Teleconference calls, also known as conference calls, allow people from many different locations to communicate. A teleconference call should be planned and scheduled in advance just as any other meeting would be planned and scheduled in advance.
Below are a few guidelines to help make your next teleconference meeting successful.
1. Notify everyone participating in the call in advance and confirm their availability.
2. Be aware of different time zones when selecting a time for the teleconference. I may be in the office at 9:00 in the morning on the east coast, but my friends on the west coast are probably just waking up.
3. Have an agenda and forward it to all participating parties in advance along with any materials needed for the meeting.
4. Stick to the agenda. This is not a time for brainstorming or idle chit chat.
5. Start and end the conference call on time.
6. Introduce everyone in the room even if they are not participating in the conversation. If someone should walk into the room during the conference, introduce them immediately.
7. Have a backup plan in the event you are disconnected with one or more of the participating parties and communicate this plan to all parties involved.