Can you repeat that?

Posted by Amos Kittelson

How many times have you been on a conference call or a video conference and strained to hear the audio? We’ve all been there. It is painful. Straining to hear the other callers can cause you to lose focus on the topic while you focus on the syllables. On a subconscious level this could adversely impact your mood and how you react to the conversation. This is good example of technology actually getting in the way of a natural conversation, so don’t ignore it. Here are some tips you can use to make sure the audio works well for you and for the people on the other end during video conferencing.

• Don’t rely on the webcam microphone in a conference room. Those are good for desktops and a person sitting close to the webcam, but not for a conference room.
• Use a desktop USB or Bluetooth speakerphone to bring the microphones close to all of the speakers.
• If you can hear something in the background don’t assume the people on the other end can’t hear it. Ask if they can hear it and if it is distracting. They might be politely trying to ignore it.
• If you’re having a hard time hearing the people on the other end they probably don’t know it. Don’t be afraid to give them feedback and ask them to move closer to the microphone. Remember, they can’t hear what you’re hearing.