A Guide to Successful Teleconferencing
by Jerry Mooney
In the wake of the coronavirus, organizations are changing the way they work. Movement is limited. The primary solution to slowing the virus spread is to stay home. That can be challenging if you want to communicate with business partners abroad. But that does not mean it is impossible.
One way to meet with business partners is teleconferencing. With a sound IP PBX integrated into your existing phone system, communication becomes possible. But there are things that you should do to ensure that your teleconferencing becomes successful:
1. Dress for success
One of the major advantages of working from home is being able to wear your pajamas all day if you want to. But that is not a good idea if you intend to have an international video conference. It will give your business partners a poor impression of you and cost you their business.
Make an effort to clean up and dress professionally even though you might be working from home. It shows that you are serious about your brand. And those potential clients will take you seriously, too.
2. Set a reasonable meeting time
One major challenge of having meetings with people from different geographical locations is the timing. There are many time zones in the world. And what you think is the appropriate time for you might not be suitable for your business partners.
So when setting the time, you need to be careful. Try to find a meeting time that works both for you and the people you will be communicating with abroad. So use a world clock to determine the best possible time that will not affect the performance and productivity of everyone who attends the meeting.
And make sure that you are on time. It is better to be early for a teleconference than to be late. Do not take other people for granted.
3. Get a reliable Internet connection
You might not need electricity for teleconferencing, especially if you have a fully charged mobile device like a laptop. But you do need the internet. For that reason, make sure in advance that your internet service provider is reliable. On the date of the meeting, you must have a stable Internet connection throughout.
4. Be aware of cultural differences
Different countries have different cultures. To make your teleconference a success, you should avoid offending people. Doing so could cost you customers.
Research about your business partners or potential clients. Learn where they come from and know their culture. For example, a thumbs-up can be a sign of congratulations in one country, but it can be an insult in another. Such minor details can make you lose valuable business projects.
If you think that language is going to be a barrier to communication, then find a way out. You can hire a translator to help you communicate with the participants of the teleconference. It can cost you money upfront, but you can end up gaining more clients after the meeting is over. It can be a necessary investment that will grow your business.
Changing the way you work can be challenging, but you can learn to adjust. Investing in a high-quality IP PBX system can be one way to do that. Then you can maintain communication with all the relevant business partners, suppliers, and clients, regardless of where in the world they stay.
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