3 Ways your Business Can Use Conference Calling with VoIP

Conference calling is an important business communication tool. Organizations use it more than ever before, especially as the technology evolves to provide more features over time. A conference call may be a simple one with 3 or 4 people within the company or a more complex affair with multiple people calling in at different times.

Telephony operators have offered conference calling as a feature for years. However, it is often expensive and bundled along with unnecessary features that a business may not need. That put the feature out of reach for most small businesses. In addition, it wasn’t always easy to set up a conference call. Depending on the technology and solution in use, setting up a conference call could be just as time-consuming as arranging for a face-to-face meeting.

Conference Calling with VoIP

The introduction of VoIP has changed the value proposition of conference calls. VoIP uses the Internet to transmit voice signals and it doesn’t matter if there are two or 20 people on the call. As long as you have sufficient bandwidth and high-speed Internet, conference calls are just as clear as a regular VoIP call.

VoIP streamlined the setup and configuration of conference calling as well. You can convert a normal call into a conference call and vice versa with ease. Businesses can also use video as part of the conference call, making it a total replacement for in-person meetings.

But what if a few people don’t have access to a camera to join the video conference call? Conference calling with VoIP is pretty flexible – some participants may join with video while others stick to audio. Participants can take turns presenting material, mute their end of the call or drop in and out of meetings as per their convenience.

VoIP conference calls can save time and money in a number of important ways. Businesses can use this feature in a number of ways including:

Conference Calling As a Collaboration Tool

Few people like spending all their time in meetings but they are an essential part of collaborating and communicating as a team. Meetings are used to keep teams updated on the status of various projects, communicate important changes within the organization, and are also integral to training sessions in various companies. But that doesn’t mean meetings have to be long, boring, and take forever to set up.

Conference calling – especially with a video component – can replace most meetings in the workplace. With VoIP conference calls, you can create conference rooms for multiple participants with whiteboard features. Conference calls can reduce meeting times by as much as half, streamlining the collaboration process. Project teams that don’t have the opportunity to meet in person can readily benefit from conference calls. You don’t have to restrict team meetings to one or 2 a month, have them as often as the project needs in the form of conference calls.

Conference Calls for Recruiting/Telecommuting

Every business wants to recruit the best people for a given job. But why restrict yourself to people who live in the local area? Conference calls, VoIP phone systems, and messaging software are a few tools that can enable remote working for your staff. You can now recruit and hire people from anywhere in the world for crucial roles. You never know where the best candidate for the job lives at the moment you need to hire them. The ability to work remotely can be a huge incentive to attract top talent.

Conference calling can also become an important tool in your recruitment process itself – weed out candidates through video interviews instead of wasting time setting up meetings with every single person who interviews with the company. You can meet the top 3 or 4 people before hiring the right candidate. It saves time for job seekers and your recruiting teams.

Conference Calling for Sustainability

Sustainability or caring for the environment was long considered a bonus or a marketing tool by companies. But many of today’s successful businesses view environmental sustainability is an intrinsic part of their culture and ethos. Discerning customers are demanding to know where the products they use come from and are concerned about the environmental impact of business decisions. Switching to VoIP-powered conference calling can dramatically cut down your carbon footprint and help the local community.

Conference calls eliminate the need for travel of any kind. That means global teams can meet as often as they need to, without worrying about racking up fuel miles. In addition, participants don’t need pen and paper to take notes. You don’t need to print anything either for distribution afterward. Simply record the session for those unable to attend or for later review. Conference calling is not new in the business world but VoIP transforms it into a much more valuable tool.