When not to conference call
Posted 30 June 2008 at 10:14AM by Ian Betteridge in Email and communications
As you might expect, we're big believers in the power of conference calls. Conference calls - including video conferencing and even meeting in virtual worlds - cut down on unnecessary travelling, and make it possible to discuss something without the necessity of a face-to-face meeting.
But like all tools, conference calls have their limits - and while using conferencing should be thought of as the default way of having a meeting, there are some occasions when face-to-face is the right approach.
So when should you go for a face-to-face meeting? The answer is simple: when showing your passion for something and a deep level of interaction is more important than just getting across facts and making a simple decision.
That could mean a meeting with a potential customer to pitch a product or service. It could be an internal meeting where you're looking to generate new ideas. Or it could be an interview where you need to judge someone's body language in order to make a decision.
Most meetings - particularly internal ones - don't fall into any of these categories, of course, and you should always look to replace these kinds of meetings with conferencing. But never forget the power of the face-to-face. If you know when to use it, it remains a powerful business tool.
Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, conferencing
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