is a way for you to meet with clients or business partners located out of town without having to pay for travel. It can save your company money but still allow you to be productive. To get the best results in a conference call, you need to be prepared and know the rules of a successful conference call.

Have an agenda

Create an agenda for the meeting and make sure all participants receive a copy of it. A conference call can get frustrating if too many people are trying to say multiple things at the same time. An agenda will let everyone know exactly what will be discussed, and give everyone time to prepare.

Circulate your agenda at least two weeks before the conference call and encourage participants to ask questions and recommend changes.

Find the right setting

To be able to hear everything that is going on in a conference call, you will need to find a quiet meeting room where you cannot be disturbed. If you are going to have several people on your end of the call in the same room with you, then make sure the room has a speakerphone. Reserve the conference room well in advance of the meeting so you know you will have it when the conference call time arrives.

Establish a protocol

The meeting chair person should be the only person that speaks, unless someone else has been given the floor. A conference call is different than an in-person meeting because multiple people talking at the same time often cannot be heard during a conference call. When people sign into the call, they should identify themselves so that everyone can associate the voice with the person. Each person that wishes to speak should request permission, and all attendees should respect the protocol. Anyone who continually breaks protocol should be dropped from the meeting.

Take a lot of notes

Information in a conference call can get misunderstood or misinterpreted. Take notes during the conference call and ask someone to clarify a point if you feel you misunderstood. When the conference call minutes are released, you want to make sure everything is accurate.

Using technology to conduct meetings helps companies to stay in touch while keeping costs down. Utilize the conference call as much as you can, and be sure to follow the rules of a successful call.