Conference Calling: A Fast and Cheap Replacement for Live Meetings

With the economy spiraling downward, companies are trying to cut costs wherever possible without disrupting their business. One easy way to do this is by using conference calls to virtually link employees instead of paying for travel expenses.

Conference calls allow an almost unlimited number of people to dial in for a meeting. Unlike meeting in person, there are no constraints on the available space for the call, as participants can dial in from anywhere in the world. Instead of having large national conventions of employees, companies can allow the employees in each office to stay at their home office and then use conference call technology to link each office. The company saves not only on travel expenses, but also on the time needed to organize the meeting and for employees to get to a new location.

When working on projects with virtual teams, many workers fall into the trap of sending mass e-mails that cause confusion when there is a difference of opinion. Conference calls are an excellent forum for solving this problem, as they can be set up as quickly as an e-mail. With no hassle, all of the participants can speak their mind simultaneously, and respond to others in a live setting where feedback is instantaneous.

In addition to a voice-only conference call, one has the option to set up a video or web conference call. In a video conference call, each participant's live image is broadcast to the other participants. No facial expressions or gestures are lost, and the result is an almost perfect substitute for a live meeting. In a web conference call, participants can go through a PowerPoint presentation or other on-screen images in order to facilitate the meeting. This is especially useful for training sessions.

Overall, conference calls are a versatile solution to save on time and money.