Chairing Global Conference Calls in United Arab Emirates

You’ll need to find a convenient means of joining a geographically diverse group together into a group audio call.

Cityscape Dubai Fog Sunrise Burj UAEDoing business in the United Arab Emirates often requires international communications with partners, colleagues, suppliers, contractors, and business associates around the world. Whether you’re in the United Arab Emirates for business or pleasure, you may find the need to conduct a group audio UAE conference call with attendees from around the globe.

This could be an ongoing need, or it could be something you plan on utilizing on a regular basis. In either case, you’ll need to find a convenient means of joining a geographically diverse group together into a group audio call. Global conference calls in United Arab Emirates require a plan. Here’s what you need to know.

  1. Sign up for a global conference calling plan. Note that international conference calling services are different from domestic ones. Your traditional conference calling plan won’t support international callers. Our contract-free, pay-as-you-go United Arab Emirates plans are perfect, and they’re loaded with features. Choose from toll free or local access numbers, or use the optional dial-out feature to dial some attendees directly. Hosting a call is easy, and everyone dials a local access number to join the call. Our rates are highly competitive, and the sound quality is excellent thanks to fiberoptic PSTN networks.
  1. Schedule the United Arab Emirates conference call. Depending on where your attendees are located, this may require some scheduling flexibility. Keep time differences in mind. You can schedule calls in advance or host them on the fly. Consider recording your global conference calls, too. This allows you to share them with participants after the fact, especially those who missed the call.
  1. Get familiar with the features available to you. Our plans are packed with useful features such as the aforementioned MP3 call recording and moderator dial-out features. Spend some time getting comfortable with the online account management dashboard, live conference viewer, and mobile Connect App.
  1. Learn how to calculate the cost of your United Arab Emirates conference calls. As you know, holding global conference calls is far cheaper than hosting live events because travel and a physical conference room are not required. However, you’re likely accountable for your spending. Take a look at the per minute rates for each participant’s countries, multiply those rates by the number of participants per country, and then add them up to get a total cost per minute. Multiply that number by the estimated number of minutes your call is expected to last.

For example, if you have 3 participants in USA, 2 (counting yourself) in the United Arab Emirates, and 5 participants in Ireland, you’d need to look up the per minute rate for USA 2.6 cents ($0.026), United Arab Emirates ($0.38) and Ireland ($0.15) and then multiply them by the number of participants per country.

  1. Start using your United Arab Emirates conference calling plan. As you can see, global conference calls are inexpensive, so take advantage of your plan. With a pay-as-you-go plan, you pay only for the calls you make.

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Bolivia International Conference Calling

Our rates are extremely competitive, making holding Bolivia conference calls a cost-effective means of communicating with your Bolivian business associates.

La Paz BoliviaBolivia has a population of more than 10 million people. It is also a resource-rich country with strong growth projections. Whether you do business in Bolivia or have business associates in the country, you may find yourself in need of Bolivia international conference calling services.

When it comes to hosting a Bolivia conference call with international participants, you’ll need a special type of conference calling service. Our expanded international conferencing plans allow you to host calls with participants around the world by providing them with local or toll free access numbers.

The Importance of an International Toll Free Access Number

You may have a high tech phone system with conference calling features and a toll free number for your business. While that’s helpful for holding conference calls with participants in your own country, it’s not practical for international participants.

First, your toll free business line only works domestically. A caller from Bolivia won’t be able to connect to your international conference call – nor will any of your other attendees located outside of your country. A workaround would be to give everyone your direct line, but then they’d all incur international long distance charges.

Benefits to Participants
If you’d rather avoid this scenario, use a Bolivia international conference calling service. The benefits to your participants include:
Familiarity – The toll free access number looks just like any other toll free number in their country. All they need to do is dial just like they always do. There’s no need to figure out Bolivia’s exit code or enter your country code. There’s no need to get the operator to help connect the call. It just works.
No charges to attendees – As the host of a toll free Bolivia conference call, you’ll be billed for call, not individual participants. They’ll be reassured about potential costs as soon as they see they’re dialing a toll free number.
Works on any phone type – You and your participants can join the Bolivia conference call using any phone including landlines, mobile phones, and VoIP phones. There’s no software to install (unless you want the convenience of our mobile app), no special equipment to buy, and no complicated software to learn.

Benefits to You
Chairing a toll free Bolivia conference call is easy to do when you use our service. We’ve built or international conferencing service on tried-and-true telecommunications technology – not VoIP. Transmission over a PSTN network translate into crystal clear audio with no dropouts, echoes, or volume issues. This allows everyone in your group call to hear one another clearly so you can focus on the issue at hand.

We’ve also included some of the most popular conferencing features such as MP3 recording, live conference viewer, attendance reports, and a dial-out option. Our rates are extremely competitive, making holding Bolivia conference calls a cost-effective means of communicating with your Bolivian business associates.

