subject: Choosing Between A Conference Service And Stringing Calls Together For A Group Phone Call [print this page] Conducting group phone calls rather than face-to-face meetings can be very useful for most types of businesses, especially those that do a lot of international business. But there are numerous ways to conduct group phone calls, so it is important to choose the right way to conduct calls for you and your business specifically.
Conference services alone offer you a number of options such as video conferencing and audio conferencing, but there is also the option to string calls together as well. What it really all boils down to is what type of business you are running, what you are using the group phone calls for, and what you are trying to get out of the phone call.
Just as not all businesses are alike, neither are the forms of communication used in different businesses. There are a number of points you should consider when deciding which form of communication is best for your group phone calls.
The Major Difference Between Using a Conference Service and Stringing Calls Together
While both types of calling are similar in that you can talk to a group of people all at one time, there is a major difference between the two. When stringing calls together, each of the individuals is required to call a certain number and then the host makes it possible for all of the callers to hear and speak to each other.
With conference calling, on the other hand, each individual simply joins the conversation without any extra responsibility on your part, which means conference calling may be a simpler option for group calls.
Limitations With Stringing Calls
Another issue for you when choosing a group calling option is how many individuals you plan to have participate in the majority of your group calls. Limitations with stringing calls may only make it possible to include up to four individuals, maybe even less. So if you need higher capabilities, then stringing calls may not be the best option for you.
Speed of Each Option
Speed is also an important factor, especially if you run the type of business that could require a group call at any given moment. Conference calling may not allow you to put together a group call as quickly as stringing the calls together, as you can do this from anywhere and at any time.
Advantages of Conference Calling
There are advantages to conference calling as well, particularly the fact that you can conduct on-demand calls between a large group of individuals simply by giving them a call-in number and PIN. This may not be as quick as stringing, but the advantage is you can include more individuals who can join in the call without you having to help them.
Lack of Recording Option When Stringing
Finally, you want to consider whether you are going to want to record your group calls. Most stringing programs do not allow you to do this while conference calling does. It may be important for your business to be able to go back and listen to calls again. So you may find the recording feature necessary.
Each type of group calling option has its positive side, but you need to decide which features are most important to you. Once you do, you can start using group calling to benefit your business and ultimately you.
