Handing conference calls

HandlingConferenceCalls

NumberONE

You must get to the room and be seated 15 minutes ahead of time:

- Get the numbers and codes ready- Check and prepare your content; less jabbering with co-workers- Dial in two minutes ahead of schedule.- No rushing in with 2 minutes to go

Be fifteen minutes early.

If previous meetings delay your attendance, tell those meetings you have a call.

NumberTWO

Prepare for the call -What questions are likely to come up – how will we respond?-Who is on the call – research their job titles and roles

Lines may have a lag/delay, so take your time – don’t rush “Hellos”

NumberTHREE

Competent Call Introductions – first 2 minutesAfter the beep- wait 2-3 seconds before saying hello.

Don’t let horrible silences deaden the call before it even starts:

If client employees are delayed and joining one by one, make

Small talk

Usually surround big events from the news. Talk-able topics might be:

The OlympicsLeagues Wimbledon

Be careful with smaller events: Cricket or Rugby might be OK, but equally many people have no interest in either.

For e.g: “Did you follow the cricket / football at the weekend” might be a gentle exploring question?

Big news events:

Brexit New prime ministerElections Royal Weddings

Transport:

Bad weather

Airports shutting down

Railway Strikes

These are usually very good and safe small talk topics!!!

Tell them about important things going on in India :

"We’re having big state elections"

"Everyone is glued to the cricket world cup here"

"We’re having huge rain at the minute"

You can ask people about their roles in their companies:

1. "Have you been with Informa for long?"2. "What does your role involve at Informa Jane?"3. "Have you guys ever worked with Indian suppliers before"

These questions can be used when waiting for others to join

NumberFOUR

When everybody is on board: One speaker will introduce the team [quickly] – Maybe best if the others do not interrupt with individual Hellos at this point. Team members can say a combined hello after the introduction.

Clean Introductions

NumberFIVE

There is no room for half-listening on conference calls. If 5-6 people are giving their time, we need everyone on their toes.

LISTEN

NumberSIXBE Clear

Get up from the chair and lean into the handset. Speaking from further than 3 ft from the phone will make it very difficult to be heard. Be bright and articulate – be calm and natural. Say your name maybe? “Suresh here … I think the best idea would be….” Hesitation, stopping starting, mumbling will irritate everybody; if you need time to respond use a clear filler to buy that time.

When questions are asked or a point is

made: Respond immediately; no dead air.

Horrible Dead Air

Dead air arises when the other end pose a question or make a statement and nobody ‘picks up the ball’; a kind of eerie silence.

Many of our calls have several such instances and they are dreadful.The originator is left feeling “eh…whats happening – did I say something odd? Has everyone run off?Where this arises, use non-verbal fillers to show:-That we have heard the points-We are considering it-We are still here !-We will respond in full

Fillers can be as simple as:“Hmmm”“Uh huh”“OK That’s an interesting point – just give me a second Graham”“Let me think on that for a second”“Sure – just give us a moment with that”“hmm Im not sure – just give me a second to think about that”“OK – just let me confer with my colleague on that – can I just put you on hold for a minute guys” Maybe even repeat the point back to them in our own words; the key thing is to keep the dialogue going and maintain dynamic.

Horrible Dead Air

NumberSEVENHandling Problems or Cock-

ups

Where a caller is

irritated with Merit:

a) Acknowledge his/her disappointment

b) Defend Merit – but only if the defence is very strong.

c) If our defence is weak; accept blame first and foremost. Give the caller the satisfaction of at least

knowing we have a problem and are willing to own up to it. Then we can enter the weaker defence, but

reiterate and take responsibility for any failures on our side.

d) Do defend Merit if we have a strong position; if somebody at the client side has cocked-up and which

has really contributed to the error.

e) Be direct and clear in your answer; no “nice” works to try and cover for a cock-up or for a problem we’ve caused. This kind of

fudging can appear like we are dodging blame or trying to confuse things further. Best to be clear and use very plain language.

If we follow these guidelines, the conversation will then move quickly to solving the problem and future

prevention of the same issue. A much more constructive and beneficial position.

IF we delay or fudge admission, we delay this and we antagonise the client more.