Whether you're talking for business or for pleasure, sometimes it's just not enough to have only two people on a phone conversation. With three-way conference calling, you can invite a third person into the mix. With Ooma's superior control over conference calling, you can talk without worrying about racking up double cell phone minutes or accidentally hanging up on the wrong person at the end of the call.
What is three-way conference calling and how does it work?
Three-way conference calling allows you to connect calls from two separate lines into one group phone call. There are a few different ways to initiate a conference call with Ooma.
To initiate a three-way conference call from an Ooma Telo or Hub
You can do the following:
Call the first number or have them call you
Press the line 2 button to activate your Instant Second Line
Call the second number
Press the line 1 and line 2 buttons to bridge the two calls together
Both lines should now be solid orange to indicate they are in use
To initiate a three-way conference call from an Ooma Telo Handset
You can do the following:
Call the first number or have them call you
Press the Hold button on the Telo Handset (you will be transferred to your Instant Second Line)
Call the second number
Press Menu
Highlight 3-way conference and hit Select
Both calls should now have a [C] in front of the phone number, indicating that they are in a conference
How can I break out of a three-way conference call without hanging up on anybody?
You can break the conference call into two separate calls by pressing the number of the line you want to remain on the phone with on your Ooma device. For example, if you'd like to stay on the phone with the caller on line 2, you can press the line 2 button on your Ooma device. The caller on the other line will be automatically placed on hold.
How can I break out of a three-way conference call by only hanging up on one party?
It's not currently possible to break out of a three-way conference call by hanging up on one party. You can only do this by having the party you no longer wish to speak with hang up the phone.
Can I have more than three people on a conference call?
Your Ooma device can only process calls from two lines at a time. The only way to have more people on your conference call will be to have multiple people at the same location on the same line.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Audio Conferencing Solutions
Audio conferencing solutions from Bell provide a quick, convenient and cost-effective way to communicate with multiple people simultaneously. All you need is a touch-tone telephone, and you can meet anywhere, anytime.
Contact us for audio conferencing solutions
Reservationless service
Your Reservationless audio conferencing subscription now includes access to the Bell Web conferencing service to provide you with a comprehensive collaboration solution.
Reservationless audio conferencing is perfect for everyday meetings. This flexible, pay-per-use service allows you to conduct conference calls whenever you want, without having to book in advance. Just use your dedicated dial-in numbers and unique conference IDs.
An operator can provide help upon request, plus you get a selection of features that can be activated using your touch-tone phone.
Operator-assisted service
Operator-assisted conferencing offers a full suite of features that are managed by the operator during the call. The operator can either dial out to participants or greet those who dial in, and introduce all attendees. This service includes advanced features such as call recording, tape playback, sub-conferencing, and more. Reservations are required and can be made 24/7 by calling 1 800 667-3678.
Event service
Event conferencing provides you with professional service and support for large conference calls. You get a dedicated operator to support you through the entire call. The operator can dial out to participants or greet those who dial in, and manage a comprehensive suite of features such as Q&A. Reservations are required and can be made 24/7 by calling 1 800 667-3678.
Benefits
Easily connect with colleagues and customers around the world
Reduce travel costs and increase productivity
Get access to special features and services, plus 24/7 English and French bilingual assistance
Contact us for audio conferencing solutions
Reservationless service
Your Reservationless audio conferencing subscription now includes access to the Bell Web conferencing service to provide you with a comprehensive collaboration solution.
Reservationless audio conferencing is perfect for everyday meetings. This flexible, pay-per-use service allows you to conduct conference calls whenever you want, without having to book in advance. Just use your dedicated dial-in numbers and unique conference IDs.
An operator can provide help upon request, plus you get a selection of features that can be activated using your touch-tone phone.
Operator-assisted service
Operator-assisted conferencing offers a full suite of features that are managed by the operator during the call. The operator can either dial out to participants or greet those who dial in, and introduce all attendees. This service includes advanced features such as call recording, tape playback, sub-conferencing, and more. Reservations are required and can be made 24/7 by calling 1 800 667-3678.
Event service
Event conferencing provides you with professional service and support for large conference calls. You get a dedicated operator to support you through the entire call. The operator can dial out to participants or greet those who dial in, and manage a comprehensive suite of features such as Q&A. Reservations are required and can be made 24/7 by calling 1 800 667-3678.
