The Benefits of Conference Calls Instead of Business Travel

Conference calls have their advantages – especially when it comes to using conference calls instead of business travel. Of course, they reduce the need for costly business trips which require participants to secure transportation and lodging to travel to. Companies who typically spend months securing a venue, setting up seating, and making arrangements for keynote speakers benefit from teleconferences. This form of meeting delivers the same value without tiring hosts and sponsors with minute details.

Greater Participation

It requires no extra effort to invite employees, clients, and vendors from other cities, states, and countries to join the discussion. Rather than spend time and financial resources arranging face-to-face meetings, savvy companies use modern technology such as video conferencing to address needs, update employees on business policies, and even brainstorm solutions.

Timely Decisions

Conference calling can be a great asset when decisions need to be made quickly or a matter needs immediate attention. For example, if a salesperson is experiencing a problem with a product delivery to one of her clients, she can call the client while also bringing her company’s customer service department on the line to rectify the situation and eliminate potential miscommunication.

Quick fire thinking is what sets one company apart from another in the minds of customers and clients. People want fast solutions, ones they feel good being a part of.

About Tech notes that, “Web conferencing helps improve employee efficiency, since the technology that powers it makes it possible for workers to get in touch with people all over the world almost instantly. Moreover, web conferences can be done in as little as 30 minutes, so employees don’t spend time in lengthy but mostly useless meetings just because they have travelled somewhere.”

No Need for Venues, Transportation, Lodging

Conference calls reduce the need for airfare, mileage, and gas. They accomplish things without requiring participants to secure lodging and meals. There’s no expense report generated and no money to reimburse. Companies focus on the task at hand which is the subject of their meeting rather than concern themselves with who is able to attend and who isn’t because of cost.

Client Relationships are Strengthened

About Tech mentions how web conferencing and video conferencing give companies the ability to remain in constant contact with clients. This makes them feel more involved in the projects they pay for. Sharing a slide show, video or screenshot is easy through video conferencing. Employees get to explain their role in a project and discuss ways to improve upon it as clients make suggestions. About Tech says, “This helps client relationships become closer and more transparent.”

Tips for Making Conference Calls Better

The following tips make conference calls better and easier to get through. The first word of advice is to encourage participants to pay attention. Offer a reward at the end of the session to an employee who answers a question correctly. For example, try using board meeting software such as the kind offered by Diligent; it will make the data you need to show more visual, which will help you tell your story. Make sure you give the answer to the question sometime throughout the call.

Some other things to do throughout a conference call are:

• Take note of pauses that allow you to interrupt the speaker and get them back on task.
• Engage anyone who isn’t participating by calling on them by name.
• Repeat and record decisions for future reference.
• Assign tasks to people and give them specific deadlines.
• Take note of risks as they come up.
• Come up with solutions that work for the company as a whole and apply them where needed.
• Send reminders of decisions that were made on the call.
• Share screen shots.
• Open up files that you need ahead of time.
• Mute attendees until it’s time to ask questions.
• Use a speaker phone or microphone that has built-in noise reduction.

Ensuring that attendees have a positive experience throughout a video conference or teleconference is the job of company organizers. It’s a big benefit of conference calls instead of business travel. By keeping distractions minimal and employees on task, you’re able to accomplish more in less time. Rather than tie up valuable time with faulty equipment or hard-to-use software, you get to the task at hand quickly and efficiently. BlueJeans remains popular for this precise reason. It’s ready-to-use whenever the meeting starts because everyone accesses it on the device of their choice be it a computer, smart phone or tablet.

Closing Thoughts

The benefits of conference calls instead of business travel are numerous; companies and small businesses save time and money. After all, video conferencing service providers make connecting others throughout the world effortless without special software or hardware. Simply connect to the conference call via a computer, mobile phone or tablet. Obviously, this reduces the costs companies and employees pay out for traveling from one location to the next. It also allows them to continue working on a project once the meeting concludes.

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