Whenever entrepreneurs plan an international conference call, they always get nervous. After all, there are a few ways that international calls can go slightly wrong! You might end up with a crackly line and may not be able to understand anything the caller says, or you might have to contend with sky-high calling charges.
But, in actual fact, you don’t have to worry about these issues anymore when you hold a conference call. Even if you are calling someone in a completely different country! You just need to read on to find out how you can minimize any problems.
Sign Up For A Cheap Phone Plan
You need to find a cheap phone provider who won’t charge you the earth for holding an international conference call. There are a few different providers out there, such as ShoreTel Silver Champion Partner, who can connect your office with a business phone network, so it’s important that you find the best deal for your company. There is no way you can completely sidestep charges for international calls, but you don’t have to pay the most expensive ones!
Do A Dummy Run
If you do buy a new phone network or sign up for a new provider, it’s a nice idea to do a dummy run before you hold the official call. This way, you can see where any potential problems lie and figure out how you can iron them out. You don’t have to do a dummy run with the caller, though. You could simply set up a fake conference call between some of your employees. Get them to note down any issues they experience so that you know exactly what to deal with.
Prepare Well
There are a few things you should double check before you start the conference call. For starters, make sure that you have the full phone number. You will need to make sure that you have the correct country code as well as the local area code. If you don’t have these codes that you can precede the caller’s so that the call can be connected. You should also prepare if you are holding a conference call with someone in a different time zone. You need to make sure that you take any daylight saving time into consideration when you plan the time of your call.
Record Everything
Some people find that they get so wrapped up in a conference call that they forget about taking notes for later reference. But don’t worry, there are some recorder software and apps that can record your call for you. Much in the same way as a dictaphone does. One of the best that many companies like to use is UberConference. Just download it from the official website here. Then you can transcribe the entire call, so you always have something to refer back to at a later date.
International conference calls shouldn’t scare you – not as long as you have these great tips by your side before and throughout the call!
