Are you treating conference call services as a commodity, going with the first service that sounds reasonable or the conference call service offered for the lowest price? Unfortunately, many business professionals don’t put forth as much effort in finding the right conference calling plan for their needs as they should. It doesn’t take long for regret to set in as you realize that there’s more involved in selecting a calling plan than going with promises of free conference calls or super low prices.
A commodity is generally considered an item or service that has the same value regardless of quality. For example, gold is considered a commodity because an ounce of gold is an ounce of gold regardless of who is selling it. On the other hand, a gold necklace or gold watch is not a commodity because quality varies depending on craftsmanship and artistry. When it comes to conference call services, quality also varies from one provider to the next.
Among the quality issues you may encounter with free conference calls and ultra cheap plans are: conference bridge downtime, attendee trouble accessing conference line, audio quality, participant disconnections, problems dialing in, and even unexpected long distance charges. One of the more common quality concerns involves conference call services that use VoIP technologies rather than traditional telecom lines. While VoIP is a viable technology, it still has a few bugs to be worked out in terms of reliability and call quality.
Problems with access and dropped calls are also a concern. When considering conference call services, especially if you have international attendees, it’s important to find out which countries are supported. In addition, domestic carriers in the past have blocked access to certain providers of free conference calls due to disputes over connection fees. If possible, participate in a conference call demonstration or sign up for a free trial account before committing to a calling plan. By doing so, you’ll get to hear the sound quality for yourself as well as experience any issues such as access problems or disconnections for yourself.
Finally, free conference calls aren’t necessarily free. Sure, as the host of the conference call, you won’t have to pay, but your call’s attendees may find themselves with unexpected long distance charges for the conference. While a brief five-minute call won’t likely bust anyone’s budget, a longer call involving cell phones or international callers could lead to higher-than-expected phone bills and hard feelings.
Conference call services are not commodities. Quality does vary from one service to the next. Sure, you can find plenty of services offering free conference calls, but you may be paying a price. Avoid the problems associated with lower quality providers and instead look for a provider who is willing to host a live demonstration so that you can experience the quality of the service for yourself. Look at the provider’s features and benefits as well as the available conferencing plans. No matter how cheap a plan may be, if the plan doesn’t meet your specific conference call needs, it doesn’t offer you value for your money.