Conference Call Etiquette

Tips for Conference Call Etiquette
If participants in a conference call do not follow a few simple rules of conference call etiquette, the call can quickly degenerate into a confusing experience with very little actually accomplished during the call. Below are some key tips that will help you to make all of your conference calls successful.
Set the Ground Rules Early - The facilitator or moderator, or even an operator, should advise participants of the basic rules of the call before general interaction begins. This includes both general etiquette and any specific rules the moderator deems necessary.
Make Introductions - After all expected participants are on the line, the moderator should introduce each person and provide a short background or description of that person's responsibilities on the call. This is especially true if there are guests or newcomers on the call.
No Cell Phones Allowed! - While cell phones can technically be included in conference calls, and may be necessary in some cases, cell phones can also cause static on the lines and may otherwise affect the quality of the connection so that cell phones on conference calls should be avoided whenever possible.
Arrive On Time - Getting to meetings on time is often critical and is a sign of professionalism. This is also true of conference calls. It is difficult for participants to make small talk on a conference call while waiting for a latecomer.
Never Put a Conference Call on Hold! - If you put a conference call on hold, one of two things will happen. Either the participants will be forced to listen to your on-hold music or they will not know that you have stepped away and may continue to address you while you're gone. Either way, putting a conference call on hold is considered to be rude.
Call Waiting No-No - The sound of your call-waiting beep can be disruptive and confusing to conference call participants. Conference call etiquette dictates that you will give the call your undivided attention for the length of the call. Quite often the Call Waiting function can be temporarily suspended by touching *70 prior to the call.
Identify Yourself - When you first enter the call and any time you speak, you should identify yourself by name and location or position. If there are a large number of participants on the line, everyone may not know your voice, and your identification will help to keep the call on track and avoid misunderstandings.
Mute Speakerphones - If you are using speakerphones at some locations, and if no one at your location needs to answer a particular question or speak on an issue, you should mute the phone. Speakerphones pick up a lot of background noise, and muting whenever possible will enhance the quality of the call.
Conference Call Etiquette

Make sure you are in a quiet location where you will not be disturbed.
Ø Use appropriate equipment.
Ø If possible, always use a phone with a handset that is hard-wired into the phone lines. Be sure to TEST the working condition of your equipment before an important conference call!
Ø Cellular or cordless phones are more likely to cause static or other distracting noise that they pick up on the airwaves.
Ø Speakerphones pick up lots of background noise, and sometimes cause "clipping" because of the limitations of the equipment. If you are using a speakerphone, try to find one that is "full digital duplex"--this will allow all parties to speak at the same time with no clipping. And if no one in your room needs to speak, use the "Mute" button on the phone to prevent background noise from disrupting conference calls. When someone needs to speak, simply release the "Mute".
Ø Turn off your call waiting.Some of our conferences are set to play a tone as an announcement of a new person entering the conference. If your line starts beeping with call waiting, it can be very confusing and disrupting to the meeting! Most call-waiting features can be deactivated by dialing 70# before dialing. Check with your local phone service provider if you are unsure how to deactivate this function on your phone.
Ø Be on time or early!It is especially helpful for the host or chairperson of the call to arrive a few minutes early to greet each of the participants, and let them know whether everyone is ready to start yet. Your presence in these opening minutes will also help you head off any premature discussions the participants might begin before you're ready!
Ø Introduce yourself when you begin speaking.Others may not know your voice!
Ø Don't put your phone on HOLD to do something else.Your hold music will play into the conference call, and make it impossible for the other participants to continue the meeting in your absence!If you are using Ready-Call®, you may use the *6 function to mute your individual line, and ONLY that way can you avoid playing your hold music into the conference. (Remember to un-mute yourself when you come back!)
Ø Try to stay on schedule.Stick to the minutes per topic laid out in your agenda, and be respectful of others' time!
Ø End the call clearly.Make sure all the participants know that that meeting is formally over, and stay on the line to ensure that everyone hangs up. If they stay on the call, it will show up on your bill!

Conference Call Etiquette
Moderators should be on time.A moderator should arrive a few minutes early to greet each of the participants, and let them know when everyone is present and ready to start the call.
Always introduce yourself when speaking for the first time.It is important to introduce yourself when first speaking as other participants may not recognize your voice.Avoid putting your phone on HOLD. Putting your local phone on hold could introduce music into the conference, so when considering the hold function please use #6 instead. Otherwise your hold music will play into the conference call, and make it impossible for the other participants to continue the meeting in your absence! (Remember to un-mute yourself when you come back.)
Create an agenda and keep to your schedule.Remain consistent with the timeline and agenda as prescribed in order to respect the time of the other participants.
Clearly state when calls end.If participants linger after you have hung up on the call you will get billed! Ensuring that all participants understand when a call has ended will avoid any possible confusion so stay on the line and make sure everyone has left the call.
Sound Quality Issues:The Budget Conferencing bridging equipment allows you to speak simultaneously with another caller without any loss of sound quality. This means, however, that any static or disruptive noise that can be picked up through your phone line will affect the conference, so you must ensure that you are speaking in a quiet environment.
How to prevent sound quality problems:
Avoid speakerphones as they will introduce background noise into the call.
Avoid mobile or cordless phones as they tend to pick up static.
In the event that a cell call is required we recommend a stationary location where the signal strength is high.
How to eliminate sound quality problems:
Hang up and dial back in... Generally these sorts of problems clear themselves up when the bad connection is terminated.
We recommend using the "Mute" button on your local phone as this may help isolate the problem. Then only "Un-mute" when you need to speak.
If the problems still persist, please contact our customer service. It is generally best to contact us while you are experiencing the problem. If we can join you during the call and experience the problem first-hand, it helps us diagnose the cause of the problem.
Ensuring proper equipment usage:
If possible, always use a phone with a handset that is hard-wired into the phone lines. Be sure to TEST the working condition of your equipment before an important meeting! Cellular or cordless phones are more likely to cause static or other distracting noise that they pick up in the airwaves.
Speakerphones pick up lots of background noise, and sometimes cause "clipping" because of the limitations of the equipment. If you are using a speakerphone, try to find one that is "full digital duplex"--this will allow all parties to speak at the same time with no clipping. And if no one in your room needs to speak, use the "Mute" button on the phone to prevent background noise from disrupting the meeting. When someone needs to speak, simply release the "Mute".
Turn off your call waiting. Some of our conferences are set to play a tone as an announcement of a new person entering the conference. If your line starts beeping with call waiting, it can be very confusing and disrupting to the meeting! Most call-waiting features can be deactivated by dialing *70 before dialing. Check with your local phone service provider if you are unsure how to deactivate this function on your phone.