Conference calls are an effective, cost-efficient and popular means of communication in business today. There are many advantages; you can bring together people from across the globe very easily and very cost effectively. However, conference calls do not suit all situations so its important to use them wisely.
Advantages of Conference Calls
- Removes travel costs and time lost through travelling
- Easier to co-ordinate that in person meetings, with people from a variety of locations
- Easy to reach people; they just need their phone and can be anywhere
- Reliable techology that isn't reliant on too many factors (like people connecting in over the internet)
- Allows more people to be present
- Tends to consume less time as people tend to chat less
Considerations when Using Conference Calls
Messages Can be Misinterpreted
Professor Albert Mehrabian established the classic statistic for the effectiveness of spoken communications:
- 7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken.
- 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
- 55% of meaning is in facial expression.
(for further information see Mehrahian's communication research)
So with any type of telephone communication, 55% of communication (the visual component) is lost.
But, telephone communication has the edge over email and electronic communication, which is reliant only on the 7% of actual words.
Takes Longer to Establish Working Relationships
If you only meet people over the phone it takes much longer to establish working relationships than if you meet in person, where there is more opportunity to get to know each other.
Getting Everyone to Contribute
It’s easy to stay quiet on a conference call and some people seem to disappear altogether, a silent presence on the call. It’s also more difficult to tell if someone is dissatisfied or unhappy with a decision or point raised, without having any visual aspects of communication. Body language tells much more about how someone is feeling; without this you might not know someone's true impression.
Making the Most of Conference Calls
- Have an agenda that everyone is aware of well in advance. This will help keep the meeting on track and avoid it being de-railed.
- Stick to the agenda. Just like any other meeting, there should be a meeting chair, who welcomes everyone to the meeting, and ensures the call remains on the agenda items.
- Be aware of time zones. Some people don’t function at their best if attending a conference call in the early hours of the morning.
- Distribute any accompanying details, such as reports, PowerPoint slides, and minutes, well before the conference call (preferably 24 hours prior)
- Limit the number of attendees. Too many and it’s easy for some to remain silent.
- Be aware that English (or the language you are using) may not be the first language for all callers. In addition, sometimes trying to keep up with conversations can be extremely hard if you can't hear the conversations well.
- Encourage attendees to take the calls in quiet places. All it needs is one person in a noisy environment (such as an open office) and everyone on the call struggles to hear the conversations. If one person is in a very noisy place the chair should request they leave and find somewhere more suitable. (Taking calls in a car is very noisy and also dangerous for the person involved)
Conference calls are a useful business tool and if used in the right situations in the correct manner are very productive. The key to success is ensuring it is appropriate and combining this method of communication with other forms (such as emails, video-conference and in-person). Be aware that people can be in very different time zones, so find a time that is acceptable and workable for all callers. Finally, if you are organising the conference call, be prepared with agendas and minutes. Any details should be distributed well in advance of the call.
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