Types of Telephone Conference Calls
You need a telephone conference call because you've got three or more people who need to speak to one another at the same time. Before choosing a method of setting one up, figure out these three things.
- Know how many people will be calling
- Estimate how long the call will last
- Decide if participants will need to speak, or simply listen.
While it's tempting to imagine a conference call or meeting where some of your more 'challenged' colleagues cannot ask stupid questions, you should make sure you use one-way calls appropriately. Charges for calls are typically per line, per minute. In some cases, you'll also pay for long distance and, when it comes to international calls, nothing is certain, so make sure you ask.
The incentive to you is to limit participants and keep the call short - both noble goals for any meeting or teleconference.
Reserved Conference Calls
Essentially, these are the meat-and-potatoes of telephone conference calling. They are easy to set up, and straightforward to manage. They will also save you money if you make only a few conference calls a month. These are conference calls that are set up by a telephone service provider (such as AT&T, Sprint, MCI or any other telecommunications company) at a time you specify.
Typically, you'll call in advance to obtain a dial-in number and a conference ID code and a moderator's PIN number. You will initiate the call by dialing in, entering the conference ID code and then entering the moderator's PIN number. The call is now active.
At the specified time, your participants will dial the number, enter their code and will then join the conference call. Simple, and it requires no special hardware. Typically, the line will beep as new participants join in or drop off. (If someone is late, everybody knows. You can't escape even in cyber space.) Also, if people dial in and you haven't started the call yet (slacker!) they will be placed on hold until the call is initiated. While participants can drop in as needed, if you, the moderator, click off the line, the call is over.
Dedicated Telephone Conference Calling Lines
If you're in the unfortunate position of having to regularly run conference calls at short notice or you require conference services for an extended period of time, you may want a dedicated conference line. You'll get an access number and a conference ID that will remain fixed for the duration of your agreement with the service provider. This will ensure that no one on your conference call will be able to use the old "I didn't know what the dial-in number was" excuse.
Pricing models for this sort of service will vary. Some providers may ask for a fixed cost per month, others may just use the per line, per minute method. If more than one person in your organization needs these services, you can often get group discounts or itemized billing.
Take note, conference calling is a competitive biz. Ask for a better deal than what you are initially quoted. Companies, anxious for new business, will often give a better price when pressed.
Operator-Assisted Conference Calls
If you're too busy for all the details, or only need to use conference calling as a one-time deal, operator-assisted calls are the way to go. Again, companies such as AT&T, Sprint or your telephone service provider can do this for you. In this scenario, your service provider will set up the telephone conference, announce participants, and close the call when you're all done. You can also get special services like asking them to take questions from participants and CUE them up for you to answer. This is great if you're in a situation where you'd rather not take questions directly.
As with many phone-related charges, there's a chance that you may be overcharged relative to the value that you derive from these services, so take note of our tips for avoiding this. While operator-assisted calls are one of the easiest ways to go, they can quickly spiral in costs if you use them regularly. One of the other options might be best for those of us who teleconference regularly. But for a one-off deal, an operator-assisted telephone conference calls are almost hassle free.