The Little Rulebook For Conference Calls

Here is something you are not taught in any Business school or top notch university. There are no courses or trainings run around this, but tripping up here can ruin a deal or cost you that partnership. Basic etiquette is always a challenge in today’s digital age and phone etiquette especially.


Conference call etiquette is more so. There are more people involved and more chances of miscommunication especially since there may be cultural or language barriers . You rely on your voice and the spoken word to convey your thoughts and views and often your tone could unwittingly be the spoiler. How do you handle this ? I am reminded of a golden rule taught way back in school - “Treat others as you would want them to treat you.” Start with this premise and build a little checklist to go through for business calls especially Conference calls.

Prepare for your call beforehand


Prepping for your call is always a good idea especially in terms of time, agenda , names of attendees, points to be covered,clarifications desired input questions  and outcomes desired. Make sure to inform all co- participants beforehand about  these points. Keep notepads handy and make sure everyone has a printout of any information to be shared.Assign a leader who keeps to the time, facilitates the discussion ,manages the agenda and closes the call on time.If you are unable to keep to the time or the call is postponed for any reason, make sure all participants are informed about the change in schedule.

Your Voice Matters 

You have your voice and voice alone to relay your thoughts and inputs and take the communication forward.Keep your tone clear,pleasant and polite .It maybe a good idea to practise and record your questions beforehand to check if you sound curt ,impatient or abrupt.The aim is to be engaging ,self assured and helpful. Drawing or long pauses will make you appear indifferent or bored. Don’t underestimate the importance of a warm human voice. Keeping the conversation respectful and tone even, regardless of how the discussion goes will make an impact and can be a game changer.

Ensure a Quiet Environment 


It is essential to keep background noise to the minimal and allocate a quiet room to the call. Eating or drinking while on a call is rude and  mumbling in the background and carrying on secondary conversations can be disruptive. Turn off or silence any electronic devices. Keep your phone on mute unless you are speaking and use a good quality headset or speak directly into the speaker. 


Announce yourself 


Introduce yourself before you speak and state your role  or purpose for being on the call .You may announce your name everytime since not everyone will be able to identify you through your voice in the virtual space .Wait for your turn to speak and never speak together,out of turn or cut  into any conversation,no matter how important a point you need to make. Keep you notepad handy to jot down any points you need to respond to or clarify. Choose your words carefully since others do not have nonverbal cues to rely on to provide meaning.Your words can make or break the conversation. Avoid ambiguity, slang, slurs or jargon. 


Be Alert 


You may not be in a physical meeting but research shows that our body language reflects in our tone. Sit as you would for a face to face meeting. Keep a note of the points being discussed ( even if they are out of your sphere ) and the names of the people on the call. It will be a good idea to address specific questions to people by their name and request feedback from specific people in turns by their name ( your notepad will come in handy here ! ). Avoid multitasking or doing anything that will take your focus away from the call or job at hand. 


Finally  make sure you say goodbye and thank everyone for giving their time and inputs. A little politeness goes a long way in life and takes minimal effort. It makes your company or business stand out as professional and polished.