Best ways to Host a Conference Call

We are truly amazed. It’s 2020 and people are still utilising the most archaic ways of hosting a conference call, which typically means it’s the most inefficient way too. Yikes.

Just yesterday we went over a few reasons why people love or hate meetings. Well, we’ve just realised that hosting calls and making people join in an archaic fashion should probably be added to the list of reasons why people hate meetings.

Now, there’s no one correct answer for best way for everyone to host and join a conference call, that’s why we’re going to list the methods below and giving pros and cons for each one – you can then decide which is best for you and your organisation.

Methods of Arranging a Conference Call

The archaic way

Providing each attendee to call with the conference phone number, attendee number and PIN.

Pros.

• You’d think this would be the most basic and easiest way to get people on the call. No, anything but.

Cons.

• Attendees miss dial phone number
• Attendees miss input their attendee number
• Attendees miss input PIN
• Security – easily shareable details at best, at worst, no PIN and no attendee number, i.e., all attendees use shared details

 

Via your email & calendar

Probably the feature with the highest uptake of recent years – mass send out invite details, which are automatically produced details depending on where the users are.

Pros.

• Super efficient for host
• Personalised details per attendee
• Works with majority of email/calendars
• Reminders emailed automatically prior to call

Cons.

• People that can’t access their email
• People sharing conf. details

 

Dial-Out service

The conference call service that calls you and all attendees, instead of dialling in to the call.

Pros.

• Great for ensuring a high percent of attendees join
• No need for attendees to remember or note down call details
• Dial-out service will call any phone number in the world, just at the right time of call
• Can be used on ad-hoc basis, i.e., when attendee is finding it hard to join

Cons.

• Cost more
• Must be next to your phone at time of incoming call

 

Best methods of hosting call

Look, it’s 2020, throw away those cheap and nasty “free” services where you need to provide each person with dial in details on a attendee to attendee basis – likewise with how to handle attendees while on call – don’t play it by ear; utilise an actual call hosting control centre, i.e., use your phone or laptop to kick individual users, help others join with dial-out, lock room for security and of course, screen share for your presentation.

 

Find a provider that best fits your needs, here.

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