Let’s face it; it takes a particularly talented person to keep people engaged during a conference call.
West recently released a study that looked at conferencing statistics after surveying 500 professionals about their experiences. This study picked up a lot of traction among the business community. Most calls are so dreadfully boring, in fact, that 27 percent of those surveyed admitted to falling asleep during one. Sleeping on a professional conference call is pretty bad, but that’s not the end of the story. Turns out people do all kinds of things on conference calls that you wouldn’t expect.
What are you guilty of doing during a conference call?
Doing Other Work
No one was surprised by this one. One of the big advantages of a conference call is the opportunity to multitask. Almost two-thirds of people said they do other work while on a conference call. While we applaud the multitaskers and overachievers, it can also be dangerous to become so distracted with other work that the conference call becomes ineffective.
Sending Emails
This isn’t a big surprise and may sometimes even be necessary. More than three out of five people admitted to sending an email during a conference call. This isn’t always a bad thing, especially if it is related to the call. But, keep in mind that if you can’t type and pay attention at the same time, you might want to put a hold on the emails.
Eating or Making Food
The survey found that 55 percent of people eat or prepare food while on a conference call. They must not be contributing much if their mouths are full. On one hand, I get it; I keep snacks at my desk and am known to gobble them up at any given time. But, on a call? I’m envisioning a scenario in which I am on a conference call with a lot of people. I’m feeling peckish, so I grab a handful of salty peanuts. Then, I’m asked a question by my boss. Now everyone has to wait while I properly masticate and swallow my food. It’s either that or I spit them out. Either way, it doesn’t look (or sound) good.
Going To The Toilet
Gross. The last thing we want to do is picture another person going to the restroom while we are talking to him on the phone. Nearly half of people admitted to doing just that while on a conference call. I will tread lightly on my commentary here. If you are doing this, please stop. Just don’t. It’s a dangerous path to go down that could end in professional humiliation.
Texting
So this one is pretty predictable. When are people nowadays not texting? I’ll admit that it’s become so normal to see someone shoot off a quick text that I wouldn’t even notice it in a meeting if you were quick about it. But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. Even in the modern world, some manners will take you a long way. A simple rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t do it in a face-to-face meeting, you probably shouldn’t do it in a conference call. But, flexibility is part of the allure of a conference call.
Checking Social Media
It should come as no surprise that more than four in ten people surveyed admitted to using social media during a mobile conference call. Social media has permeated our society. You’re likely to have found this very blog post on social media. That being said, it can be very distracting while trying to pay attention to something important. Another thing to consider is the fact that social media has become so intertwined with the business community. So, it may not be a bad thing to use social media in a business setting. But, like most things, there is a time and a place to Tweet or post a status. A conference call is rarely one of them.
Playing Video Games
There is just something strange and almost offensive about a client or coworker playing Call of Duty while we’re trying to discuss quarterly budgets and marketing strategies. But alas, a quarter of our respondents admitted that they have played video games during a conference call. I don’t think I could pull this off. It’s not that I don’t play video games. Rather that when I do, I tend to yell at the TV screen like the characters in the game can hear me and will be motivated to perform at a higher level. Something tells me that someone shouting, “You gotta catch the ball when it hits your hands!” would be pretty confusing on a conference call.
Online Shopping
More than one in five of those surveyed admitted that they shop online during a conference call. This isn’t so surprising. Most people browse the web while working. But, again, when you’re on the clock and on a call, you should probably be giving 100 percent of your attention to the conference call.
Exercise
So, almost one in ten people admit to getting a sweat on while on a conference call. Personally, there is no way I could work out while also on a conference call. My wheezing and stressed vocals would give me away instantly. It’s possible that people may be just walking on a treadmill or squeezing a hand grip. But, those are some liberal definitions of “exercise.”
Take Another Phone Call
With just six percent of respondents admitting to taking another call while on a work conference call, this has likely never happened to you. But, as anyone who has ever tried to call customer service about your phone bill will attest, being on hold is one of the more maddening things in the world.
It would be easy to be discouraged by these numbers. People, it seems, are doing anything they can to not pay attention to you on a conference call.
So how can we keep people’s attention on a conference call?
Stick To Meeting Practices
As with any other meeting, before you even send out invites make sure that you have considered a few key meeting fundamentals so that you’re not wasting time on the call. The meeting should have a clear purpose, only involve the key stakeholders, and have the right amount of time allocated to it. Prepare and distribute an agenda so that people know what to expect and what they are expected to contribute, and stick to this agenda when the call takes place. Start and end on time, and set clear next steps. Being disciplined around meeting best practices shows respect for others’ time, which means they will be more likely to engage fully in the meeting.
Manage Out Distractions
The reason that conference calls are disliked by many is because they are still plagued by common distractions such as difficulties joining the call, not knowing who’s on and who’s speaking, and dealing with unwanted background noise. If you choose the right Unified Communications, then you’ll have the tools to tackle these problems so that you, as call leader, can manage out these distractions to keep everyone focused. For example, background noise can be a real irritant, whether it’s someone typing or taking a call from an airport. Mute this background noise as it arises – or put everyone on mute and let them unmute themselves when they wish to contribute – and you can keep the meeting focused on the conversation.
Encourage Real Conversations
As far as possible, avoid simply talking at people, unless the call truly necessitates it, such as an earnings call. Instead, actively solicit contributions. Asking for contributions by name can be a nice touch to make people feel involved – and also to keep them on their toes!
Make It Visual
One problem with conference calls is that they are a completely audio experience. Several studies have found that about 65 percent of people are visual learners, so it is no wonder that people tend to ‘wander off.’ But remote meetings don’t have to be this way. You can make your conference calls a visual experience with such technology as the Ericsson-LG iPECS 1080i IP Video Phone or using screen sharing to share visual content during your call. This helps capture people’s attention by illustrating the points you’re making and is especially helpful for visual learners to better absorb information. If you are using conference phones and webcams, you can also gauge people’s expressions and be sure that staff are not slacking off.
Set up a conference call with us!
Contact us today to find out how Teleconnect Service can improve your conference calls.
