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Common Conference Call Issues and Their Solutions
Looking to resolve your conference call issues? Here are pointers to help you solve the six most common video and conference call problems.
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“Can you hear me? Is there an echo? Can you see me?” The video and conference call issues that prompt those questions are not just frustrating, but they also can cost you time and drain the productivity from your meetings.
Digital voice and video communications are a critical aspect of daily business for millions of American workers. Common issues, including poor internet connections and noisy office environments, can interrupt important conversations and negatively affect productivity over time. But with the right technology and a few best practices, your team can enjoy more productive conference calls in any work environment.
Conference call issues and solutions
Here are six of the biggest issues and their solutions so you can have the most productive and effective conference calls.
1. Video lagging and audio cutting out
Video lag, glitchy audio and poor image resolution are all the result of a bad Wi-Fi connection. If you don’t have a strong internet connection, you may be forced to exit the conference call entirely. [Read related article: The Best Internet Service Providers]
Solution: It’s best not to use a public network for a video or conference call, because multiple devices likely will be operating on the same Wi-Fi connection and reducing the available bandwidth. Secure remote access is also a consideration here.
If possible, you should connect via your private home or business Wi-Fi network. If your connection is still spotty, position your workstation closer to your router for a better connection. As you move farther from the router, you’ll notice the signal between it and your computer worsens. If that’s the case, consider setting up a hotspot for your business.
Upgrading to a wired Ethernet connection is another way to improve quality if you’re experiencing consistent issues. It’s also possible to prioritize network traffic with a Quality of Service feature available on many network devices, including routers. If all else fails, turning down the video resolution or moving the conference to an audio-only mode can keep the meeting moving smoothly without unnecessary interruptions.
2. Echoes
A conference call echo is typically caused when multiple participants have speaker mode on. As a result, it sounds like the speaker is saying everything twice. Room acoustics can play an issue too. Areas without carpeting and furniture to absorb reverberating sounds, for example, can sometimes produce echoes.
Solution: To avoid an echo, instruct all participants to mute their microphones when they aren’t talking. If you are expected to be the only one speaking, such as during a presentation, you have the option to mute all other participants. When possible, each participant should use a high-quality headset and microphone for HD voice and audio output.
3. Background noise
When you work remotely from home or in a public space, there’s bound to be noise around you. From a neighbor firing up their lawn mower to a barista grinding coffee beans, the noises can distract everyone on the call from what you’re saying.
Solution: You and all your attendees should try to keep background noise to a minimum by finding a quiet room, turning off your mobile devices and, if necessary when working from home, asking family and neighbors to keep the noise down during your meeting.
“Investing in an external microphone if your laptop mic doesn’t make you sound good can be helpful,” said Mike Langberg, senior director of corporate communications at Ooma. “You might want to have a friend listen in to know how you sound on a video call, or you can do a quick recording of yourself and play it back.”
Team members can also take advantage of noise-reduction features available in many of the best phone systems to filter out distractions. In the office, workers can book quiet spaces or use soundproof booths to keep meetings professional and focused. For remote participants, investing in a headset with active noise cancellation can make a significant difference in sound quality and your ability to communicate effectively.
4. Everyone speaking at once
When several participants want to respond to a question or are engaging in a lively conversation, it gets difficult to hear what everyone has to say. That may be a sign of a fully engaged team or staff camaraderie, but it makes for a chaotic business meeting.
Solution: Choose a moderator and, if available, use the software’s tools to limit who can speak and when. In Zoom, for example, you can set up the call so all participants are muted by default and only the moderator can unmute them. Participants can click the Raise Hand button if they would like to speak. That helps keep online meetings orderly and make sure each voice is heard.
5. Participants unable to connect to the call
It’s very common for conference call attendees to have trouble connecting. That can be the result of a poor internet connection, the wrong dial-in number or access code, or a software issue, such as a required update.
Solution: When sending meeting invitations, moderators should include a link to a troubleshooting guide that participants can use to fix problems on their own before alerting others. Also, participants should dial in a few minutes early to ensure they have a solid connection and there aren’t any issues before the meeting starts. Some businesses even designate a tech lead for meetings, who serves as the point of contact for quick troubleshooting.
“One issue we see is the multiplicity of platforms,” Langberg said. “One of the things people often run into is, if they’re invited to a platform they haven’t used before, they have to install software or get permissions, and people can get resentful or annoyed by this.”
6. Absent team members
Although most video conferences and phone calls are scheduled ahead of time, a team member may have an urgent matter pop up at the last minute that prevents them from attending. As a result, they miss the discussion or information shared in the meeting.
Solution: Most conferencing software applications allow the meeting organizer to record the meeting and then send the audio or video file to anyone who missed the call, keeping all team members up to date with discussions. [Read related article: 7 Powerful Tips for Highly Productive Online Meetings]
Beyond recording meetings, the latest conferencing technology has made it easy to automatically send detailed follow-up meeting summaries with action items and timestamps. That allows absent participants to catch up quickly on the most relevant parts without watching the full recording. Teams can also use collaborative documents in which meeting attendees jot down key takeaways in real time, so no one misses crucial insights.
What if conference calling problems persist?
If your business relies on virtual meetings to communicate with team members or clients, it’s critical to quickly pinpoint potential issues to get the most out of conference calls. You should discuss the issues with your IT staff to troubleshoot and resolve your problems more quickly. One option is to optimize your VoIP network, most of which can now carry video as well as audio traffic.
If your business does not have IT staff, you should contact your conferencing service’s customer support to resolve the issue. If your current software continues to cause problems, consider finding another conferencing service provider.
“The first step is to try and identify a specific problem,” said Adam Sanders, founder of The Relaunch Pad. “If you’re unable to do so and multiple people are having the same issue, there is likely a software problem that requires technical support.”
Jeff Hale and Mark Fairlie contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.
