An online conference allows employees from different locations to exchange ideas in real-time.
An online conference is a virtual meeting among different members of a company or work project who will join the meeting without being present in the same room. By logging into an Internet-based conference service, or simply using a webcam and instant messaging, team members can exchange information and work on documents together in real-time. Modern online conferencing saves companies money on airline tickets and hotel conference rooms. Online conferences allow employees to freely exchange ideas with each other at the click of a mouse, whether they are at home, in the office or on the road.
Instructions
1. Plan details of the meeting in advance. E-mail participants with the meeting start time. If callers reside in different time zones, inform the participants that the call coordinator's time zone governs the call-in hour. For example, if the online meeting supervisor is located in New York, the start time should be listed as 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Meeting participants in Los Angeles will then note that their start time is 7 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
2. Encourage meeting participants to use a wired connection to access the Internet, if their wireless connection is unreliable. Wireless connections tend to waver, especially during lengthy meetings, and key points may be missed. Let participants know that they will need to use a headset microphone that cancels background noise and allows them to fully concentrate on the meeting.
3. Contact a company that hosts online conference calls. PC Magazine recommends DimDim, an online web conferencing service that offers free basic meetings for up to 10 people with one-way video. With this service you can use a "White Board", similar to a PowerPoint presentation, to work on new documents live. DimDim offers Paid Pro and Webinar plans for fixed fees, with room for up to 1,000 people in a video chat room. GoToMeeting audio-only conferencing offers a free 30-day trial, and features drawing tools, the ability to share documents and scheduling options that can be integrated with Microsoft Outlook. Cisco Webex allows all users, up to 25 in a session, to share documents and write notes in real-time, and the software can be accessed from any platform -- Mac, PC, Linux and even Web-enabled smart phones. Record Webex meetings for later viewing.
4. Instruct the meeting supervisor to log into the meeting and prepare the agenda in advance. Use an electronic "sign-in" sheet to keep track of who logs in to the meeting and when.
5. Follow the meeting plan and don't get sidetracked. Occasionally, an important point may come up and delay the next subject on the agenda. As long as discussions focus on business, getting "off track" is fine provided it doesn't go on too long.
6. Engage all members in the conversation. Some people are naturally more talkative than others, but always ask if quieter participants have something to add.
7. Record the meeting. Email copies of it to participants so they can review the ideas discussed and apply them to current and future projects.
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