Benefits
Easily connect with colleagues and customers around the world
Reduce travel costs and increase productivity
Get access to special features and services, plus 24/7 English and French bilingual assistance
Conference Calls
The Division of Information Technology offers three types of teleconference services
To add one additional person to a call, use individual conference calling.
For groups of six or fewer, use a Meet Me Conference.
For groups larger than six people, please contact the communication services team at 202-994-5100 for assistance.
Individual Conference Calls
If you have a multi-line telephone set, you can add an additional person to a call by following the directions below:
Press "Conf." This puts the original party on hold and selects an open line.
Dial the number of the third party.
Press "Conf" again to add the original party, and all three people are joined.
To add a call that is already on hold to another call to which you are connected:
Press "Conf."
Press the call appearance button of the call on hold.
Press "Conf" again.
To drop the last person added to a conference, press the "Drop" button.
Meet Me Conferencing
Meet Me Conferencing allows users to improve collaboration by easily setting up conference calls. After making a reservation, you will receive a dial-in number and secure password. Meet Me Conferencing offers an efficient 6-party conferencing capability.
GW's conference calling services have many benefits, including:
Substantially reduced costs over traditional third-party conference services with GW's one-time flat fee per business day. This allows you to pay by the conference call, not by the length of the call or by the number of attendees. Additionally, GW's Meet Me Conferencing does not have a setup fee.
Quick and efficient conference call handling, from setup to conclusion
One GW dial-in number which can be used for up to six participants from anywhere on campus or across the world
Cost savings on departmental long-distance costs, since offsite callers call you instead of you having to call them and incur long-distance fees
Quick, simple setup. Give us 24 hours, and the Division of IT will make sure your conference call is set up and ready to go for all of your business and academic needs.
To add one additional person to a call, use individual conference calling.
For groups of six or fewer, use a Meet Me Conference.
For groups larger than six people, please contact the communication services team at 202-994-5100 for assistance.
Individual Conference Calls
If you have a multi-line telephone set, you can add an additional person to a call by following the directions below:
Press "Conf." This puts the original party on hold and selects an open line.
Dial the number of the third party.
Press "Conf" again to add the original party, and all three people are joined.
To add a call that is already on hold to another call to which you are connected:
Press "Conf."
Press the call appearance button of the call on hold.
Press "Conf" again.
To drop the last person added to a conference, press the "Drop" button.
Meet Me Conferencing
Meet Me Conferencing allows users to improve collaboration by easily setting up conference calls. After making a reservation, you will receive a dial-in number and secure password. Meet Me Conferencing offers an efficient 6-party conferencing capability.
GW's conference calling services have many benefits, including:
Substantially reduced costs over traditional third-party conference services with GW's one-time flat fee per business day. This allows you to pay by the conference call, not by the length of the call or by the number of attendees. Additionally, GW's Meet Me Conferencing does not have a setup fee.
Quick and efficient conference call handling, from setup to conclusion
One GW dial-in number which can be used for up to six participants from anywhere on campus or across the world
Cost savings on departmental long-distance costs, since offsite callers call you instead of you having to call them and incur long-distance fees
Quick, simple setup. Give us 24 hours, and the Division of IT will make sure your conference call is set up and ready to go for all of your business and academic needs.
AUDIO CONFERENCING
Telecom Audio Conferencing is an excellent tool for business meetings and conferences - and all it takes is a phone.
With Audio Conferencing you can hold meetings with people in New Zealand and around the world, whether they're in the office, at home or on a mobile phone. You can get on with business - without the cost, time and stress involved in travelling for you, your customers and your business associates.
If you're already a Telecom Audio Conferencing customer and just need to schedule an operator assist conference, you can do this with our online form.
For general Telecom Audio Conferencing enquiries, please contact our helpdesk by email or call 0800 65 65 77.
FAST, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Telecom Audio Conferencing is the perfect solution for today's business environment:
Makes decision-making easy - you can organise a worldwide meeting in minutes and respond to business issues on the spot
Makes meetings effective - everyone has their say, and you can call in the experts when you need them
Enables productivity - you can save the hidden meeting costs involved in organising travel and accommodation, and participants will be able to get on with their jobs and their lives before and after the meeting
Puts you ahead of the rest - by sharing information and being able to make decisions faster, you can improve your speed to market and responsiveness to changing situations
Makes communication easy - direct communication means you can resolve issues quickly, without the need for time-consuming emails, memos, faxes and letters
Creates opportunities - use Audio Conferencing to train new employees, make announcements or brainstorm new ideas and opportunities
With Audio Conferencing you can hold meetings with people in New Zealand and around the world, whether they're in the office, at home or on a mobile phone. You can get on with business - without the cost, time and stress involved in travelling for you, your customers and your business associates.
