Conference calls are no one’s favorite part of the day, but they’re inescapable if you need to communicate with others who are miles away or too busy to commute to the office that day. However, they are, arguably, more convenient than traditional meetings anyway because you can take them from anywhere thanks to tools like iPhones.
That said, the lack of everyone’s physical presence means that you will need to take a different approach to ensure a meeting’s success. There are also a few best practices to be aware of, so let’s go over what you need to know if you’re going to facilitate a conference call via iPhone:
Your Phone Already Has The Right Features
Your iPhone already has all the right features to make conference calls happen. One way to get everyone involved is to call one person as you normally would and then tap the “add call” button on your screen. You can then press the “merge calls” button once the other person has picked up. You can do this until everyone has access to the conversation whether they have an iOS device or not.
If you want to talk to someone on the call privately, you can click the blue “i” button next to the call’s name (which is only possible if all calls are merged). Your screen will display a window with a list of everyone participating with options to end the call or talk to them one-on-one (other lines will be on hold). If you would like to focus solely on the conference and not deal with any other incoming calls, you can send them to voicemail or enable “Do Not Disturb” mode in Settings.
iPhone also enables a call-and-wait feature when it comes to joining conference calls. All you need to do is dial the number and add a few commas between it and the conference PIN. These commas act as two-second pauses so that your phone knows to wait instead of accidentally calling someone in a foreign country.
You can also use FaceTime audio to conduct conference calls. This feature only allows you to contact other iPhone users, but you can use WiFi or mobile data instead of your phone plan.
Use A Third-Party Service To Make It Smoother
You might be thinking that this process would take too long if you want to run conference calls on iPhone. Instead of adding everyone to the conference call manually with your contacts list, you can use a third-party app to make everything smoother.
Such services may come with features including video chats, operators, and calendar integrations. Plus, they remove the need for passcodes and dial-in PINs thanks to the ability to join with one click.
Be Mindful Of Where You Are
Besides the technical aspect, conducting a successful conference call with iPhones requires a few etiquette practices. First of all, be mindful of your location. In-person meetings usually take place in conference rooms where there are fewer distractions and everyone is aware of the noise level.
When everyone is in a different location, though, it’s essential to make sure you are in a quiet place that won’t distract other participants with background noise. Similarly, remove yourself from others if you prefer to use your device’s speakerphone function but do not want passersby to hear your conversation.
Encourage Participation
If you are using audio-only calling, then it’s more critical than ever to actively encourage participation and hold people’s attention. Everyone drifts off during in-person meetings, but it’s much easier to do so when no one is watching or holding you accountable. There is also no eye contact or body language to compel people visually, so you’ll have to work harder with your voice.
Speak dynamically. If that’s not your style, ask a charismatic coworker to facilitate the meeting while you prepare the agenda in advance and provide it to them. Ask people for their opinions and make time for questions so that you don’t lose anyone.
Record Everything For Later Use
Record the call for anyone who couldn’t attend. Even if people were present, it might still be useful to have the conversation accessible for future reminders. It’s an excellent way to refresh your memory if you talk about something important but cannot recall the details later.
And of course, keep the meeting as concise as possible. It’s beneficial to make room for chatting and team bonding if your business is remote, but if these calls happen all the time, then present the information quickly and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Running conference calls with iPhones is more feasible than you may expect. How do you like to conduct meetings when using mobile devices?
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