Perhaps best of all, our expanded international conferencing service is available on a pay-as-you-go basis. There are no monthly fees, contracts, minimums, or prepayments. Simply pay as you go. Whether you need to host one Bolivia toll free conference call or hundreds of them, you’ll love the flexibility of our international conferencing service.

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Chairing UK Global Conference Calls

The quality of both service and audio are essential. We offer 24/7 US-based assistance to ensure your complete satisfaction — and we use PSTN networks known for their sound quality and reliability.

UK London Thames RiverWhether managing a global team or coordinating a one-time international event in the UK, global conference calls can make your life — and the lives of your participants — much easier.

If you’ve been tasked with managing a group of people from around the world, consider signing up for a pay-as-you-go global conference calling plan. Below are a few tips to help you get the most out of your plan.

  1. Find Out Who Can Join Your UK Global Conference Calls

Before signing up for any international conferencing plan, especially those that have recurring costs or long-term contracts, make sure to find out which countries are supported. It doesn’t do any good to sign up for a UK global conference calling plan if your main participants live in a country that is unable (or is excessively expensive) to join into your conference calls. Start by checking out our Expanded Global Toll Free Conference Call Service list of more than 100 countries.

  1. Determine the Right Type of Plan for Your UK Global Conference Calling Needs

Will you be holding global conference calls on a regular and high volume basis or do you expect to chair a few international teleconferences sporadically throughout the year? Are you concerned about signing up for a long-term plan that you might not use regularly?

Many of our customers prefer the flexibility of pay-as-you-go international conferencing. There’s less pressure and fewer worries about recurring costs or underutilizing the service. In fact, many sign up for a pay-as-you-go plan because they only need to host a few, or even just one, UK conference calls. They use the service as needed and leave their concerns behind.

  1. Check Your Costs

International conference call providers offer a variety of pricing models, making it difficult to compare costs. While a flat monthly price may sound enticing, how does that figure translate into your real-world usage? Will you use the service enough to justify the recurring expense? Would it make more sense to pay for your minutes as you use them?

We publish our per minute rates per country on our website, making it easy for you to estimate the cost of your UK global conference calls. For example, if you plan on holding a 20-minute conference call each week with participants in the UK, France, USA, Canada, and South Africa, you could quickly look up the current rates for each of those countries and do the math. Spend a few minutes crunching the numbers and find out just how advantageous it is to pay as you go.

  1. Choose a Reliable Service Provider and Network

The quality of both service and audio are essential. We offer 24/7 US-based assistance to ensure your complete satisfaction — and we use PSTN networks known for their sound quality and reliability. Our plans are loaded with features and available on a pay-as-you-go, no contract basis. You won’t find a better deal!

  1. Use the Service

Finally, start using the service. UK global conference calls are a great way to collaborate with your team. Use the service to share information, brainstorm ideas, resolve issues, and build relationships — and more.

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Behind the Scenes in a Uruguay Global Conference Call

Imagine a Uruguay exporter who ships items to distributors in Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Rambla Beach Montevideo Uruguay Worldwide conference calls may seem like the realm of big, international conglomerates residing in high-rise office buildings equipped with the latest PBX systems, but they aren’t necessarily.

Yes, the big players use international conference calls all the time, but so do the smaller ones. Let’s take a peek behind the scenes during a global conference call in Uruguay.

Imagine a Uruguay exporter who ships items to distributors in Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and the United Kingdom. He would like to discuss a new product’s launch strategy with representatives in each of these three countries.

Though there are some minor differences based on local markets, the overarching strategy is consistent enough that a group call makes the most sense.

However, the exporter doesn’t have a fancy PBX system capable of handling a four-way conference call. He’s also concerned about how the distributors might react to having to dial a phone number in Uruguay, especially if the call runs an hour or more as he expects it to.

The exporter does some research and finds out that he can sign up for a service that allows him to host international global conference calls in Uruguay without a contract and without monthly fees.

Among the many other benefits he discovers:

  • Low international rates to dozens of countries
  • Toll free and local access numbers
  • MP3 recording
  • Exceptional call quality
  • 24/7 operator assistance

He’s nearly ready to sign up, but he realizes that this Uruguay global conference call is likely to be a one-time need. As he continues to explore American International Telephonic’s website, he realizes that the no-contract Uruguay conference calling plan is truly a pay-as-you-go plan. He can host this one call, pay for the minutes used, and never be billed another penny.

The exporter signs up and schedules his group audio call, a process that took mere minutes. He then invites his distributors from Brazil, Argentina, and the United States. Each participant receives the Uruguay conference call details complete with a local or toll free number for their own countries.

At the appointed time, the distributor in Brazil dials a local number and joins the call. The distributor in Argentina connects to the call using our Connect App (she’s used our service in the past and loves the mobile app). The U.S. distributor dials a toll free number. But the caller in the United Kingdom seems to have forgotten about the conference.