If you're already a Telecom Audio Conferencing customer and just need to schedule an operator assist conference, you can do this with our online form.
For general Telecom Audio Conferencing enquiries, please contact our helpdesk by email or call 0800 65 65 77.
FAST, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Telecom Audio Conferencing is the perfect solution for today's business environment:
Makes decision-making easy - you can organise a worldwide meeting in minutes and respond to business issues on the spot
Makes meetings effective - everyone has their say, and you can call in the experts when you need them
Enables productivity - you can save the hidden meeting costs involved in organising travel and accommodation, and participants will be able to get on with their jobs and their lives before and after the meeting
Puts you ahead of the rest - by sharing information and being able to make decisions faster, you can improve your speed to market and responsiveness to changing situations
Makes communication easy - direct communication means you can resolve issues quickly, without the need for time-consuming emails, memos, faxes and letters
Creates opportunities - use Audio Conferencing to train new employees, make announcements or brainstorm new ideas and opportunities
Guide Start a Free Conference Call
These days, it's not hard to find a service that will let you make free conference calls: We found three that require only a name and an email address to get started. After signing up, you’ll be given a phone number and an access code. The catch? These services don’t provide toll-free conference lines; you and your participants will have to pay applicable long-distance charges. These services also limit the length of the call and/or the number of participants. However, for many organizations and individuals, these limits aren’t deal-breakers, so check out the details of each service below to see which best suits your needs.
Don’t forget that your attendees will be held responsible for long-distance charges incurred by calling into your free conference bridge. Also be aware that some users of free conference call services complain about call quality and about cell phone providers that block certain dial-in numbers. Test a few services before committing to one for an important call.
Rondee
You don’t even have to create an account to get started with Rondee—just provide an email address, and Rondee will issue an on-demand dial-in number and access code. This service is available 24/7 and supports calls of up to 50 participants with no time limit. By creating a free account, you gain the ability to record and download the audio from your calls, set up email scheduling with RSVP and automatic reminders, and activate "listen only" access codes for some participants. Rondee’s scheduling system is what sets this service apart.
For $0.05 per minute per caller, Rondee will provide a toll-free dial-in number.
Free Conference Calling
Free Conference Calling permits up to 1000 participants and 6 hours per call. Like Rondee, the service is available 24 hours every day and provides free audio recording and playback. Unlike Rondee, it has no option to pay extra for a toll-free dial-in number. Free Conference Calling allows VoIP callers to join calls and sets itself apart with its Conference Manager Web interface. Conference Manager provides real-time statistics and control over the call you are hosting. For instance, you can see how many callers are on the call, when they joined, and what their mute statuses are. You can mute attendees individually or en masse, remove participants, turn on/off call recording, and manage announcements (among other options).
FreeConferenceCall.com
FreeConferenceCall.com is another established, catch-free service. Like the services mentioned above, FreeConferenceCall.com provides free call recording and 24/7 access. Calls are limited to 6 hours and 96 participants. Also check out FreeConferenceCall.com’s other free services, such as FreeConferencing.com—which provides Web-based controls and support for up to 1000 attendees—and FreeScreenSharing.com, which adds the ability to share a visual presentation with conference call participants.
Don’t forget that your attendees will be held responsible for long-distance charges incurred by calling into your free conference bridge. Also be aware that some users of free conference call services complain about call quality and about cell phone providers that block certain dial-in numbers. Test a few services before committing to one for an important call.
Rondee
You don’t even have to create an account to get started with Rondee—just provide an email address, and Rondee will issue an on-demand dial-in number and access code. This service is available 24/7 and supports calls of up to 50 participants with no time limit. By creating a free account, you gain the ability to record and download the audio from your calls, set up email scheduling with RSVP and automatic reminders, and activate "listen only" access codes for some participants. Rondee’s scheduling system is what sets this service apart.
For $0.05 per minute per caller, Rondee will provide a toll-free dial-in number.
