Whether Renting or Leasing Office Space, Knowing the Secrets to a Good Conference Call Is Key
Running a business with remote workers, or where you need to host meetings more regularly than you can actually get the participants together, is tough work. This is why conference calls are such a big part of how we do business now—because they bring people together to collaborate over a great distance. When you go in for conference room rental or office space for lease, making sure you have access to a conference call service and the equipment that goes with it is essential, as is knowing how best to use it. Here are some great tips from the professionals:
Practice
You know that feeling of embarrassment you get when you want to show someone something interesting online, but you’re still learning your way around your new phone or tablet, and you fumble, and you can feel them watching you impatiently? Now imagine how much worse that would be in a professional setting. Especially if you are using a rental conference room with its own equipment that is new to you, practice making calls so you look like a pro when the time comes.
Be Punctual
This shouldn’t need saying, but we’ll say it anyway. If you say you’ll call at a certain time, do it. That’s all.
Make a Plan, Stick to It
There should be an agenda, and it should be followed. What are the goals of this conference? Are you trying to make operations more efficient? Discuss a big project? Negotiating a new office space for lease that gives you a competitive advantage? Lay out the goals of the discussion, and stay on course as much as possible. Otherwise, like with a face-to-face meeting, you will meander and go off on tangents, wasting valuable time for everyone involved, whether they are coworkers or clients.
Record and Take Notes
Some people prefer to do one or the other, our advice is do both. Make an audio recording, especially if someone misses the call—this allows them to catch up later. It can also be used as an accurate record that you may have to refer to later in the event of a dispute, arising from either misunderstanding or miscommunication. However, taking notes by hand is also an incredibly valuable resource, as it allows you to create a document that highlights just the most important parts of the meeting, such as decisions and important future dates.
Follow Up
This is important for any kind of meeting, but it can become so much easier to let it fall by the wayside without the actual face-to-face conversation. Always follow up on goals, objectives, deliverables, and more after a conference call, whether by phone, email, or appointment. If you do decide to have a face-to-face meeting, remember that conference room rentals are always available.
