Conference Calls Progress

What a wonderful world we live in. Opportunity is knocking everywhere we go. The technology is amazing and the possibilities are endless. An invention called conference calls, can now enable you to speak to more than one person at a time, all in the same conversation, no matter where you are. Wow. How many times have you ever been speaking with someone only to find out you don't have all the facts, or information, and will have to call them back? I'm sure you can think of a few. Well, conference calls allow you to call another person or persons at the same time and get all the information in one phone call. We will explore the world of conference calls in this article and try to learn a little about it.

The term conference calls refers to phone calls in which the person calling, would like to speak to more than one person at a time, on the same phone conversation. There are different types of conference calls that can be set up for you to use. You can implement a plan where the person who is calling can call more than one person at a time, and the other parties can hear, but not be able to contribute to the conversation, or you can set up conference calls in which all parties will be able to converse in conversation. You can sign yourself up with a company who will organize your conference calls and get you set up on a schedule, where the different parties call into one number at the same time.

With the many options to choose from, you will want to do some research and see what will work best for your needs and what you can afford. Just as any phone plan, conference calls cost money. You will usually pay by the minute, but if you make a lot of conference calls, they have programs where you can pay a certain fee each month no matter how many calls you make, or how long the calls are. Whatever company you choose, usually they will offer a 24 hour helpline and services. Most companies will train you on how to use the phone to implement conference calls, so how handy is that?

I know the technology today is pretty hip and most of the older generation don't understand it, but don't let ignorance keep you from expanding your knowledge. Conference calls are on the cutting edge to new and better things, we like to refer to, as progress. Don't let conference calls scare you, as they can be very beneficial; especially in the business world. Who would have ever thought we could make phone calls from our cars while we are traveling, and now with conference calls we can be on vacation and literally in minutes hold a meeting without being there.

Do I Need to Plan Telephone Conference Calls?

There is nothing complicated about learning how to plan telephone conference calls. However, you do need to plan for these meetings for several reasons. The main reason is that a conference call is basically a short meeting, so you need to have an agenda in order to get all your work done in a short period of time. A typical conference call runs about an hour in length and depending on the topics raised and the discussion of the participants, you may have to put some issues to another time for more discussion. Since conference calls are shorter in duration, they tend to be more task oriented than a day long meeting where you gather all the participants in a physical location.

You do not have to be a computer expert in order to plan a telephone conference. You can simply use the conference calling plan that your telephone service provides or you can plan the conference through your computer. When planning this meeting, you should have an agenda, which you email to all participants a day or two in advance of the conference. This allows the participants to come to the meeting prepared, which is often not the case with face-to-face meetings.

When you plan a telephone conference, you are giving people that are quite a distance away to participate in the meeting. It is also easier for them to take part in the meeting using their own telephone or computer and with some people, they find it easier to talk this way. This is because they do not have to plan to speak in front of a large group of people.

Planning a conference by telephone is similar to planning for a meeting, except you plan for a shorter period of time. Each conference has to have a main focus. Start your planning with the overall objectives of the meeting. These can be very general such as:

· What action do we need the participants to take after this conference?

· What information do we need from the participants during the meeting?

· Will this be just a general sharing of information or do we want input from each person?

If you want to speak to the participants as a group, plan what you want to say and how you will say it. The key factor in planning a conference call is to be as brief as possible while still getting your message across. If you want to ask questions, make sure you have them written down so that you won’t miss any important ones. Write an outline of the script you want to follow for the conference and allow time for participant interaction. Planning for the first conference is usually the most difficult. Once you get through that, the rest should be smooth sailing.