Free Conference Calling
Free Conference Calling permits up to 1000 participants and 6 hours per call. Like Rondee, the service is available 24 hours every day and provides free audio recording and playback. Unlike Rondee, it has no option to pay extra for a toll-free dial-in number. Free Conference Calling allows VoIP callers to join calls and sets itself apart with its Conference Manager Web interface. Conference Manager provides real-time statistics and control over the call you are hosting. For instance, you can see how many callers are on the call, when they joined, and what their mute statuses are. You can mute attendees individually or en masse, remove participants, turn on/off call recording, and manage announcements (among other options).
FreeConferenceCall.com
FreeConferenceCall.com is another established, catch-free service. Like the services mentioned above, FreeConferenceCall.com provides free call recording and 24/7 access. Calls are limited to 6 hours and 96 participants. Also check out FreeConferenceCall.com’s other free services, such as FreeConferencing.com—which provides Web-based controls and support for up to 1000 attendees—and FreeScreenSharing.com, which adds the ability to share a visual presentation with conference call participants.
Guide Lead a Conference Call with Non Native Speakers
1Articulate and speak slowly and comfortably. Don't overuse noises like "um" or "uh".
2When listening to another speaker, don't over- or under-use "continuers" (words like "uh-huh" that let the speaker know you are still listening). It's okay to use a continuer if the speaker has paused, but it's not okay to interrupt with a continuer, or to have dead silence on the line for an uncomfortable period of time. Silence can be a powerful communication tool to allow for understanding of complex ideas and time to formulate questions.
3Slow down the communication process. Pause between ideas, every three to five sentences, to give non-native speakers an opportunity to understand before continuing.
This is a great time to politely confirm that everyone participating understands what has been said up to this point. Most people will appreciate being given a chance to ask for clarification.
4Be proactive. During the call, regularly remind participants that they may ask for clarification. Tell them that it is important to you that they understand. Give them permission to ask for clarification.
5Check for understanding at the end of every topic, "Is that comprehensible?", "Was I comprehensible?", or "What questions do you have?" are all good ways to check for understanding.
6Do not rush into the next topic. Be sure to give at least 30 seconds between topics for questions and clarification. At the end of each topic, rephrase important details and actions, even if participants do not ask for clarification.
7Be an effective conference call leader. A leader ensures that comprehension is a priority. They concentrate on creating a communication friendly environment for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. How can a native English speaker expect a non-native speaker to participate or follow directives if they have trouble understanding? Of course, the minutes of the meeting often follows the call. However, productive and rewarding relationships are at stake. If there is little or no comprehension during a call, then non-native participants may as well not participate. They may feel alienated and understand more from the written minutes.
2When listening to another speaker, don't over- or under-use "continuers" (words like "uh-huh" that let the speaker know you are still listening). It's okay to use a continuer if the speaker has paused, but it's not okay to interrupt with a continuer, or to have dead silence on the line for an uncomfortable period of time. Silence can be a powerful communication tool to allow for understanding of complex ideas and time to formulate questions.
3Slow down the communication process. Pause between ideas, every three to five sentences, to give non-native speakers an opportunity to understand before continuing.
This is a great time to politely confirm that everyone participating understands what has been said up to this point. Most people will appreciate being given a chance to ask for clarification.
4Be proactive. During the call, regularly remind participants that they may ask for clarification. Tell them that it is important to you that they understand. Give them permission to ask for clarification.
5Check for understanding at the end of every topic, "Is that comprehensible?", "Was I comprehensible?", or "What questions do you have?" are all good ways to check for understanding.
6Do not rush into the next topic. Be sure to give at least 30 seconds between topics for questions and clarification. At the end of each topic, rephrase important details and actions, even if participants do not ask for clarification.
7Be an effective conference call leader. A leader ensures that comprehension is a priority. They concentrate on creating a communication friendly environment for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. How can a native English speaker expect a non-native speaker to participate or follow directives if they have trouble understanding? Of course, the minutes of the meeting often follows the call. However, productive and rewarding relationships are at stake. If there is little or no comprehension during a call, then non-native participants may as well not participate. They may feel alienated and understand more from the written minutes.
Guide Make Conference Calls in India at Local Call Rate
1Find the right conference calling service: This is an important step. Browse the internet to find the right service for you. The primary criterion to find out the best service is that the service should be easy, free and user-friendly. Keep it simple so that everyone involved in conference call can access it anytime. Among several types of websites offering conference calling services, these are the services listed by type:
Dial – in conference calling service: It allows all the conference call participants to make conference call by making a call to the provided local number. Though there are some services lead to long-distance charges; some don't. Make sure that you select the service without any long-distance charges so you can call across the major Indian cities by dialing a local number.
