In today's harsh financial environment, many businesses are being forced to find ways to save money. With an employee's time being so valuable and fuel costs constantly on the increase, arranging a business meeting can prove to be a financial burden. Making best use of modern technology, both money and time can be saved by replacing traditional meetings with a conference call instead.
To give it its correct title, a conference call is known as an ATC (Audio Tele-Conference). It can be set up to allow each participant to speak or just to listen in on the conference. Conference calls can be arranged over a land line or via a VOIP connection, such as Skype.
There is a wide variety of call providers to choose from. Some offer a free service whilst others may charge for all or some of their services; both types have their own merits. Generally speaking, a free conference call provider will charge for the cost of calls, which could add up if speaking from a long distance line and for recording the call. Providers who charge usually offer more in their packages and would usually include a 0800 freephone number to dial into plus free recording, video and customer service options. For this reason, a Free conference call is more suited to expert users.
To ensure that a conference call goes smoothly, preparation is all important; unless it is an emergency situation, start preparing as soon as possible. All participants should be sent a written invitation detailing the time and date of the conference and they should be asked to confirm attendance by a certain date and to supply contact information.
When all replies have been received, collate all of the participants contact information into an easily-located document. Try to keep numbers down as much as possible. Six speaking participants is a good amount; larger groups will be much more difficult to control during the call. Write a formal agenda for the conference and send a copy with any supporting paperwork to each participant, giving them time to review it prior to the conference.
Before the conference begins, it is wise to appoint a call moderator who will be responsible for keeping to the set agenda and deciding whose turn it is to speak. This is important as some calls only allow one speaker at a time and someone speaking out of turn may cut someone else off. It also goes without saying that the choice of environment is important. To make the most of a limited time window, it is essential to have a quiet place to make the call. Try to arrange a private room or office which will be free of noise and distractions during the course of the conference.
When the call has begun and it is your turn to speak, identify yourself to the other speakers, even if you have spoken to them previously, speaker phones or a poor quality connection could distort your voice. If you ask a question and would prefer the answer from a specific person, always invite the response by naming them. Remember to remain calm at all times and keep speech concise and clear.
Choosing a suitable service to provide conference calls is an individual business choice, but there are most certainly benefits in terms of money saved when compared to arranging a traditional meeting. Even replacing just a few meetings per year will mean savings on the cost of fuel and accommodation for participants, as well as the cost of their time, plus further savings in terms of the expense of providing a suitable meeting place and the cost of refreshments.
To give it its correct title, a conference call is known as an ATC (Audio Tele-Conference). It can be set up to allow each participant to speak or just to listen in on the conference. Conference calls can be arranged over a land line or via a VOIP connection, such as Skype.
There is a wide variety of call providers to choose from. Some offer a free service whilst others may charge for all or some of their services; both types have their own merits. Generally speaking, a free conference call provider will charge for the cost of calls, which could add up if speaking from a long distance line and for recording the call. Providers who charge usually offer more in their packages and would usually include a 0800 freephone number to dial into plus free recording, video and customer service options. For this reason, a Free conference call is more suited to expert users.
To ensure that a conference call goes smoothly, preparation is all important; unless it is an emergency situation, start preparing as soon as possible. All participants should be sent a written invitation detailing the time and date of the conference and they should be asked to confirm attendance by a certain date and to supply contact information.
When all replies have been received, collate all of the participants contact information into an easily-located document. Try to keep numbers down as much as possible. Six speaking participants is a good amount; larger groups will be much more difficult to control during the call. Write a formal agenda for the conference and send a copy with any supporting paperwork to each participant, giving them time to review it prior to the conference.
Before the conference begins, it is wise to appoint a call moderator who will be responsible for keeping to the set agenda and deciding whose turn it is to speak. This is important as some calls only allow one speaker at a time and someone speaking out of turn may cut someone else off. It also goes without saying that the choice of environment is important. To make the most of a limited time window, it is essential to have a quiet place to make the call. Try to arrange a private room or office which will be free of noise and distractions during the course of the conference.
When the call has begun and it is your turn to speak, identify yourself to the other speakers, even if you have spoken to them previously, speaker phones or a poor quality connection could distort your voice. If you ask a question and would prefer the answer from a specific person, always invite the response by naming them. Remember to remain calm at all times and keep speech concise and clear.
Choosing a suitable service to provide conference calls is an individual business choice, but there are most certainly benefits in terms of money saved when compared to arranging a traditional meeting. Even replacing just a few meetings per year will mean savings on the cost of fuel and accommodation for participants, as well as the cost of their time, plus further savings in terms of the expense of providing a suitable meeting place and the cost of refreshments.
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