Hello Everyone I am Niharika and welcome to Skillopedia, the place to learn skills for
the real world.In today's session we are gonna learn How to conduct conference calls? It's
important for you as a business professional to lead or to chair good conference calls.
Well rather than having face to face meetings these days companies prefer to have conference
calls. You just can't dash into the conference room and start your call. Well, preparation
is key to conference calls and that's what we are gonna learn in today's session. Let's
have look at some tips that will help you to present yourself in a great way on a conference call.
The very first thing that you need to keep in mind in order to lead a conference call
is set a plan There are various people who attend conference
calls, right? They belong to different time zones or probably they are busy with different
meetings. You need to make sure that you are not interfering in their plans and to do so
you need to send a request for the meeting. So the first thing that you gonna do is, send
an email. Now this email should include the time of the call, it should also include the
name of the attendees who are gonna attend the conference call and of course the agenda
with the topics that have to be discussed during the call. Another thing that you can
do is, send out a reminder email the day before a call or probably on the day of the call.
Now you can use this opportunity to also any documents or reports that would be required
by people in order to discuss the agenda during the call. So make sure that you set your schedule
well and plan it well.
What's the next thing? Its time to start your call. People it's important for you to be
on time.You can't take your own time, you can't be late especially if you are the one
who's hosting the conference call. So be on time. And if people are late, have some notes
handy in order to initiate small talk. Another thing that you need to keep in mind is have
the background noise to the minimal. You can't have people around you shouting on top of
their lungs. Well, you are on a conference call, it's just like a face to face meeting
so keep the background noise to the minimal. What's the other thing that you need to make
a note of - well, introductions. The moment you start your call its important for you
to introduce yourself. and also ask the others to introduce themselves, well not necessary
that you would know each and every person. Probably it is a new client. and you don't
know them, you are talking to them for the first time, so let everybody introduce themselves
and then you can go ahead with the agenda.
The next thing - Stick to your agenda Well it's important for each and every person
on the conference call to follow the agenda that's been emailed to you before. Focus on
the positive aspects then cover the challenges and later offer solutions to it. So this is
the way your call should go. Now also, you need not over promise. there times when certain
questions are asked and maybe you are not prepared to answer them at that very moment.
It's okay, you may tell everyone that you will get back with answers soon. the next
thing that you can do is take notes, During the conference call it is important for you
to note down whatever is been spoken about. So what's the next thing? Probably at the
time of the call you realize that a follow up meeting is required. So on the very same
call you can decide on the time and then after you have decided on the time well you can
thank people and ask if any other questions have to be answered. Thank them for their
time and wish them a good day.
So what's the next thing? Well, it's after call work.
Now immediately after your conference call is over what's the next thing that you do?
Well you take a break. Not really, I am just kidding. there some work that you need to
do after your conference call is over. Well the notes that you took down during the call,
its time to convert these notes into minutes of the meeting. Now what exactly are the minutes
of the meeting? The points that you discussed during the call, the solutions that you offered
or the actions that have to take place before the next scheduled meeting. So you need to
email these minutes to all the attendees who attended the call and also ask for any corrections
or adjustments if required. And that's your job that you need to do after your call is over.
Al right people, so these are certain tips that will help you to host an effective conference
call. Follow these tips and I sure the next time you have a conference meeting it will
really work for you. Also do not forget to subscribe to our channel Skillopedia because
we have many sessions that will help you to develop your skills.
And I will be back soon till then you take care.