Conference Calling

Conference calling technology facilitates telecommunication between individuals in different locations. Primary benefits of conference calling include the savings of both time and money realized when team members are able to communicate via conference call rather than face-to-face meetings. Conference calling technology reduces the need for travel expense and the correlating loss of time spent traveling to and from meetings and other events. Conference calling gives organizations the capability of organizing their team for simultaneous communication in a cost effective, time efficient manner.

Additionally, conference calls provide flexibility in terms of time and location, and frequently increase participation from team members in remote locations. Conference calling technology enables people to connect with each other at any time, from any place, as long as they have access to a telephone.

Conference calling technology is widely used in the business world, and the practical applications of the technology are virtually limitless. Standard business meetings that at one time would have required extensive travel expense and time investment can be handled quickly and efficiently via conference calling technology.

For example, regional staff meetings can be conducted via conference call. Conference calls enable sales presentations to be made to prospective client decision makers at the same time, even if they are spread out in locations around the world. Publicly traded corporations use conference calling technology to communicate with financial analysts and their investors on a regular basis.

Advances in conference calling technology have led to increased opportunities for members of the workforce to perform an increasing array of jobs from home-based offices. Some companies even use conference calling technology for initial employment interviews.

There are many training applications for conference calling, as well. Distance learning can be delivered via conference call. Many corporations with centralized management and human resources functions utilize conference calling to share information with employees in branch locations. Often, employee orientation training is provided via conference call. Many professional organizations offer training updates to their members via conference call on a regular basis. Direct sales companies regularly make conference call training sessions available to their consultants, who can be located all over the world. Retailers and manufacturers even utilize conference calling technology to educate consumers about new products and ways that such products can enhance productivity.

Additionally, conference calling applications are not limited to the business world.
Conference calls are sometimes used for virtual family reunions, homework collaboration, or for planning sessions for social gatherings such as high school or college reunions. These are but a few of the many ways that conference calling can be utilized to facilitate communication among individuals in different locations.

There are several different types of conference calling services available through a wide variety of providers. No matter how small or large your organization is, there is likely to be a conference calling solution that meets your organization’s conference calling needs. Conference calling technology involves the use of connection bridges that serve to join numerous telephone calls together, thus creating a single conversation. A conference calling bridge essentially is a specialized type of telephone that has the ability to answer multiple calls and bridge the gaps between those calls so the participants are connected with each other. Functioning in a manner similar to that of Internet servers, individuals in different locations all call into the bridge, which simultaneously manages the connections, enabling conference call participants to communicate freely with each other.

Conference calling options include private dedicated numbers that are available 24 hours a day without reservation, and reservation-based services that enable people to set aside specific times for conference calls on an as-needed basis. Whether you need to connect three or 3,000, or even more people on a teleconference, you will be able to find a cost effective solution that meets your needs. A variety of plans are available, including pay-per-use plans, monthly subscription packages that include varying quantities of minutes, and custom corporate packages for those with particularly high-demand needs. Users may also choose to use toll lines or toll free 800 numbers for their conference calling needs. To choose the type of conference calling capability that best meets your needs, you must first consider when and how you will use conference calling.

When around-the-clock access to teleconferencing capability is what you need, an automated reservation-less conference calling solution may be the best option for you. Automated reservation-less conference calling provides users with a permanent, private toll or toll-free teleconferencing line that is available to them 24 hours a day. To use reservation-less conference calling, the host of the call simply provides the dial-in number and passcode to invited participants, and all parties involved dial in.

Reservation-less conference calling offers complete on-demand conferencing capability, allowing users to connect with each other any time the need arises, regardless of where they are located, as long as they have access to a telephone. With a reservation-less conference calling service, you truly have on-demand conference calling capability that allows you to begin a conference call any time of the day or night at a moment’s notice.
Since reservation-less conference calling allows conferencing without prior scheduling, this service is ideal for those who need 24/7 access to conference calling capability. For example, reservation-less conference calling is an excellent communication tool for sales representatives who must communicate with existing and prospective customers, who may be spread out all over the world, at their convenience. It is also an ideal solution for department managers who may need to organize spontaneous meetings with employees at remote locations.

Public information officers who may need to get crisis communication information in an emergency situation out to the news media or other groups quickly may also benefit from reservation-less conference calling.

Not everyone needs the unlimited conference calling access afforded by reservation-less conference calling technology. Meet me conference calling can be a more cost effective solution for those who are able to plan for and schedule their conference calls ahead of time. Meet me conference calling differs from reservation-less conference calling in that users do not have their own dedicated conference call line. Instead, the user reserves the use of a conference calling line for a specific time period. This is a cost-effective option for those who have the opportunity to plan ahead for their conference calling needs.