Remembering that the service has a moderator dial-out feature, the exporter dials the UK distributor on his cell phone and immediately joins him in the conference. Everyone is connected, and the sound quality is exceptional.

The exporter records the Uruguay conference with a quick key press and leads the team through a productive conversation. The call ends after about 45 minutes.

He’s delighted with the Uruguay conference call — and with the cost which came to about $26 for 45 minutes ($11.25 for Uruguay, $7.20 for Argentina, $4.50 for Brazil, $1.17 for USA, and $1.80 for UK dial-out).

Consider that this conference call will result in a valuable economic transaction for the exporter, is it worth $26 dollars versus meeting face-to-face in a mutually acceptable city with airfare, hotel and other expenses for all?

This is but one of many ways our customers use Uruguay global conference calls to connect with others around the world. We’d love to hear your other examples.

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Business Planning and Collaboration in Japan with Conference Calls

While many would likely buy your next ebook, there are some who would be interested in getting personalized attention via a group coaching call.

Japan Conference CallIf you do business in, or with partners in, Japan, conference calls are an affordable way to communicate.

Using an international conference calling service that supports Japan and the countries your other participants are located in is highly recommended as it will eliminate barriers and facilitate group collaboration.

Why Hold Japanese Conference Calls Instead of Group Web Chats and Other Forms of Electronic Communication?

Group audio calls are efficient. Oftentimes, several people will need to voice their concerns or provide status updates. A group audio call is an ideal way for everyone to have their say and for everyone to hear the same message.

Group emails, discussion boards, and other text-based messaging systems have their place, too, but they can also lead to misunderstandings — especially when communicating with partners from different cultures. With a Japan conference call, participants can ask for clarification as well as glean context from the speaker’s tone of voice.

Business Use Cases for Japanese Conference Calling

Japan is a major international trading partner with robust import and export relationships with businesses from around the world. If you are exploring the Japanese market, holding conference calls with local authorities, distributors, media, and other partners would be an efficient use of your time. With an international conference calling service, you could also patch in colleagues and partners located in other parts of the world.

Similarly, if you will be importing goods and raw materials from Japan, conference calling can be used to negotiate contracts, coordinate orders, troubleshoot issues, and plan the next phase of production.

It’s not unusual for a business to send employees to Japan on business. While these employees will certainly remain in touch with their colleagues back at home via various means, they may need to collaborate with team members scattered across multiple countries.

For example, if you have employees overseeing IT installations in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, and Ireland and need to troubleshoot a newly discovered security issue with each of these team members, an international conference call would be the ideal way to share information, brainstorm ideas, and come up with an action plan.

Another way business professionals take advantage of Japan conference calls is by holding tele-seminars or coaching calls using group audio calls. For example, let’s say you’re a professional development coach with a large following of Japanese business people. While many would likely buy your next ebook, there are some who would be interested in getting personalized attention via a group coaching call.

With a Japan conference call, your followers would dial a Japanese phone number, either local or toll free, to join the call. Meanwhile, you could be anywhere in the world. There’s no need to fly to Japan, and you could record your calls and repackage them as a training course.

These are just a few of the many ways businesses use Japan conference calling. How do you use conference calls in your business?

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Expanded International Conference Call

Connect with anyone in any country utilizing a group expanded international conference call.

International Video Conferencing

Can a participant join your conference call from their country?

If you host a diverse location conference call with attendees in remote countries, network access numbers probably are available, but not always.  It is not because we don’t try to provide access, it’s because in some countries the internet is still not available for a variety of reasons. These can be political issues or infrastructure related in that country.

International Video Conference Call Service

The International Video service includes wifi conferencing so no dial-in access numbers are necessary, just an internet connection using any web-enabled device. And HD audio is included.

In addition to convenient web/browser access enabling an attendee to join your call using their PC, MAC, or mobile device from inside their country, the International Video Conferencing service also provides the moderator a host of business quality features.

Expanded international conference call use case

For instance, recently a customer based in New York had a project in progress in Bermuda.  So, the chairperson uses the expanded international conference call plan with web access sends the Bermuda meeting attendees an invite for their weekly call.  The other attendees located in the US, Kenya, and the UK meeting guests access the call the same way, by clicking a link at no cost to them. There are no downloads. And PINs are optional for the attendees. Meaning that if you are meeting with the same group, you have the option of not requiring a PIN code to join your video call.

International Video Conferencing • Chat • White Board • Screen Share
Free Trial, no credit card required

Be careful with the company you choose

Some companies offer host-based pricing models that can be 60% to 70% higher than found here.

The Expanded international conference call plan is an all-inclusive, high-powered, intercontinental business collaboration tool with global cloud access guaranteed using Amazon Web Services Cloud-based Data Servers in 84 countries.

