It has been a while since we spoke about conference calls, but it looks like Sri Lanka has a few more weeks worth of remote working, so here is the latest dose of call conferencing etiquette from Full of Etiquette to get you in synch.
We were brought up to believe and understand that one must meet in person to create a connection, build a rapport and carry on business. COVID-19 came along and tossed that theory out of the window along with a few others, so here is a guide to make new connections, start new business deals and make friends with business partners, customers, suppliers and counterparts over a call on MS Teams or Zoom.
01. Plan to Have the Cameras On
Human to human contact has been reduced to screen to screen connections – so the least you can do is show your face. It is much easier to make friends with someone you see and that is an opportunity you should not miss in the business world. Don’t take people by surprise though – please inform them well in advance that you hope to have the camera on from your end and kindly request them to have their cameras on at least during the early part of the call.
Never ask someone to switch on the camera unannounced – most people work in tank tops and shorts, that is clearly not a sight they want others to see.
Read our article Conference Calls I – Getting Things Going for tips on how to prepare for such an online meeting.
02. Introductions are a Must
As the call starts, the host should do a round of introductions so that everyone knows who is on the call. It is customary for the most senior or one of the senior personnel from the other party to carry out the introductions on behalf of their end. Within your team, agree on who would do the introductions irrespective of whether you are the host or the guest and be ready to give the name and the area which is handled by a particular person. The party at the other end should be able to get an idea about the seniority and the specific areas of concern of each person on the call.
Since there are no exchange of business cards, once the meeting is over, send an email with everyone who was at the meeting on copy. This email can carry the minutes of the meeting or it could be a thank you note.
During the call, please mention that you would send such an email for everyone’s convenience.
03. Keep the Natural Flow
After the introduction, move on to the pleasantries and feel free to engage in a few minutes of casual conversations before starting the formal meeting. Basically, try not to lose the human contact and the natural flow of a face to face meeting.
Virtual meetings are not meant to be awkward – they are meant to be safe and efficient ways of getting things done in this day and age. How you handle it can make or break your deal.
04. Allow Everyone to Speak
If you are anything like me, you would probably have enough and more to say throughout the meeting, but honestly, that is not the idea at all! If I want to keep talking I should buy everyone snacks and invite them for a lecture, not call a meeting. As the host or facilitator of the group, you should invite everyone in your team to express their opinions.
Learn to use lines such as ;’What do you think about this suggestion, Praveeni?’ or tell the participants, ‘Saman is the expert from our end on this area, am sure he will have some thoughts about the proposal’ or open the field for everyone and say ‘I think I have done a lot of talking, others, please do comment and share your ideas;.
With this article being the fourth on the area of conference calls or online meetings, as we prefer to call them, much has been said on the do’s and don’ts. Next, I will focus on how to handle the technical glitches with professionalism and poise – stay tuned to fullofetiquette.com and write to us at fullofetiquette@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
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