5 Tips That Make for a Successful Conference Call

A conference call is an efficient and productive method to hold meetings, particularly for those people who would else have to travel for long distances to attend. However, a lot of factors come into play when holding conference calls, but the secrets to a successful conference call are quite simple and straightforward. The following guidelines will help any team, regardless of the size, to have successful conference calls and increase their productivity as well.

Nix The Personal Electronics

Inappropriate use of personal electronics, especially smart phones, shouldn’t happen.  The conference call is a time for focused attention and communication.  No one appreciates being interrupted.  Request in advance that all personal electronics be turned off or at least put on silent during the conference.

Focus on the agenda

Make sure you have an agenda for the meeting and stick to it. That will assist in holding the attention of the participants and moving the conference call along at a fast pace, which will improve the experience of everybody involved. Nothing can make a great day boring like an unproductive and overdrawn meeting. Leave all the water cooler talks for individual phone calls. Non-work related topics will lengthen your meeting, and not all people will appreciate particular topics.

Utilize high-quality equipment

If you don’t have quality equipment for holding conference calls, you are running the risk of ending the conference call before it starts. If the other individuals cannot hear you or you are unable to hear them, your meeting will end before it even starts. Ensure that you get high-quality gadgets including a speakerphone for your conferences by investing in technology which will save you money and time in the long term.

Have a designated leader, but encourage participation

Having a leader will help in reducing the length of your conference calls, but always allow everyone to contribute. By doing this, you will focus the entire conversation on the crucial points of significance. The leader should also know when to allow the other individuals to engage in the dialogue. All these responsibilities are vital to getting the most out of the conference call while moving the meeting along. The primary objective is to have the shortest and most successful meeting possible.Take notes and distribute them

Taking notes and distributing them to your virtual team will help in confirming that the participants are on the same page with you. Make sure the notes are taken on a computer because it makes it easy to copy and distribute them later. Meeting minutes helps in clearing any confusion and eventually increases the team’s productivity.

Take time for questions and final comments

Allocate every participant some time to ask questions and leave a comment before ending the call. This opportunity should be utilized in clarifying misunderstood points during the meeting and reiterating crucial information. Also, it also gives the group the chance to engage one another and display their strengths to the team.

Conference calls are undeniably an efficient and productive way to hold meetings, particularly for people traveling for long distances to attend. Nevertheless, if the calls are not conducted in an organized and professional way, it can be a waste of precious time for both you and your participants. These tips will help you and your team to have a successful meeting but always remember to focus on the items that matter the most and to keep it simple.