This is a very busy world and sometimes meetings have to take an unconventional approach to gathering together busy workers in order to have a conference. By using a teleconference workers from different parts of the country and world can join together to get their missions accomplished. If you have a business that is spread out over a great distance this can be a real money saving venture.

You no longer have to worry about flying people into one location just to have a talk with them. By simply picking up the phone you can be connected to anyone, anywhere on the globe. It may not be the traditional method but it is one that is gaining in popularity as more businesses want to cut their expenses down. This article will cover the basics of the teleconference and what it means to you.

Why would I need to use a teleconference?

You would need to use a teleconference if you needed to attend a meeting that is being held in a distant city or in another part of the world. This way you do not have to worry about journeying to that destination just to take part in, say, a weekly meeting to update your bosses of a certain project. You can also use a teleconference if you need computer help and your IT department is located in a different branch of your company.

How does a teleconference work?

A teleconference works by different individuals calling into the office where the meeting is being hosted. The host office must have a multi-user phone system so that it can handle more than one call coming in. Usually you are directed to a conference room and put on hold until the meeting starts. Once the meeting starts it is as if you are actually there in the office. You can speak and listen to all of the various parties in the meeting room.

What happens if another phone call comes in to my office during the teleconference?

Well, if you have just a single line the incoming phone call will receive a busy signal. If you use a multi-line phone system the phone will continue to ring until it is either picked up or the caller hangs up. You can always hit mute on your telephone and quickly pick up the call.

Most people arrange for someone else to answer the phone if they are going to be in a meeting. This is the polite way of handling incoming phone calls. If it is an absolute emergency that you take the call you should politely excuse yourself and make the call quick.

Do I need special phone equipment to have a teleconference?

Yes, you do need special phone equipment to host a teleconference but you do not need special equipment to participate in a teleconference call. If you are hosting a meeting you will need a multi-line phone system and a conference room that can handle all of the incoming calls. Even if you are not the one hosting, it is a good idea to have a multi-line phone system so that other calls coming into your office will not continuously hear a busy signal.