Step-by-Step Guide to Conference Calling

Conference calling has become the go-to for business communication. If you expect to have any sort of B2B contact, you should know how to conference using the latest tech. Here’s a step-by-step guide to conference calling.

How to Get Started

Your first step is finding a conference call service provider. These providers give you the tools for conferencing with anyone anywhere in the world, allowing you to link multiple telephone lines in a single call. Depending on the provider, you can be ready to start conferencing within minutes.

Needed Features You’d Receive

While conference call providers have a variety of features, there are three standard operations they all provide.

Dial-in Numbers

These are the phone lines that meeting participants will need to join a conference.

Host Access Codes

The host access code is what the business/moderator will use to start the conference.

Guess Access Code

Guests will use the code you give them to join the conference.

Planning the Conference Call

You want to put together the plan for your meeting. Having one ensures the conference runs smoothly and you reach desired points without a lot of distraction.

Create Your Agenda

You want to cover main topics and points that address the reason for the meeting. You should also list anticipated questions and responses. Once you put together an agenda, you can digitally transmit the highlights to all participants.

Send the invitations with the following information.

• Time and date of conference in local time for each participant
• Dial-in number to access the conference (it may be different based on location)
• Guest code used to access the conference

When the time arrives, dial the dial-in number, enter the host code and wait for guests to call in. Have your agenda and notes handy and prepare to be engaging.

What Do Your Guests Do

Participants simply have to dial the number you supplied them with and enter their guest code. Joining the conference will be automatic.

Considerations for Your Meeting

The host is the moderator and key to the conference call. They arranged the meeting and invited the guests. Now comes the vital role of managing the conference in order to reach intended goals. There are things the host should do before, during and after the meeting.

Create an Agenda

Plan a step-by-step agenda that covers all the points you want to reach.

Find the Right Place

If you use the wrong environment, you risk hindering clarity of sound. Use a quiet space with minimal background noise. When you’re not speaking, mute yourself and ask participants to do the same.

Test Access Information & Equipment Beforehand

You don’t want to find out two minutes before the meeting your phone connections are out of sync. Check your equipment and codes well in advance and again from time-to-time.

Keep Guests Informed

Guests should have a solid grasp of what the conference will entail. Provide guests with clear instructions on expected behavior, such as muting and unmuting or how to ask questions.

Record the Session

You want to record the conference. This gives you the facility to take minutes and create transcripts later. Management or other parties can review them to see how the meeting went. Distribute the documents to any person that missed the conference.

From pinless calls to analytics, you can partner with a smart conference call provider. They provide tools for bringing external and internal parties together. They let you hold scalable gatherings, a great way to engage for ad hoc conversations, brainstorming, and addressing issues and goals. Use something as simple as a phone number to propel your organization to the next level of collaboration.

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