Learn more about the International Conference Call Plan here

How to Conduct Operator Assisted Global Event Conference calls

Repurposing Your International Conference Calls

You never know when a valuable discussion will arise on international conference calls. Be prepared by recording them.

Holding international conference calls is a fantastic way to interact with participants around the globe in real time. Not only can you connect using a group audio conference, you can also get more mileage out of your calls by repurposing them.Repurposing Your International Conference Calls

Ideas for repurposing group audio conference calls include:

• Distributing a full or partial recording to participants – Depending on the nature of the call, you might even charge for access to the recordings.

• Use audio clips in PowerPoint presentations – Did an important discussion take place that’s relevant to your next presentation? A short excerpt of that discussion could be a powerful soundtrack to your slides.

• Use audio clips in blog posts or podcasts – Your subscribers may enjoy a taste of the audio conference either in blog or podcast form. Use short excerpts as a teaser to download the full MP3 recording.

• Create an article around a discussion – Whether you interviewed an industry leader or discussed the pros and cons of adopting a new technology, you may have fodder for an in-depth article. Instead of starting completely from scratch, get out the transcript and build an article around the most engaging part of the discussion.

• Extract audio or text-based testimonials – If your international conference calls involve product feedback or training, participants may have some wonderful things to say about your products and services. The recording could be filled with potential testimonials. Extract a few choice testimonials, contact the original speakers, and ask if they’d mind if you used their comments as a testimonial on your website or marketing materials. Many will be more than willing to allow you to do so, and they’ll be relieved that they don’t have to do anything to make it happen.

Below are a few ways to get the most out of your international conference calls.

1. Record your international conference calls. Most international conference call service providers include an audio recording feature. Make sure to announce to the group that the call is being recorded. You may need to obtain permission from other speakers to reuse their talks. For example, if you intend to create an audio CD of a tele-seminar and you’ve invited a prominent industry leader to deliver the keynote, make sure that your intentions are clear and that you have the speaker’s permission to use the recording in any manner you see fit.

2. Have the recording transcribed into text. While editing an MP3 recording and packaging it as an informational product is easy enough, you may also want to have the discussion transcribed into text. Transcriptions add value to those who prefer to read and skim through content instead of listening to a lengthy discussion. Some people will listen but later refer to your transcript as a refresher. In addition, once you have the transcript, you have the building blocks in place for other text-based pieces. For example, with a little editing, sections of your international conference calls could become blog posts, special reports, or even eBook chapters.

3. Determine what can be shared and with whom. Obviously, if the call is intended for internal company use only or contains confidential information, you shouldn’t make it available to the general public. On the other hand, if you use international conference calls to educate, inform, or train customers and business prospects, then it may make sense to repurpose some of that content with other customers and business prospects. Use both the MP3 recording and the transcript to highlight key areas of the call that you may want to use later. Write down the location of the desired audio in hours, minutes, and seconds so that you can easily find it later.

4. Start reusing the content of your international conference calls. Once you’ve decided what to share and with whom, it’s time to start sharing (again, assuming you have permission and the use is appropriate).

You never know when a valuable discussion will arise on international conference calls. Be prepared by recording them.

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Using TextExpander with Team International Conference Calls

For example, you could create a participant or team list containing the names, phone numbers, countries, and time zones of each international team member.

Using TextExpander with Team International Conference CallsHolding team international conference calls on a regular basis is a great way to help your team succeed. However, there’s a lot of repetitive data entry involved. TextExpander is a nifty tool that you can use to make planning and conducting your team international conference calls that much easier.

What is TextExpander?

TextExpander is a utility for Macintosh computers, iPads, and iPhones (similar utilities are available for Windows) that allows you to create “snippets” of text and associate them with shortcuts.

For example, you could create a snippet containing your name, title, company name, phone number, email address, and social media profile links. Instead of typing this information manually, simply type the shortcut (such as %contact) and let TextExpander fill the information in for you.

Using TextExpander to plan your team international conference calls can save you a lot of time and ensure that you do not miss anything. Use the tips below to get started using TextExpander with team international conference calls. The more comfortable you become using it, the more uses you’ll find!

Using TextExpander to Plan Your Calls

Start by creating a snippet to store pertinent details about your team international conference calls. For example, you could create a participant or team list containing the names, phone numbers, countries, and time zones of each international team member. Use an easy to use shortcut such as %team. When planning your next call, simply type in %team and your entire list of participants will be listed.

Creating an Agenda for Your Team International Conference Calls

Each team international conference call should have its own unique agenda. However, a consistent format and a fill-in-the-blanks template can certainly help. Create a text snippet as a blank template for your team international conference calls’ agendas.

Depending on how comfortable you are using TextExpander, you can even include snippets within snippets. For example, you could include your team list (%team) within the agenda snippet as well as use today’s date as the agenda creation date.

