Teleconferencing Etiquette

Teleconferences are used by many businesses and social organizations. They are a convenient way to reach multiple people in an organization or group to have an open discussion without having to arrange travel for all of the participants. A teleconference is a way for the company or organization to save money on travel, and make sure all of it's members receive vital information that needs to be shared.

Significance

When you are conducting or participating in a teleconference, you cannot see the other members of the teleconference. This means that all forms of nonverbal communication are lost. In a conference call, some examples of this include hand gestures, nonverbal displays of agreement and ability to indicate when you wish to make a comment. This must be kept in mind when observing proper etiquette on a conference call. Interrupting someone else can be a frequent occurrence on teleconferences and each participant should make a concerted effort to wait to speak until the speaker is clearly finished with their current subject.

Time Management

The saying that "time is money" is especially true in business. This means if you are attending a teleconference, you should make sure that you arrive on time for the call. It's a good idea to log into the teleconference at least 5 to 10 minutes early. This can help you determine if you have issues ahead of time such as having the wrong code to access to teleconference. The host of the teleconference should keep time management as a priority as well. If you are the host, it is important to start the teleconference on time. You should not delay the call for a few individuals that are late, especially if there are a large number of participants. Let your participants know how long the teleconference will take when it is scheduled and stick to that plan. If someone on the call is asking questions that are delaying the teleconference call, ask that they address those issues with you after the call is finished.

Considerations

When one person has a bad connection to a conference call, it can be very distracting to everyone on the call. It can transmit a sound of static into the conference call itself, or at least during the times that the person with the bad connection is speaking. Another distraction can be background noises. When participating in a teleconference, call in from an area with as few distracting sounds in the background as possible, turn off your radio or television. Some teleconference systems will allow the host to put everyone on mute, except during periods the host would like for open conversation. If this is not possible, it's good etiquette to mute your own line as a participant when you are not speaking.

Moderated Teleconference Calls

As the host it is a good idea to use moderated conference calls when addressing a large audience and allowing questions from your listening. This option available on many teleconferencing software systems will individuals request to ask a question by pressing a number on their keypad. When it is time for questions, either a live or automated operator will announce the person that is asking the question and allow them to ask.

Documentation

As a participant at a conference call, it is good etiquette to review all documents the organizer sends before the teleconference begins. This will help avoid questions that are already clarified in the documentation. It also will help the participants follow the discussion led by the host when he refers to the documents he sent. The host will assume you have read these materials that he emailed before the teleconference when leading the call.