The value of conference calls cannot be understated. In today’s business and corporate environments, company leaders and managers need to be able to take advantage of communication methods that are both efficient and effective.

That is where conference calls come in for many businesses. In fact, there is often no better solution than free audio conference call solutions when a quick meeting must take place. This is especially true when employees and teams are located in different cities (or countries for international corporations) or are spread out in work-from-home or other remote work settings.

However, conference calls take some time to truly master. We have the insight you need to take your team’s conferencing to a new level, though. With these tips, you’ll be better prepared to make your conference calls waste less time and flow with efficiency.

1. Keep it simple

We’ll start off with a pretty straightforward tip: Keep your conference calls simple.

Simple conference calls have clear expectations about what will be discussed, who will be involved in the discussion and an idea of what goals or action items are expected to be either developed or accomplished during the call.

The other key feature of simple conference calls are well-designed, easy to use and reliable conferencing services. The easiest way to decrease morale and increase frustration during a conference call is to use a service that is difficult to operate or doesn’t deliver quality, stable audio.

2. Always create a call agenda

As with any properly organized meeting, conference calls should always have set agendas that list items to be discussed.

Don’t stop there, thought. There are several features that every call agenda should have.

Those features include:

• Items to be discussed during the meeting and what order they will be discussed.
• A list of who will speak about each of the items.
• How much time the entire call is expected to take (stay on time!) and how much time each item is allotted. An estimate is fine.

Agendas should be sent out before meetings, typically when invitations go out or soon to follow those invites.

3. Table talking points that drag on too long

Sometimes, certain topics are going to take more time than expected. This is OK, but do not hesitate to table discussions, especially if they may prolong the conversation and make people late for other appointments or meetings.

If the conversation is productive, then it is OK to be flexible with the time estimations that you set in your agenda. However, it may be best to ask call participants if they would rather continue the discussion on the topic that is generating so much input or schedule the conversation for a later time and date.

4. Control who joins the call

Conference calls are great for gathering large numbers of people together to participate in a meeting. It is often so much easier to have 50 or more people on a call than it is to find a conference room that will fit that many people.

But does your call even need that many participants? Too many people on the call could mean longer conversations as more people want to chime in with their opinions and questions. There’s also a greater chance that someone on the call may forget their conference call etiquette and not use their mute button.

For faster conference calls, invite people who need to be on the call. If they’re a decision-maker, ask them to join. If not, it may be best to send them a follow-up report or recording of the call later.

5. Start and end calls on time

Here’s a rule of thumb for all meetings and calls, but especially when efficiency and time length are of concern: Always start and end on time.

Best practices dictate that you instruct callers to join at least five minutes in advance so that they are ready to roll once the call begins. If you are the call manager, plan for 10 to 15 minutes in advance – even earlier if you need to check any technology to make sure all is working property.

In addition, try not to allow for reviews of what has already been discussed if someone hops on the call late. It’s not fair to those who were punctual. Plus, that time wasted can be a real morale deflator for those already listening to have to review what has already been said.

Once again, it is best to find a free conferencing service that allows for call recording without charging extra. That way, anyone who is late can review the call on their own.

6. Use a mobile-friendly service

Mobility is a must-have for anyone looking to run an efficient call. Identify conferencing services that are mobile-friendly and will allow anyone to join and call in from any mobile device.

It’s also important to choose a service that allows for simple call-ins. Make sure to include call-in instructions in any invitations and agendas that are sent out.

7. Consider whether the call even needs to be a call

Everybody is busy. These days, it is not uncommon for employees – specifically management level team members – to have multiple meetings and calls on their schedules throughout the day.

Maybe one of the top ways to keep conference calls short is to consider whether the call even needs to be a call in the first place. Again, take a look at that agenda. Could some of the items be handled over email? Does everyone asked to join need to be present for the majority of the agenda items?

It could be that you can cross off a few of the agenda items to make the entire phone call shorter. Or, you could find that the call itself can be handled via a better communications tool, such as email.

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