If you’re an advanced TextExpander user, consider using “fill-in” fields to create a basic form that prompts you to enter your agenda items.

For example, you could create a snippet containing the following code:

Conference Call Date: %filltext:name=Conference Call Date% Time: %filltext:name=Conference Call Time%

AGENDA
%filltext:name=Item 1:default=Start Time% – ITEM 1: Speaker: %fillpopup:name=Speaker:Bob:Sandra:default=Allison:Ravi:Yvonne% %fillarea:name=Item 1%

%filltext:name=ITEM 2:default=Start Time% – ITEM 2: %fillpopup:name=Speaker:Bob:Sandra:default=Allison:Ravi:Yvonne% %fillarea:name=Item 2:default=Item 2%

…to produce a fill-in-the-blank box like this:

text expander

(Don’t worry, TextExpander contains easy-to-use tools to create the code.)

After filling in the blanks, your text might look something like this:

Conference Call Date: August 4, 2014
Time: 10:00 AM GMT

AGENDA

10:00 AM – ITEM 1:
Speaker: Allison
Introductory remarks. Discuss the upcoming back-to-school season.

10:05 – ITEM 2:
Speaker: Ravi
Discuss Brazilian strategy and the status of the social media marketing campaign.

Once set up, you’ll have an easily accessible template to reuse over and over.

Creating Snippets for Your International Conference Call Service

With each team international conference call, you’ll need to inform your team of the call’s details. TextExpander can come to the rescue once again. Create a snippet containing basic conference call details such as: international conference call access number, PIN code, and any other stock instructions for participating in the call.

Another idea is to create another snippet containing the various international access phone numbers by country. When you need to inform your international participants of the appropriate access number, this information will be just a shortcut away.

Again, if you’re an advanced user, consider using fill-in fields where you have all the basics in place and then fill in the upcoming call’s unique details using a form. This is a great way to quickly fire off an email containing all of the pertinent details.

Creating Meeting Notes for Your Team International Conference Calls

During the call, you’ll want to take notes. Create a meeting notes snippet and be ready at a moment’s notice to start jotting down action items, questions, and more.

Using TextExpander to plan your team’s international collaboration by phone is an efficient way to write agendas, invite team members to team international conference calls, and take notes during the call.

aitelephone.com is not affiliated in any way with TextExpanded software and mentions it only as a possible assist to customers.

Team international conference calls

International video conference enables collaboration by phone or PC

For example, Americans would dial a toll-free number for USA while Australians and Chinese callers would dial Australian and China based participants dial-in toll free.

international video conference by phone or pc

If you have a team scattered around the world, international collaborating by phone or international video conference is essential to your team’s success.

Though newer technologies such as email and online collaboration tools have emerged, they haven’t completely replaced international collaboration by phone — nor should they. In fact, these technologies can work together.

For example, email and online file sharing tools are fantastic for sharing files or quickly leaving a message despite time zone differences. They’re less attractive, however, for brainstorming, discussing complex topics, and communicating important missives.

In addition, email discussions can take days, if not weeks, to move forward. When real-time dialogues need to occur, global collaboration by video or by phone is the way to go.

Benefits of international video conference and Collaboration by Phone

International collaboration by phone allows team members to discuss projects, brainstorm ideas, clarify instructions, and much more in real-time. With a phone call, misunderstandings can be avoided.

For example, verbal cues, such as voice inflection or tone, are absent in email and online discussion boards yet readily available in phone conversations. At the same time, international collaboration by phone is incredibly efficient. The conversation takes place, questions are answered, tasks assigned, and the next meeting is scheduled.

Considerations When Collaborating Internationally

First, you’ll need a means for international team members to connect on the phone. We recommend using an international conference call service. With such a service, you can issue country-specific local or toll free phone numbers for participants to dial into the conference room.

For example, Americans would dial a toll-free number for USA while Australians and Chinese callers would dial Australian and China based participants dial a toll free phone number. All would be connected to the same conference room regardless of the number they dialed to get in.

Next, you’ll want to schedule a convenient time for international collaboration by phone. This isn’t always possible when participants live around the globe. However, if your team regularly collaborates by phone, you can rotate conference call times and let each team member serve as the “host.”

Call quality is another major consideration. Interference, dropouts, static, tinny sound quality, and delays are unacceptable. Look for an international conference call service that uses a global PSTN network for the best sound quality possible.

Another consideration involves international conference calling costs. International collaboration by phone is a cost-effective choice, but it does incur costs. You can contain these costs by choosing a pay-as-you conference calling plan with no minimum usage requirements or monthly fees.

Another way to contain costs is to use the service’s moderator dial-out feature to dial participants directly. This is especially useful when some participants live in countries with high international calling rates. By using the dial-out feature, the call will be billed at a much lower dial-out rate.

