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Conference calls are an important way for businesses to communicate with clients and other employees, especially if distance prevents face-to-face meetings. This helps to not only save on traveling expenses, but also saves time by having the people you need to communicate with present, accounted for and ready to make quick decisions. There are companies which specialize in providing services for audio, video and web conferencing. These companies normally charge their clients either per-hour or per-minute. In order to have a successful conference call, there are several aspects of that you have to be mindful of. The following will detail 10 steps to making sure your conference call goes off without a hitch.

1- Type of Conference Call

Decide which type of conference call is right for your purposes. Video conferencing allows true face-to-face interaction, while web conferencing allows data to be shared between participants for presentations.

2- Arrange A Time

Set a date and time for the conference call. Make sure that this date and time is convenient for all participants. Also be aware of any individual time constraints and adjust accordingly.

3- Invite Members

Send the participants of the conference call both the pin number and the toll free number that’ll be used to access the service. This should be done well in advance of the set date.

4- Remind Members to Dial In

Remind participants that they themselves each have to dial the toll free number plus the pin in order to participate in the conference. Once that is done, the conference can begin.

5- The Host is Responsible for Ending the Call

Remember that the person who has paid for the subscription is the host of the conference. If the host disconnects, the conference call will end unless other arrangements are made to continue the conference. Also remember that the meeting chair does not have to be the same person as the host of the conference call.

6- Record The Call

Make sure that the conference call is recorded. This is so that a record of the meeting can be kept and reviewed at future opportunities.

7- Remove all Background Noises

During the call, make sure that all other devices such as music systems and televisions are shut off to minimize interference. Low quality cordless phones can also introduce interference into the background, so refrain from using them if possible.

8- Have Props to Hand

If data and illustrations need to be presented, then a web conference may need to be arranged in order to properly share this information.

9- Be Efficient

Make sure that the conference call is made in an orderly fashion in order to maximize the time spent.

10- Finally…

When utilizing technology such as this, there is always the potential for glitches and other failures (including staff!), so always have a back up plan to mitigate any issues that may come up.

Web conferencing actually started before the Internet was very popular. The first web conferences appeared as text chats in the late 1980s. By the mid 1990s, web conferencing had become quite popular and well-used. Modern web conferencing has many additional features that were not present in the original forms of conferences.

The first forms of web conferencing were not live. They were based more in the format of message boards. Some of the first live web conferences were formatted like chat rooms. Members all gathered together in one chat room and discussed certain issues. Usually a moderator facilitated the meetings.

Modern web conferencing started gaining popularity when Internet speeds began to enable much faster downloads. This started in the early 2000s, and has improved from there. Now it is possible to use many different forms of communication such as instant messaging, chat rooms, video conferencing, voice chats, and application sharing. Application sharing has become one of the most popular features of modern web conferencing because it enables everyone in the conference to download the same program or file simultaneously.

Web conferencing has quickly turned into a business venture for many people. A lot of vendors sell web conferencing slots that businesses can rent out and use for special occasions. Other businesses often advertise on these vendor sites for products that businesses can use for their companies. Some vendors charge a monthly fee to use their service, while others charge per use. Some vendors even sell a program that enables the different companies to use the web conferencing programs on their own servers.

The future of web conferencing is unknown. It is hoped that the future will bring about more regulations for the structure of the programs. People who use web conferencing hope to see such features as standardized memberships, multiple media sources, meeting notification services, better floor control, and other similar features that would facilitate the conferencing process. If this is accomplished then businesses will be able to save thousands of dollars in hosting live events and meetings in hotels and other travel expenses. Hopefully web conferencing will greatly limit the need for employees to travel for businesses.

There are quite a few reasons why it is always easier to pick up the phone and call someone as opposed to logging onto the Internet and communicating the same message.

1- Convenience

Phones are easier than computers for logistical reasons. Most people use cell phones today and all of these are best known for their comfortable sizes, and convenience in which they allow users to communicate. While these fit into pockets and purses, a computer, even a laptop, is infinitely bigger. Also, compared to the huge number of phone users, very few people actually have access to the Internet on their phones today.

2- Immediate Response

A phone call always has a sense of immediacy. You call up someone and talk to that person in real time. As opposed to this, when you send across an email, you have to wait for the intended receiver to be logged on to the Internet, check your email, and then respond. In a phone call, the response is instantaneous, while in emails, they most likely are not.

3- Sole Attention

A person can receive only one phone call at a time, that is, talk to only person or group at a time. So it is easier to get a person’s attention and make him or her responsive to your needs. On the other hand, in case of an email, a person can receive many other mails apart from yours in a given minute, and the amount of importance attached to your message cannot be guaranteed.

4- Tone of Your Message

The symbols of etiquettes for calling on the phone are much less rigorous than those for communicating over an email. With a phone call, you can be yourself, and generally talk yourself through a situation, while in an email you need to be particularly aware of the words and symbols that you are typing down, as these often have double-edged meanings. On the same lines, you can also gauge the receiver’s response from the tone and pitch of voice, oral inflections etc telling you whether the response is pleasing or otherwise. For the same to happen via email, you have to wait in front of your computer or check your phone-mail in order to receive a reply and then decode merely from words and symbols, the response of the receiver.

A conference call is the way that business prefers to interact, and the vehicle of the conference call is becoming more prevalent in every aspect of a corporation’s business. In the past, companies would release their quarterly revenue results and then interact with the media through press releases and interviews. Today, there is an instant interaction as many of the top companies are using conference calling to either release their quarterly revenue results to the media, or they use conference calling to interact with the media after the results have been released.

Unisys (NYSE:UIS)

A world leader in supplying IT services and equipment to larger corporations. Unisys has announced that it will release its financial results to the financial media prior to releasing them to the markets, and immediately after releasing their first quarter results they will participate in a live conference call with the media. In an attempt to open up their communication with the financial community even further, Unisys will also offer investors a chance to hear the conference call on the Unisys website and hear Unisys explain their revenue results first hand.

Associated Banc-Corp (NASDQA: ASBC)

The Green Bay based, multi-billion dollar holding company will release their first quarter results on April 16, and then host a conference call with anyone interested in participating in the afternoon following the release of the results. The details required to join in on the call are posted on the Associated website. Anyone wanting to discuss their first quarter financial results is invited to join in.

Honeywell (NYSE: HON)

The home security giant plans on holding a conference call with investors and the financial media bright an early at 8:00am on April 24. The company plans on releasing their results prior to the call, and then using the call to answer any questions about their first quarter numbers.

Ensco (NYSE: ESV)

Texas offshore oil drilling giant plans on holding a conference call on the morning of April 23 where they will be discussing their first quarter revenue results that will be released earlier that day. Details of how to dial in to the conference call are located on the Ensco website, and they will also be replaying the call for two days after the call has concluded.

Pep Boys (NYSE: PBY)

American auto parts giant plans on hosting an April 9 conference call to discuss their fourth quarter financial results. You can listen to the call on the internet, but special software may be required to listen in to this quarterly conference call.