Audio Conferencing Tips
Corporate world is now using toll-free audio conferencing for various purposes. This feature has acted as a suitable cost cutting tool for the businesses. It has helped the executives sit down together to discuss important issues without travelling across the shores.
Audio conferencing is widely used for sales meetings, crisis management, auctions, press conferences, legal applications, training sessions and seminars, project management and coordination, meeting of board of directors, etc. One of the most striking features of audio conferencing is that it can be recorded for any future references. This means that minutes of the meeting are available via an audio file as well. Due to such wide implications of audio conferencing, it becomes imperative to know how to conduct an effective audio conferencing session.
You need to follow certain guidelines to ensure that you get the most out of your audio conference. Certain level of audio conferencing etiquettes must be followed to avoid any confusion. You can start with holding an audio conference in a quite room to avoid any external or back ground disturbances. You can also request everyone to put off their mobile phones or cordless phones.
It would be a good idea to avoid speaker phones that tend to pick up background sounds including rustling of papers and shifting of chairs, etc. Use phone lines that are hard wired into the telephone lines.
Every one should have the written agenda prior to the meeting including the date, time and conference number. If it is an international audio conference, it is important to include the difference in the time zone or specify the local time in individual agenda sheet.
Make sure to reach the audio conference room at least half an hour and be prepared to welcome the participants. If you are the moderator then welcome everyone and reiterate the purpose of the meeting as well as specify the time the meeting shall end. You can also carry out a roll call or attendance for the participants so that everyone knows whoever has joined in. This would also ensure that everyone is acquainted with one another. You should remind everyone that every time a participant speaks he should identify himself before speaking.
You should tell everyone that in no case they should put their numbers on hold as it will ring throughout all the numbers and shall create a disturbance. In case anyone wants to put the call on hold, coordinate to ask for the operator assistance.
Lastly, make minutes of the meeting and distribute the same to everyone to let them know the issues addressed and the outcome of the meeting. You can read out the minutes in the end and then distribute the hard copy or the soft copy via email.