Dial – out conference calling service: It allows one operator to call all conference call participants and start the conversation. The operator can make calls one-by-one or make a group call that dials the contact numbers of all conference call participants at the same time. Dial – out conference calling is generally less preferred due to long distance charges. However, certain businesses prefer its convenience.
Web based conference calling service: You can make PC-to-Phone and PC-to-PC conference calls through laptop or PC. The websites, that offer online conference calls, specialize in PC-to-PC conference calls. The PC-to-Phone calls are paid ones. Do make sure that the selected service is free for required conference call participants.
2Check the chosen website fulfills certain criteria: First time users may overlook certain aspects of the conference calling service that are very important for continuous use of free conference calls. Therefore, confirm that selected website meets following criteria:
Check if the conference calling service to see is available in required cities. This ensures that everyone pays by local call rates for conference calls across India. This is an important criterion, because it may add serious long distance charges in the mobile bills of conference call participants.
The sign up should be simple and quick. This is the basic reference point for understanding the quality and effectiveness of the service, in case your company needs to use it frequently or avail the paid services.
Ensure that the conference calling service is reservationless. The conference calling with reservations can really delay your business developments. It may get perceived as incompetent by your customers. Though these criteria are not always necessary, they would allow you to use the service for long time.
3Collect the details of conference call participant: This is just a basic step for scheduling the conference call. However, it should be flawless. You need to collect following details to ensure smooth conference call:
Contact details of the conference call participants
Time and date of the conference call
Subject and planned agenda of the business meeting
4Log in and schedule the conference call: With the details stated above, just log in the conference call account and enter these details to schedule the conference call. A good quality conference calling service should send these updates to your participants automatically. Either way, receiving the confirmation from your conference call participants is important.
5Get prepared and start the call: As the host of conference call, it would be advantageous to follow certain practices.
If you are making conference call for business, confirm the conference call details personally.
Clear other responsibilities and start the conference call on time.
Before starting the call, greet each participants as he/she joins. Introduce the participants if they don't know each other.
Dial – in conference calling service: It allows all the conference call participants to make conference call by making a call to the provided local number. Though there are some services lead to long-distance charges; some don't. Make sure that you select the service without any long-distance charges so you can call across the major Indian cities by dialing a local number.
Dial – out conference calling service: It allows one operator to call all conference call participants and start the conversation. The operator can make calls one-by-one or make a group call that dials the contact numbers of all conference call participants at the same time. Dial – out conference calling is generally less preferred due to long distance charges. However, certain businesses prefer its convenience.
Web based conference calling service: You can make PC-to-Phone and PC-to-PC conference calls through laptop or PC. The websites, that offer online conference calls, specialize in PC-to-PC conference calls. The PC-to-Phone calls are paid ones. Do make sure that the selected service is free for required conference call participants.
2Check the chosen website fulfills certain criteria: First time users may overlook certain aspects of the conference calling service that are very important for continuous use of free conference calls. Therefore, confirm that selected website meets following criteria:
Check if the conference calling service to see is available in required cities. This ensures that everyone pays by local call rates for conference calls across India. This is an important criterion, because it may add serious long distance charges in the mobile bills of conference call participants.
The sign up should be simple and quick. This is the basic reference point for understanding the quality and effectiveness of the service, in case your company needs to use it frequently or avail the paid services.
Ensure that the conference calling service is reservationless. The conference calling with reservations can really delay your business developments. It may get perceived as incompetent by your customers. Though these criteria are not always necessary, they would allow you to use the service for long time.
3Collect the details of conference call participant: This is just a basic step for scheduling the conference call. However, it should be flawless. You need to collect following details to ensure smooth conference call:
Contact details of the conference call participants
Time and date of the conference call
Subject and planned agenda of the business meeting
4Log in and schedule the conference call: With the details stated above, just log in the conference call account and enter these details to schedule the conference call. A good quality conference calling service should send these updates to your participants automatically. Either way, receiving the confirmation from your conference call participants is important.
5Get prepared and start the call: As the host of conference call, it would be advantageous to follow certain practices.
If you are making conference call for business, confirm the conference call details personally.
Clear other responsibilities and start the conference call on time.
Before starting the call, greet each participants as he/she joins. Introduce the participants if they don't know each other.
