Teleconferencing has now become a critical communication method to help businesses conduct meetings and save both time and money. Teleconferencing includes audio conferencing, Web conferencing and videoconferencing among others.

Whatever name it is called by, in a business set up, teleconferencing is still a tool used by business to conduct business. As a result it still has an element of formality. Besides, there may be individuals who are uncomfortable with the whole set up of talking through machines or to images on the screen, instead of to a flesh and blood person.

This may result in some amount of discomfort to the participants. So, what can you do to make teleconferencing an enjoyable experience, and make it more personal and informal for all concerned? Here are some techniques that can be applied.

REVVING UP: A conference call is just another meeting, only it uses more technology. Once you understand this, you can put the participants at ease, by following all the basic of a good meeting preparation and etiquette.

If there is a purpose of the meeting or a definite agenda, make sure that all participants are aware of it well in advance. Check up with the participants that they have the necessary meeting notes and basic date, time. This will help to ease the atmosphere as the participants will get the feeling that the conference call is just another meeting, and not a strange and formal encounter with technology.

Do remember to provide materials in advance. These may include plans of alternatives, reports, evaluation matrices, cross-sections, or other visuals. Often in videoconferences the materials may be on-screen but are usually difficult to read unless a participant has a printed document for reference. So make sure that all the participants have the hard copy in hand. These will smoothen the way for all the participants in the teleconference.

SWEET AND SIMPLE: Use the simplest teleconferencing solution for the meeting. There are a wide range of teleconferencing solutions available, but many are highly complicated. Do match the right solution to the meeting need. Not only will this minimize costs and maintain efficiency, it will not create a sense of awe among the participant, or faze them with the complexity.

If the teleconferencing solution is user-friendly and simple it will go a long way in making the participants feel at ease. Using easy conferencing tools is a not only beneficial from the set-up and preparation point of view, but will provide a high degree of convenience and familiarity to the users, making the system seem more friendly and informal and personal.

QUALITY MATTERS: Make sure that even if the teleconferencing solution you have opted for is simple and inexpensive, it is good! There should be no compromise on quality at all. Imagine what would happen if the participants can’t understand what is being said! This will not only make them tense and the whole meeting will go waste. You can consider using a handset phone, instead of a cell phone or speakerphone.

ONE FOR ALL: Make sure that the teleconferencing tool you use involves all the participants. This will give the personal touch and let all the participants feel that they are not being sidelined by the technology.

Use PowerPoint presentations, share applications with participant, and allow a lot of chatting with opportunities for question and answer sessions between participants and between the leader and participants. Remember that audio interaction makes dialogue more lively, personal, and interesting.

MODERATION REQUIRED: Make sure that there is a moderator around during the teleconference. This moderator may be member of the business or even from the agency, which is providing the teleconferencing solution.

This will immediately make the participants feel at ease and give the teleconference a personal touch, especially as the participants will feel there is someone around to immediately refer to their needs and queries. A moderator can also prevent the teleconferencing from becoming chaotic and will make the participants feel more at ease.

The main point to remember is that although teleconferences are somewhat formal events that need prior planning for maximum usefulness, they are informally to encourage participation and the exchange of ideas. So by keeping the following points in mind, teleconferencing can become an informal and personal experience. All it requires is a little effort and planning, which will yield the most benefits.