Making Yourself Heard with Conference Call Etiquette
Have you ever attended a teleconference call where there was background noise which made it difficult to enjoy the call? Have you been on a call where participants are talking over each other or someone is speaking and you have no idea what their name is? Maybe you could never contribute because every time the facilitator asked a question, there were one or two people who always jumped in and didn't stop talking, and the facilitator didn't have control of the situation.
If you are planning a conference call, you need to make sure that everyone involved is aware of how it will work. As soon as someone confirms that they will be taking part in the call you need to send information on the call. Everyone will need to know the phone number to dial, their passcode to enter and the date and time of the conference call. Be sure that everyone knows the correct time zone as well. Ahead of time, be sure to tell everyone how to disable their call waiting so that it is not interrupting the conference call. Lastly, send everyone technical support information in case they experience a problem during the call. This will allow everyone to have a professional and pleasant experience.
First, you will need to instruct the participants in conference call manners. You will want any issues that may occur to be addressed in the best manner possible. This is important, even if you have already gone over these points in an email.
An example of such a statement would be as follows: "To reiterate a few points about etiquette from the email that I sent you earlier, please make sure that you are in a room free from any kind of distractions. Hit the mute button on your phone if you must speak privately with someone who is not in this conference call, or press *6 to mute yourself on the conference call. If you do the latter, hit *6 again to un-mute yourself. If I don't acknowledge you when you start talking, you are still muted and cannot be heard."
Please give the teleconference your full attention. When answering my questions or giving ideas say your name before you talk. I would appreciate if you join right in at any time as I will be asking for your opinions. Also, please speak clearly so everyone can understand you.
Lastly, remember to allow time for everyone to share their opinions, as some people need more time to reflect on their response before speaking. It's okay for there to be gaps of silence on our call. Does anyone have any questions or need any clarification on anything to do with conference call etiquette?"
An example of what the meeting facilitator might say then you need to graciously enforce those guidelines throughout the call. If you are hearing background noise, pause and say something like, "We are getting a lot of background noise. It sounds like someone is in the kitchen making dinner. Does anyone have any questions or need any clarification on anything to do with conference call etiquette?"
When you experience a dominant caller, those guidelines must be tactfully enforced. You only get one chance to make a good first impression. If you are unsure of how to handle those types of situations, the damage(s) will only affect you - especially in the virtual and invisible environment, where people have a choice to participate or not. With the use of proper etiquette, you can maintain the best teleconference experience possible. This will ensure repeat attendance and participation. Remember, it is your professional reputation at stake here, not that of the callers.
About the Author: Daiv Russell is a marketing and management consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. To learn more about teleconference etiquette, check out audio-conference-calling.info. While organizing your team check out our Team Building ideas.
More articles by Daiv Russell
Print Article | Download PDF | 92 views | Feb 13 2008
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