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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.
For a conference call to be a pleasant and professional experience, participants need to know how to use teleconference technology. As people register to participate, immediately send an email that gives guidelines and logistical information for the teleconference number and passcode, the correct time, day and time zone. Include information on technical support in case of technical difficulties. Let participants know how to disable call waiting or the implications of answering their second line while on the conference call.
Once you have made participants aware of conference call etiquette, you want to eloquently handle issues as they happen on a conference call. Even if you've sent out an email in advance, at the beginning of the call, take time to reiterate important points of teleconference etiquette.
For example, "I'd like to highlight a few tips about teleconference etiquette from the email I sent you. Here are some conference call etiquette tips that will make our call as enjoyable as possible for everyone. First, make sure you are in a quiet room, with no dogs, children or adults to distract you. If you do need to speak with someone, please ensure you have pressed the mute button on your telephone, or you can mute yourself on the conference call by pressing *6, and at anytime you want to interact with us on the call, just press *6 again to be able to speak. If you start speaking and I don't acknowledge you, then you'll know you are still on mute and we can't hear you.
Please always say your first name before you speak. For example, Chris here, then begin speaking and be as clear and succinct as you can. This is an interactive call and I'll be asking you questions and for your ideas, so please be prepared to participate at any time. In order to make the most of what you get out of this call, I ask that you resist the urge to multitask during the teleconference."
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?"
That's 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're getting a lot of background noise. It sounds like someone is in the kitchen making dinner. Can you fix some for me?" Yes, it's okay to have a bit of fun! Or if a dog barks, you can say, "It sounds like Fido agrees"!
Sometimes you'll have a person who is dominating the call. If you don't know how to handle the situation well, you could damage your professional reputation, and participants might not want to keep participating. Remember, you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression, and this is even more so in the virtual, invisible environment where people can express their displeasure by sitting back and not participating or if they have a choice, simply hanging up and never attend another of your teleconferences again.
Daiv Russell is a marketing and management consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. To learn more about conference call etiquette, check out audio-conference-calling.info. While organizing your team check out our Team Building activities. |
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