How to Conduct an Effective Conference Call

Whether you’re working with another company or working with travelling members of your own, it’s important to know how to have an effective conference call. In order to do just that, follow these steps.

Before the Call

• Plan It Out - Decide on a time that works for all participants, especially if they are in different time zones. Find a time that isn’t first thing in the morning, too close to the end of the day, or is in the middle of a lunch hour.
• Send Requests - Send an online email notifying all attendees of the conference call, when it takes place, and any instructions they need to know in order to access the call. Also, include a small agenda with talking points so everyone can properly prepare.
• Reminder & Remember - The morning of the call, send out a reminder to all participants to make sure everyone a) remembers, and b) is on time to the call. You’re also going to want to brush up on all of the talking points and anything you might be presenting.

During the Call

• Begin the Call - Make sure you start the call at exactly the time that is on the invitation request. In order to be on time, head into your conference room a few minutes early to log into any sites or set up any programs you might need.
• Stay on Track - No one wants to be on a conference call for too long, so make sure you stay on track as you follow your agenda. Make sure you cover all of the talking points, but in an amount of time that isn’t too long or too short.
• Take Notes - A conference call consists of a lot of talking from a lot of people, so be sure that note taking is done. Oftentimes a designated note taker is recommended so all participants can focus on the tasks at hand.

After the Call

• Recap - After the call has been completed, review your notes and create a call recap. Send this to all participants so everyone knows what needs to be done. It’s also good to have all of the information from the call documented in case there are any future disagreements.

Being able to have an effective conference call will allow all participants to communicate and receive any information they need in a smooth and easy way. Luckily, when you have a VoIP telephone system, conference calls are reliable and easy to set up. To learn more about VoIP phone systems, or to schedule a free estimate, give Reliable Voice & Data Systems a call at (877) 385-6657.

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