Your team should know when it makes the most sense to use each international collaboration tool available. Consider issuing guidelines describing which collaboration tool to use under which circumstances.

International collaboration by phone is a straightforward and affordable choice for real-time communications. A number of cost-effective international conference calling plans are available including pay-as-you-go plans with no monthly fees, long-term contracts, or minimum usage requirements.

International video conference can be enabled with a free account now. Only a computer with wifi is required.

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Conducting Your First International Group Audio Conference

With an international teleconference, it’s often difficult to schedule a time accommodates everyone due to time zone differences.

Holding a group audio conference is a fantastic way to communicate with a geographically diverse team or group.

Group International Audio ConferenceNot only are group conference calls less expensive than meeting in person, they are much more convenient for everyone involved. If participants are located around the globe, you’ll appreciate the savings and convenience. However, holding international conference calls is a little different than holding domestic ones. Here’s what you need to know to make your first international group audio conference a success.

1. Start with an international conference call service provider. Since you’ll have participants calling from around the world, each will need a convenient method of reaching the conference. As you know, each country has its own dialing conventions. You want each participant to feel comfortable dialing your group audio conference. Working with a service provider who specializes in group international conferencing gives you access to local and toll free numbers for each of the countries involved.

2. Take advantage of “dial out” rates for high cost countries. Rates vary by country with some countries being dramatically more expensive per minute than others. For those with high costs, use the service provider’s “dial out” service to dial participants in those countries directly. You will almost always get a substantially lower rate per minute when you do this. In addition, you can preprogram these numbers so that the system automatically dials participants at the appointed time.

3. Familiarize yourself with moderator controls before the call. Invariably, someone on the call will leave his or her microphone unmuted, subjecting the entire group to distracting background noise. Fortunately, you can mute callers. Make sure you know how before the call begins.

4. Have an agenda. A group conference call is a cost effective alternative to other types of conferences. However, you will still be paying on a per minute, per participant basis in most cases. In order to ensure an efficient meeting, map out an agenda in advance and stick to it. Not only will this help you stick to your budget, your participants will appreciate a well-organized group conference call that respects their time.

5. Record your group audio conference call. With an international teleconference, it’s often difficult to schedule a time accommodates everyone due to time zone differences. However, if you record your call, you can later distribute the recording to those who were unable to attend in person.

Holding a group audio conference is relatively easy to set up and execute — if you choose the right international conference call service. Look for a provider that supports the countries involved, offers the best audio quality, and offers user-friendly calling features such as MP3 recording and automated dial out.

aitelephone.com does all of the above and more. With low calling rates, toll free support for over 100 countries, 24/7 operator assistance, and no contract, term requirement, or monthly fees, your next group audio conference is sure to be a resounding success!

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Managing a Large International Conference Call

The operator can assist participants with any technical issues while your co-moderator can help with any other issues that may arise.

Managing a Large International Conference CallThe more participants involved in an international teleconference, the more difficult the call becomes to manage. For example, if you have just three or four participants, the “announce participant” feature is extremely helpful.

However, that same feature becomes a distraction when dozens of participants are involved. Use the tips below to minimize distractions and boost the success of your next large international conference call.

1. Send relevant call details to all participants. The success of your international conference call begins before the call actually takes place. Use the invitation to set the stage for your call by including all relevant call details including:

  • Time and date of the international conference call, ideally expressed in the participant’s local time.
  • Call-in details including local access number and the conference call’s PIN. Remember, with an international conference call, standard toll free numbers don’t work internationally and many participants will be reluctant to dial an out-of-country phone number due to concerns about potential costs. Thus, it’s smart to use an international conference call provider that provides local access numbers and local toll free numbers to the countries involved in the call.
  • Call details such as expected length of the call, general agenda items, and whether or not a recording of the call will be made available after the fact. This helps participants plan their days around the call as well as decide if their participation is warranted. You may also want to specify if participation in the international conference call is mandatory or optional.
  • Encourage the use of any easy connect tools if available. For example, if you have a plan that includes the “Connect App,” encourage participants to download and use it. Users of this particular app can set it up so that the conference call calls them at the scheduled time. Not only can this particular tool help callers ensure that they don’t miss the teleconference, the call appears as an inbound call on the participant’s phone rather than an outbound one which could use up their mobile minutes. It can also reduce the cost of your international conference calls because it uses the conference calling plan’s low dial-out rates.

2. Turn off any “announce participant” feature. This includes voice announcements (i.e., Bob Smith has just joined the conference) and join and leave tones. For large global teleconferences, it is common for participants to come and go, but it’s not necessary for everyone on the call to be informed as they do so. Not only is it distracting to hear all of those tones, hearing a lot of people leaving the international conference call could send negative messages to those remaining on the call. As the moderator of the teleconference, you can still keep a pulse on the call’s participation by using an online live teleconference viewer.

