Whether you are operating an offshore business or you have a remote client that you have to talk to, communicating can be quite challenging. Certain technologies are developed to address such concerns. Cloud technology is one of them. This has made collaboration and operations much easier and more efficient. It also enables people to access their files and work from anywhere. However, this is not always enough. The type of solution you will apply to your operations depends on the activity. There will be times when you will need to have an actual interaction with your remote members and clients. Doing it live is not always be possible, but there is one solution that you can always go for: conference calls.
While conference calls have a lot of benefits, not everyone is keen on doing it. In fact, they are treating this as a bane of their corporate existence. Some people usually have this sentiment because they do not know how to do it properly. Do not lose hope; there will always be ways and methods to implement the call much more easily.
Here are some of the things you may want to keep in mind:
Make sure the connection is clear
The number one problem of many individuals setting up their conference calls is the unpredictability of the clearness of the line or the Internet speed (assuming you are doing it online). Just before you set up the call, you may want to try your telephone lines and the speed of the Internet to make sure that there will be no problems. Otherwise, you may want to check out other venues where the lines are clear. Do not forget the hardware; make sure that you are using the likes of IP PBX system.
Pick a conducive location
The location or venue of your call does a lot of things to your meeting. You do not want to have conference call in an office where there are rowdy colleagues prancing around; remind them of the call beforehand. If there is no meeting room available or the office is too busy for it, you can always rent a room in a co-working space.
Use visual aids
Presenting storyboards, graphs, and financial reports can be difficult if your client does not have visual aids. You may want to have a shared screen where you can show your presentation. Just make sure that the camera you are using has HD image quality. See to it that the presenter knows how to explain the visuals well.
Send your deck beforehand
Some people do not want to send their presentations ahead of time so as not to pre-empt the set-up. But if you are okay with it, do it by all means. Sending the deck beforehand can help clients to understand what you are going to present, which will make the conversation simpler and more efficient.
Conference calls may be quite difficult at times, but if you have prepared the necessary things and essentials, you will be able to do it properly. Before you actually go for your next call, make sure that your team already knows what they are supposed to do. There should be also a back-up plan.
