As business continues to go global, there is often a challenge in understanding what people are saying when working by conference calls and webinars. The cause is due to a number of things – poor line quality, speakerphones, dialects, accents, etc. Thanks LVA for the following question!
Question: I have a regular conference call with my developer group in India. I have a hard time understanding their accent and find myself missing some of the conversation. They are on a speakerphone and I call in on a single line. What can I do to make this better?
First idea is to get the group off of speakerphone yet this is usually a cost issue. It could also be a cultural issue. Either way, you may not be able to implement this idea.
The second step is to get a good binaural headset (i.e. speakers on both ears). This will eliminate ambient noise AND help focus your hearing on what is being said. This has been very useful, as I’ve worked for years with people all over the world. It is not 100% yet it does give you a much better chance to understand what others are saying. My personal favorite has been the Plantronics binaural headset plus M10 amplifier attached to my landline (since 1996). Do a Google search to find the best price. I love Plantronics yet find their retail prices on their website easily beaten by others!
Third, establish the issue directly on the first call. Let them know that your ability to understand what is being said my not be 100% and ask is it ok if I just ask for help when I need something repeated. If you establish this on the first call with the group, you enlist their help to better communicate. In business situations (well, this would apply to personal situations as well!), it is essential to have clear communication. Period.
Have a question you’d like answered? Send it to me via email or Twitter.
Posted by Byron Van Arsdale
Twitter: @headset
Author – 6 Principles of Powerful Conference Calls
ConferenceCallTraining.com