3. If the call is lecture-based, mute all phone lines other than the speaker’s. With a small group, if a single participant forgets to mute his or her line, the resulting background noise can be extremely distracting. Now imagine that multiplied times many un-muted phone lines! As the call’s moderator, you can mute and un-mute individual lines as well as all of those other than the designated speaker’s using your online conference viewer tools.

4. Designate a co-moderator. Make sure to use an international conference call provider with operator assistance as well as designate a co-moderator on any conference call with a large number of participants. The operator can assist participants with any technical issues while your co-moderator can help with any other issues that may arise.

5. Start small. The more familiar you are with your international conference calling plan, the better able you will be to manage a larger call. With that in mind, don’t start with a huge conference call! Start with smaller international conference calls. This allows you to become more comfortable with the system and the nuances involved with communicating with a global audience.

Large international conference calls have their challenges. These challenges can be overcome by choosing the right global teleconference provider, careful planning, and practice. Make sure to start small, learn how to use the call’s tools, and take advantage of operator assistance. Once you’re ready for a larger call, designate a co-moderator and turn off announcements during the call.

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International Conference Calling for Human Resources

When an employee is transferred to a different region, international conference calls can aid in the transition at various stages including the interview stage as well as before, during, and after the move.

International Conference Calling for Human ResourcesWhether you are part of a large organization or a small one, international conference calls can help you tap into an international talent pool as well as expand your knowledge without incurring excessive costs.

Below are just a few of the many ways that human resources managers are using international conference calls to their advantage.

1. Virtual job fairs

Virtual job fairs are online events where employers and job candidates come together to learn more about each other. While a virtual job fair typically starts in an online environment, several channels are commonly used in conjunction with the event itself including chat rooms, instant messaging, and teleconferencing. One option is to host an international conference call as part of the event and invite job seekers to call in to learn more about your company, its culture, and current opportunities. Depending on which countries are involved, you could order toll-free access numbers for each country you are targeting.

2. Prescreening recruitment calls

International conference calls are a cost-effective tool that you can use during the interview process. Early in the process, you could hold an international conference call with a job candidate and various decision makers located around the world. Each participant simply dials a local access number, enters a PIN, and joins the conference call. This is a fantastic way to get acquainted, learn more about the candidate, gauge how well the candidate responds under pressure, and share more about the job opening. The cost of international conference calls is minute compared to flying candidates to your headquarters at this stage of the process. As you narrow the field of candidates down through prescreening, you can then bring in only the most qualified.

3. Virtual orientation meetings

International conference calls are also a cost-effective choice once you’ve hired a group of new employees. Use an international conference call in conjunction with other tools to help your new hires get started. For example, you could hold an international conference call focused on your company’s employee assistance and wellness program or other benefits.

4. Training classes

International conference calls can also play an important role in your training program. For example, you could use an international conference call to deliver training or as a live enhancement to video courseware. Since you can record your international conference calls, you may be able to repurpose a single call multiple times.

5. Relocations and transfers

When an employee is transferred to a different region, international conference calls can aid in the transition at various stages including the interview stage as well as before, during, and after the move.

6. Exit interviews

When a key employee leaves the company, it may be useful to hold an international exit interview. This allows managers from various regions to get their questions answered even if they are located in different countries.

7. Virtual leadership retreats

You can also use international conference calls as virtual leadership retreats.

For example, instead of sending executives offsite for a few days of leadership training, schedule a series of international conference calls that cover the same topics. Again, these training sessions can be recorded and reused as you see fit.

These are but a few ways that international conference calls can be used in your human resources department. With budgets tighter than ever, using an international conference call allows you to accomplish the same thing but at a fraction of the cost.

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International Conference Calling – A Team Collaboration Tool

If a team leader would prefer to preschedule an international conference call, this is easy to do.

International Conference Calling - A Team Collaboration ToolWhen it comes to collaborating with international team members, you have a number of great choices including instant messaging, web conferencing, online file-sharing tools, interactive whiteboards, and more.

Teleconferencing has long been the gold standard for team collaboration, and it continues to deliver.

Teleconferencing is especially helpful when teams are geographically dispersed as the entire group can come together to brainstorm in a real-time, voice centric environment.

In a world filled with technological marvels and the latest apps, the humble international conference call may not have the wow factor of its competitors but it shines in its simplicity. For example:

  • Just about anyone can easily participate in an international conference call. All you need is a telephone, mobile or landline or even Skype. There’s no special software to download or equipment to buy.
  • With a voice call, you can hold dynamic group conversations and gain a deeper understanding based on verbal cues such as tone of voice, pauses, and pacing. With instant messaging, email, and threaded discussion boards, nuances are often difficult to catch and misunderstandings all too common.
  • You can call into the international conference call from virtually any location on earth. Whether you’re assigned to a remote outpost or traveling on business, a quick phone call immediately connects you to your team – even if you do not have Internet access or a computer.

