What is Good Audio Conference Call Etiquette?

Dial-In:

This is a traditional conferencing practice where a host shares an email or an SMS invite detailing the bridge number and a unique PIN to every participant, which they use to dial-in to the teleconference. Anyone who has the bridge number and unique passcode can join the conference.

Dial-Out:

In this setup, the host will initiate the call to multiple people at the same time from a single phone, and the conference call begins as soon as the first participant answers their phone. It’s a more modern approach to the conference call, which circumvents the bridge number and PIN process, and ultimately saves businesses revenue and time.

Difference Between Dial-In & Dial-Out Conferencing:

Though dial-in is mired with security challenges, its familiarity remains the primary selling point. There are a few dial-out conferencing apps that offer secure and efficient con-calls, without making the process complex – much like our conference calling app grptalk. 

grptalk offers audio conferencing services with the flexibility to choose how you conference with both inbound and outbound calls. In dial-out calls, the participants just need to answer an incoming call to join the conference. If you choose the traditional dial-in method, grptalk sends SMS invites, along with bridge numbers, to all participants. They simply have to dial-in the PIN at the scheduled time. 

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Did you know that only 7% of participants get on teleconferences via VoIP? A 2017 survey also concluded that 70% of conference calls are taken from their landlines that work on PSTN.

VoIP’s failure to find relevance in business communication is due to the poor audio quality on conference calls and dropped calls. The participant’s preference for non-VoIP and PSTN audio conferencing solutions also underscores how critical audio quality is for enterprise conference calls.

The problem with VoIP Conference Calling

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a wireless telephony system in which the calls are connected through the Internet network. When you make a call through VoIP, the voice information is converted into individual network packets. These countless packets travel across the Internet to reach their destination.

In using VoIP to get on a conference call, there is always the risk of a power outage, which can disrupt the flow of the call.

While the emergence of broadband Ethernet and WiFi, call connectivity and audio quality have improved by a tremendous scale, but VoIP still doesn’t quite measure up to good old PSTN.

Below, we look at other major considerations for  pstn vs voip audio conferencing 

Why is PSTN the more reliable option for conference calls?

PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) is a traditional telephony system, which is also referred to as Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). It works through circuit switches and dedicated lines.More than 55% of conference calls involve the sharing of business-critical information, and audio quality as such is extremely important. And, PSTN lines guarantee crystal clear audio, as the voice is transmitted over a dedicated channel that physically connects the two ends. PSTN audio conferencing also provides an uninterrupted communication link even during a power outage. This is because phone jacks are powered by the PSTN provider.

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Infusing the appropriate conference calling etiquette is vital, often helping conference participants get the best out of conference calls. And to underscore the point we mentioned above, here are a few tips on good audio conferencing slolutions

• 1. Always Introduce Yourself:

As a common practice, you should introduce yourself before speaking, as every participant may not recognize your voice or know who you are.

• 2. Ensure You Listen To All Call Participants:

Allowing other participants the time to share their opinion makes it easier for participants to converse, understand each other and identify the agenda of the conference call.

• 3. Avoid Joining Your Conferences Late:

Being punctual shows that you value every call participant’s time. Joining calls late exhibits that you do not value every participant, and is deemed highly unprofessional.

Create an Agenda For Every Conference Call:

Remaining consistent with your conference call timeline and agenda, and respecting the time of fellow call participants is always a great practice.

• 4. Avoid Background Noise:

Ensure all your call participants have their devices on silent mode while conferencing to avoid background noise. Avoid starting conversations with others in the room during a live audio conferencing, and forgetting to mute your phone.

• 5. Confirm All Participants Have Hung Up:

Sometimes members may continue their conversation with other participants, while still being connected to the conference, where other members can overhear your conversation. It’s always a good practice to bring the call to a natural end.

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