Organizations have consistently benefited from large conference calls as it lets you connect with a huge number of people from various locations in a cost-effective manner. After spending weeks planning out your conference call—you managed to find a common schedule for everyone and have done almost all the necessary research—you feel ready. All you have to do is start the conference call. However, there are many possible drawbacks that can still happen during the discussion such as technical difficulties.
When it comes to technology, unforeseen incidents can occur and the conference call can end up becoming a disaster. In such cases, you should expect the worst that could happen and prepare for it. Fortunately, there are some precautions that you can do to avoid technical difficulties from happening. Here are some of them:
How to Avoid Technical Issues in a Conference Call
1. Rely on good conference call equipment and software.
Having good equipment from the start is useful since this significantly reduces incidents from happening.
2. Do a tech-check on everyone’s setup before the conference call.
It’s better to be safe than sorry. Make sure to test everything before your conference call. Check if each feature is working properly, from the mute buttons to the dial-out feature, and if the internet connection is stable. Don’t forget to do the same for the other participants as well.
Some conference call services offer operator-assistance that can do this for you.
3. Have an experienced operator on standby in case you need assistance.
Facilitating a conference call is already stressful enough so adding technical difficulties in the mix is sure to make the experience even more difficult. To make it a lot easier for you, keep an operator on standby that is ready to help you when needed during the conference call. You can also request for operator-assistance who can also monitor the live call for you.
4. Update your equipment and software consistently.
Good equipment and software need to be updated constantly to ensure that it performs in its utmost best.
5. Prepare a plan B, C, and so on.
As mentioned before, unforeseen incidents can still occur. In case your software crashes before or during the discussion, prepare a back-up plan in advance. Don’t let technical difficulties ruin the conference call.
Other large conference call issues that you should look out for are background noise, low speaker volume, participant voices overlapping with each other, echo, and speakers forgetting to unmute. To solve this, make sure that your conference call service has all the necessary features that can prevent these from happening. Use a quiet conference room as well and instruct your participants to do the same.
Don’t Worry!
Technology failing is inevitable. However, don’t let this discourage you from using conference calls. Understand the cause of these problems and take the necessary steps to resolve them. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see a massive improvement in the quality of your conference calls.
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