Guide Optimize Your Conference Calls
1Analyze your conference calling data:- First step of any optimization would be gathering and analyzing your information to find out the problematic areas. So, understand the data in terms of :
Calls to family and friends
Calls to business associates such as customers, vendors, employees and consultants
Types of calls
Location of conference call participants
2Transfer family and friend calls to free conference call service:- If you are currently using paid service for conference calling, you can transfer your personal calls to free version of service. However, since most free service is ad-supported, it is not suitable for business calls. If you are using any audio conference calling service currently, you can research for more suitable one for your business needs. Many free services als have a business version offers fantastic professional support at affordable prices.
3Boost the performance of your business conference calls:- Depending upon the type of the call and the nature of interaction over the conference call, you would be able to to make your existing conference calls more efficient. Since it would save every participant's time, they would be willing to consider some of the following suggestions:
Have a well-defined agenda for conference call.
Send all the reference material in advance and confirm that all the conference participants have checked it in sufficient detail.
Assign a conference call manager. The primary responsibility of the administrator is to maintain the discussion on the agenda. He would also remind anyone digressing from the topic to get back to it.
4Find the most cost effective business packages for the organization:- You need the right combination of business features and cost for optimization. Go through following features to understand their importance
Pan-India presence: Without a prominent presence across major cities of India, it would be an expensive conference calling service. Though an organization costs you low up-front cost, you would pay STD charges to your telecom network to use their service. Therefore, it is important to have presence across India.
Available on all telecom networks and instruments:- If your conference calling service doesn't operate well with all telephonic instruments and telecom networks, it can not be used for all customers, since they won't change their telecom network for you.
Minimal to zero investment:- Without any clear co-relation between conference calling as a valuable service to your customers and the ROI, a start up or SMEs should not have to invest a lot of time, money and resources in it.
Easy to use:- Whether you are tech-savvy or not, you and others should be able to use this service easily and quickly. More the service requires in terms of technical knowledge and time, lesser useful it will be to majority.
Conference recording – When you can record the conference call and download it, you don't need to keep minutes.
Calls to family and friends
Calls to business associates such as customers, vendors, employees and consultants
Types of calls
Location of conference call participants
2Transfer family and friend calls to free conference call service:- If you are currently using paid service for conference calling, you can transfer your personal calls to free version of service. However, since most free service is ad-supported, it is not suitable for business calls. If you are using any audio conference calling service currently, you can research for more suitable one for your business needs. Many free services als have a business version offers fantastic professional support at affordable prices.
3Boost the performance of your business conference calls:- Depending upon the type of the call and the nature of interaction over the conference call, you would be able to to make your existing conference calls more efficient. Since it would save every participant's time, they would be willing to consider some of the following suggestions:
Have a well-defined agenda for conference call.
Send all the reference material in advance and confirm that all the conference participants have checked it in sufficient detail.
Assign a conference call manager. The primary responsibility of the administrator is to maintain the discussion on the agenda. He would also remind anyone digressing from the topic to get back to it.
4Find the most cost effective business packages for the organization:- You need the right combination of business features and cost for optimization. Go through following features to understand their importance
Pan-India presence: Without a prominent presence across major cities of India, it would be an expensive conference calling service. Though an organization costs you low up-front cost, you would pay STD charges to your telecom network to use their service. Therefore, it is important to have presence across India.
Available on all telecom networks and instruments:- If your conference calling service doesn't operate well with all telephonic instruments and telecom networks, it can not be used for all customers, since they won't change their telecom network for you.
Minimal to zero investment:- Without any clear co-relation between conference calling as a valuable service to your customers and the ROI, a start up or SMEs should not have to invest a lot of time, money and resources in it.
Easy to use:- Whether you are tech-savvy or not, you and others should be able to use this service easily and quickly. More the service requires in terms of technical knowledge and time, lesser useful it will be to majority.
Conference recording – When you can record the conference call and download it, you don't need to keep minutes.
Guide Conduct Productive Meetings Using Conference Calls
1Get ready. Nothing is as unproductive as holding a meeting with people who are not prepared. Unpreparedness is not only energy draining, but also truly disturbing. In addition, holding a meeting where participants have little or no recollection about the meeting’s agenda can backfire with nothing to show in the end.
This principle applies in conference calls. Participants need to be aware of the meeting time and its agenda. This duty to get people prepared for the meeting falls on the host’s shoulders. The participants should also prepare for the meeting by going through the agenda memo, or invites before the meeting. This will equip them with the ability to make useful contributions during the conference meeting.
