InterCall Blog: Better Line Quality Means Fewer Distractions

I had some great feedback from my blog post last week that covered best practices to follow when hosting audio conference calls. Along with making sure you are prepped and ready to go with all the logistics of your meeting, there are a few things you and your participants can do to keep your lines clear and therefore reduce distractions.

Electronic devices (such as BlackBerrys or cell phones and associated hands-free devices, laptops, etc.) can interfere with line quality if located too close to the phone. If possible, place such items a good distance away from the phone you are using for the conference call.
If you are conducting back-to-back calls, make sure to disconnect your initial conference call line prior to dialing back in for the next call. (Failing to do so could produce a ‘flash hook’ scenario, which feeds a loud signal into the call.)
When entering your conference code and leader PIN do not press the keys too quickly—this will enable the system to ‘read’ them most effectively.
During an Operator Assisted Q&A session, participants should pick up their handsets to ask questions. This will ensure the best possible audio quality and volume from their lines.
If you are conducting a call using a conference room phone, microphone or speakerphone, be aware of the location of the phone/microphone at all times and speak directly into the device to ensure the best possible audio quality and volume.
If you are conducting an Operator Assisted conference call using a conference room phone, microphone or speakerphone, test the volume and line clarity with the operator prior to starting the call.

These tips should help your conferences run smoothly, but if you do have issues, our tech support team is there to help at any time. You can press *0 on your phone keypad during your conference to bring an operator into your call or press 00 to speak one-on-one outside of the meeting. You can also call us ahead of time if you have questions.

Christina Todisco is a marketing manager at InterCall and has been in the conferencing industry since 2002. Christina currently provides product marketing support for InterCall’s audio services, reporting and invoice solutions and InterCall Online. When not working, Christina enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, family and friends.