Users schedule conference calls at specific times. A dial in number is assigned for the scheduled call, and passcodes are given to all participants. The participants are required to dial in at the scheduled time. They then enter the passcode to gain access to their scheduled conference call. Callers can access the line only at their scheduled times, and calls will be ended automatically at the end of the scheduled time. Meet me calls can be set up so that users dial in via a toll number or a toll free 800 number. With toll meet me conference calls, regular long distance charges will be billed to participants who dial in. With 800 meet me conference calls, the participant does not incur any long distance charges.

Pre-scheduled conference calls can be conducted with or without an operator in attendance. Operator attended conference calls are more expensive than non-attended calls. However, many situations warrant or even necessitate that a conference call be operator attended. Operator attended calls are necessary for investor relations calls, such as the quarterly earnings release conference calls held by public traded companies. Operator attended calls are also frequently used for corporate Board of Director meetings and news conferences conducted via teleconference.

In the operator attended mode, participants are greeted by an operator when they dial in. The operator manages all details of the conference call and monitors the call constantly to deal with any problems that might come up. Frequent services provided by operators include: adding participants during a call that is already in session, announcing late arrivals, polling callers, facilitating question and answer segments, subconferencing, and wrap up reporting at the conclusion of the call. Operator attended calls are probably not necessary for most departmental or sales calls, but can be a great benefit for calls with a large number of participants, particularly when the calls include a question and answer component.

A wide variety of conference calling features are available. Popular conference calling features include: call recording, roll taking, attendance monitoring throughout a call, mute functionality, locking and unlocking calls to enhance privacy and security, and secure audio. Sub-conferencing is an additional function that allows certain participants to privately communicate with each other during the conference call, and then reconnect to the main call

Additionally, some conference calling service providers offer additional fee-based services for their clients, including translation, transcription services, and audio transcripts.

While most companies do have multi-line telephone systems that allow for multiple party conversations, standard telephone equipment is not intended to accommodate conference calling capabilities. Having a large number of multiple parties dial in from various locations on a standard phone system is not a practical or even feasible option. A specialized conference call bridge is necessary to facilitate conference calls. A bridge is a costly piece of equipment that is used solely for conference calling purposes. Some companies who engage in high volume of conference calling do choose to invest in their own conference calling bridge, but for most organizations such an investment in conference calling equipment does not represent an efficient use of their resources.

Service providers who specialize in providing conference calling services are a cost efficient means for companies of all sizes to utilize conference calling services without having to invest in and maintain expensive equipment that will be used only sparingly. Professional conference calling service providers make it their business to invest in and provide easy access to telecommunications bridges and bridgeless technology to provide their users with the latest in high-quality conference calling technology.

There are a limited number of companies that manufacture conference calling equipment, so there is not likely to be much variance among service providers in terms of the quality or type of the equipment they are using. Where providers are likely to differ is primarily in terms of service and pricing. While many of the major long distance carriers provide teleconferencing services, they may or may not offer the best service and value for you. It is not uncommon for companies that specialize in conference calling services to offer better value for conference calling than the major long distance carriers.

Consider the type and volume of conference calling you are likely to use most frequently. If you anticipate hosting a high volume of conference calls on a regular basis, search for a plan that offers a volume discount. Be sure you understand any monthly minimum or length of agreement requirements associated with the discount structure. Just remember to make sure you know all the terms and conditions before you enter into a service agreement. It is a good idea to shop around, and to make sure that you read the fine print on any service agreement before committing to it. Some companies even offer free conference calling services to prospective customers on a limited basis. As with any product or service, if a conference calling deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

If your primary need is reservation-less conference calling, you should probably simply choose the least expensive service that offers all the features you need. However, don’t assume that all services provide the same features. For example, if you want to record your conference calls, remember to make sure the service provider you select offers recording services. Also make sure you are aware of any additional costs associated with having your calls recorded and obtaining copies of the recordings.

If you expect to utilize operator assisted conference calling for critical company events, your supplier research needs to extend beyond just availability of services and price point. Make sure to check out the company’s prior experience with the types of conference calls you will be hosted. Find out how long the company has been in business. Seek out critical information about their operators, such as how they are trained, or whether or not the company employs in-house operators. Many conference calling services offer new customers a try-before-you buy opportunity, which is a great way to be sure that the service meets your real-life needs. It is also a good idea to request client references that can attest to the quality and reliability of the provider’s services.