2Know the conference platform. Hosts and participants need to be well trained in using the conference call program. It’s impossible to get full participation in a meeting if parties are not knowledgeable in how to use the conference calling platform.
Failure to understand the intrigues of a conference call program can make the meeting less productive. On introducing a new conferencing platform to your colleagues, clients or employees, provide the necessary training and tutorials on how the tool is used to make all interactions possible and meaningful. You can also make it easier for them by using free conference calls without PIN's offered by services.
3Be professional. Lack of professionalism is a common hindrance to conference call success. There is a level of fear most people face going into meetings. Questions like, "Is the conference call being recorded?", "Is it open for all of us?", "Am I on the spot in this conference call?", and "Is it going to be done in private?" are often dominant in attendee's minds.
Participants need to know their positions throughout the call. While announcing that the conference is being recorded is likely to slow or reduce participation from some parties, it also helps to inform the participant if recording of any nature will take place.
Professionalism also borders around creating a positive environment for the call. This may include limiting the amount of visual and audio distractions around you during the call. Always ask participants to hit the mute button to limit the noise levels from their ends during the call.
4Make the conference call interactive. Meetings where parties participate freely are traditionally more productive than those where they don’t. Be open to the other participants' contributions to ensure that they feel an important part of the meeting.
Ask questions and encourage free answers throughout the conversation to avoid being the one dominating every topic in the meeting. Nonetheless, always assert control over the meeting by steering the agenda to the end.
In addition, to avoid falling into the poor retention quagmire most conference calls face, insist on participants coming to meetings prepared to take notes and participate. This should be done in much the same way as they would in face to face meetings. It also falls onto the host to designate one party who will take minutes of what is discussed. You can email these to the attendants when the meeting is over.
Overall, the key to conducting productive conference calls is truly getting ready for them beforehand. Every participant should prepare for the conference call ahead of time by going through the meeting's agenda. They should also learn how to operate the conference call program or prepare their rooms (and themselves) for the conference call, especially video calls (although you can use free conference calls without PIN's to make it easy for them).
Productive conference calls also take place when there is a definite host (assertive to steer the meeting’s agenda), and active and focused participants. You can achieve all this by making the conference call interactive, light but objective. It also helps to take notes, maintain courtesy with all participants, and send minutes after the conference call.
This principle applies in conference calls. Participants need to be aware of the meeting time and its agenda. This duty to get people prepared for the meeting falls on the host’s shoulders. The participants should also prepare for the meeting by going through the agenda memo, or invites before the meeting. This will equip them with the ability to make useful contributions during the conference meeting.
2Know the conference platform. Hosts and participants need to be well trained in using the conference call program. It’s impossible to get full participation in a meeting if parties are not knowledgeable in how to use the conference calling platform.
Failure to understand the intrigues of a conference call program can make the meeting less productive. On introducing a new conferencing platform to your colleagues, clients or employees, provide the necessary training and tutorials on how the tool is used to make all interactions possible and meaningful. You can also make it easier for them by using free conference calls without PIN's offered by services.
3Be professional. Lack of professionalism is a common hindrance to conference call success. There is a level of fear most people face going into meetings. Questions like, "Is the conference call being recorded?", "Is it open for all of us?", "Am I on the spot in this conference call?", and "Is it going to be done in private?" are often dominant in attendee's minds.
Participants need to know their positions throughout the call. While announcing that the conference is being recorded is likely to slow or reduce participation from some parties, it also helps to inform the participant if recording of any nature will take place.
Professionalism also borders around creating a positive environment for the call. This may include limiting the amount of visual and audio distractions around you during the call. Always ask participants to hit the mute button to limit the noise levels from their ends during the call.
4Make the conference call interactive. Meetings where parties participate freely are traditionally more productive than those where they don’t. Be open to the other participants' contributions to ensure that they feel an important part of the meeting.
Ask questions and encourage free answers throughout the conversation to avoid being the one dominating every topic in the meeting. Nonetheless, always assert control over the meeting by steering the agenda to the end.
In addition, to avoid falling into the poor retention quagmire most conference calls face, insist on participants coming to meetings prepared to take notes and participate. This should be done in much the same way as they would in face to face meetings. It also falls onto the host to designate one party who will take minutes of what is discussed. You can email these to the attendants when the meeting is over.