As with other team collaboration tools, international conference calling is only effective if teams are empowered to use it.

With this in mind, many worldwide companies make it as easy as possible for team leaders to hold scheduled and impromptu global conference call. One way to do this is to set up easy-to-use international conference calling accounts for your teams.

Reservation-less conference calls can be held at the spur of the moment, allowing your team leaders to hold a group conference call any time the need arises. If a team leader would prefer to preschedule an international conference call, this is easy to do.

You can even set up the conference call so that the system automatically dials each participant if desired. Using automated dial-out is a great way to reduce the per minute cost of the call as well as help ensure that each participant is promptly connected. =

Many international conference call service plans are available including pay-as-you-go so no prepayment is required.

Help your team leaders choose the right collaborative tools for the task at hand by holding a basic collaboration training session. For example, your design team may find that using an online collaboration tool is best for task management and file sharing but cumbersome for requirements gathering, brainstorming, and problem-solving. You may find it helpful to create a matrix detailing the various collaboration tools available and when to use which one.

Finally, the golden rule of choosing a worldwide team collaboration tool for any given situation: When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with an international conference call!

11 Reasons to use International Conference Calls

You can even record the international conference call to refer to later or for training purposes.

Reasons to use International Conference CallsInternational conference calling is a fast, cost-efficient, and easy-to-use method of communicating with a group of people from around the world.

Commonly used to conduct business, an international conference call can be used for any number of purposes and from virtually any phone in the world. How will you use your next teleconference? Below are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Sales

Need to build relationships with clients from around the world? An international conference call is a great way to stay in touch with new, prospective, and existing clients. Whether you want to introduce the client to a local account representative or the company’s CEO, a group phone call is a good choice for introducing various representatives to clients and helping clients get their questions answered. You can also use a global teleconference to introduce a new product or service.

2. Negotiations

Preliminary negotiations can be handled over the phone using an international conference call. Once connected, all parties can state their objectives, discuss the contract’s finer points, ask questions, and present counteroffers. You can even record the international conference call to refer to later or for training purposes.

3. Investigations

Need to gather information from witnesses located around the world. Depending on the nature of the investigation, you may be able to do much of the groundwork over the phone using a global conference call.

4. Recruiting

Recruiting talent from around the globe can quickly become cost prohibitive, especially if you must fly candidates in from other countries for job interviews. Using international conference calls in the early, prescreening process can drastically cut your costs while simultaneously allowing human resources and regional managers the opportunity to speak with job candidates in a group phone call. Again, the international conference call can be recorded for later reference or for sharing with others involved in the final hiring decision. As you narrow the field of candidates down, you can conduct secondary interviews using a international conference call and then fly in only your top choices.

5. Team building

Managing a geographically diverse team is challenging as each team member may feel isolated from the group. Holding frequent international conference calls with the entire team provides a greater sense of community and it allows everyone the opportunity to get to know each other. Being able to speak with one another, brainstorm, solve problems, share ideas,  and even talk about the weather can improve morale as well as accomplish other goals you have set for the conference call.

6. Training

From customer service and sales to sexual harassment prevention and time management training, many types of training courses can be effectively delivered using audio only. With an international conference call, the trainer can deliver the training to trainees located around the world in real-time. Not only that, you can record the conference call and use the MP3 file for future trainees. With a recorded international conference call, you can also ensure that all trainees, both current and future ones, receive the exact same instruction.

7. Family celebrations and reunions

Global teleconferences aren’t just for business. In fact, if you have family members located around the world, you can use an international conference call to bring the entire family together to share news or plan the next family reunion.

8. Event planning

Whether you need to coordinate a corporate retreat, charity fundraiser, or small wedding, if various partners are located outside of your country, holding an international conference call is an excellent option. By using a low-cost international conference calling service, each partner can dial into the teleconference and participate in the planning. Make sure everyone is on the same page by using group conference calls to plan the event.

9. Coaching

Many consultants and coaches use international conference calls to share their messages with a global audience. A global teleconference can be conducted in real-time, allowing participants to call in, listen to the lecture, and then ask questions. In addition, the teleconference can be recorded and sold as an informational coaching product or distributed as a free gift.

10. Tutoring

Many tutors conduct “virtual” tutoring sessions using teleconferences. This can be particularly helpful to international students who need extra help in a country where live tutors are scarce. You could use an international conference call for one-on-one or group tutoring.

11. Expert witnesses

Many lawyers use international conference calls to interview expert witnesses located around the world. With a global conference call, the lawyer, a court reporter, a paralegal, and the expert witness can all be located in different countries, yet the conversation can efficiently take place. You can use an international conference call to gather information, conduct a disposition, or get a better sense of how the expert witness responds under pressure.

These are but a few of the many different ways you can use an international conference call to connect with other people from around the world. How will you use your next global teleconference?

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