Overall, the key to conducting productive conference calls is truly getting ready for them beforehand. Every participant should prepare for the conference call ahead of time by going through the meeting's agenda. They should also learn how to operate the conference call program or prepare their rooms (and themselves) for the conference call, especially video calls (although you can use free conference calls without PIN's to make it easy for them).
Productive conference calls also take place when there is a definite host (assertive to steer the meeting’s agenda), and active and focused participants. You can achieve all this by making the conference call interactive, light but objective. It also helps to take notes, maintain courtesy with all participants, and send minutes after the conference call.
Guide Make a Conference Call
Method 1 of 2: Use Your Smart Phone
1Call one of the participants in the conference call. You can find them in your contact list, or simply use the keypad to dial the number.
When that call is established, tap Add Call. The first caller is placed on hold.
2Call the next participant. Again, you can use your contact list, or just dial the number.
3Tap Merge Call. This will add the second participant to the call.
You can conference with up to five people, depending on your carrier.
This method works with both Apple iPhones and the Android HTC Hero.
Method 2 of 2: Find a Conference Call Provider
1Find the right service provider. Companies such as GoToMeeting or Skype let you set up audio/video conferences for a number of people. There are various price points available, from free to hundreds of dollars a year, depending on your needs and level of service required.
You can pay per conference call (and get charged according to how many people call in, how long the call lasts, etc.) or purchase a flat rate service, in which you have unlimited access to a conference bridge at a fixed monthly cost.
Generally, only the host pays for the service.
Some services will require you to buy hardware and/or add/switch long distance service, but there are prepaid services that will allow you to use your landline telephone, mobile phone, or computer.
Consider if you want a toll-free number, or if you want participants to pay long distance charges when they call in.
Conference calls can also be used in conjunction with web conferences, so participants can view documents or presentations simultaneously while on the call. Some providers offer this as a package, but you can do this separately (e.g. have all participants go to the same URL or open the same e-mail attachment while on the call).
2Get all the information that the participants will need to call in. Usually this is a phone number and some kind of password.
Test the bridge in advance if you are unfamiliar with the tool you’ll be using.
3Schedule your conference call and invite other people to attend. See more tips about organizing a conference call in How to Chair a Conference Call.
4Set the right environment. Make sure you can make the call from a quiet location with minimal background noise.
5Start the call. Be on time, or log on to the conference call ten minutes early if possible. Some tools won’t let you log on until the time scheduled and others won’t let anyone communicate until a leader with a special password logs in.
6Wait for everyone to join and then start talking!
1Call one of the participants in the conference call. You can find them in your contact list, or simply use the keypad to dial the number.
When that call is established, tap Add Call. The first caller is placed on hold.
2Call the next participant. Again, you can use your contact list, or just dial the number.
3Tap Merge Call. This will add the second participant to the call.
You can conference with up to five people, depending on your carrier.
This method works with both Apple iPhones and the Android HTC Hero.
Method 2 of 2: Find a Conference Call Provider
1Find the right service provider. Companies such as GoToMeeting or Skype let you set up audio/video conferences for a number of people. There are various price points available, from free to hundreds of dollars a year, depending on your needs and level of service required.
You can pay per conference call (and get charged according to how many people call in, how long the call lasts, etc.) or purchase a flat rate service, in which you have unlimited access to a conference bridge at a fixed monthly cost.
Generally, only the host pays for the service.
Some services will require you to buy hardware and/or add/switch long distance service, but there are prepaid services that will allow you to use your landline telephone, mobile phone, or computer.
Consider if you want a toll-free number, or if you want participants to pay long distance charges when they call in.
Conference calls can also be used in conjunction with web conferences, so participants can view documents or presentations simultaneously while on the call. Some providers offer this as a package, but you can do this separately (e.g. have all participants go to the same URL or open the same e-mail attachment while on the call).
2Get all the information that the participants will need to call in. Usually this is a phone number and some kind of password.
Test the bridge in advance if you are unfamiliar with the tool you’ll be using.
3Schedule your conference call and invite other people to attend. See more tips about organizing a conference call in How to Chair a Conference Call.
4Set the right environment. Make sure you can make the call from a quiet location with minimal background noise.
5Start the call. Be on time, or log on to the conference call ten minutes early if possible. Some tools won’t let you log on until the time scheduled and others won’t let anyone communicate until a leader with a special password logs in.
6Wait for everyone to join and then start talking!
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