Clear audio in a conference call is definitely something that you want, that you need. However, at one time or another we have all had a moment where we wished that the phone wasn't so good at picking up our sounds. We're talking, of course, about background noises which momentarily turn great audio into a double edged sword.
A perfect reason to have a conference call is when you can't be with the people you're supposed to meet. This could be your colleagues at the office, a client somewhere, or a national meeting. Since you can't be there, does it really matter where you are? The short answer is "No"; the long answer is "No, but." You could just as easily have a conference call at home, but you must consider what else is home.
The dog hears something from the next state and suddenly barks. Your kids burst in to show you the turtle they found. Your cell phone rings and all the paper industry CEOs in the north hear "The Mexican Hat Dance." Unintended noises happen, it's what you do next that counts.
First, figure out before a conference call how to mute yourself. This can come in handy whether you are a speaker or simply a participant. Need to cough or sneeze? Mute yourself for the duration. The kids or dogs start acting up? Hit the mute BEFORE you tell them to knock it off. Especially if you are a participant, why don't you go ahead and mute yourself at the beginning? This way, any noises, animal or personal will not be shared with twenty other people.
Always keep in mind that if you have a quality conference call service, you will have quality conference call sound. This means that you should be extra mindful about your personal background noises. If you can't tell if anything is escaping, just go ahead and mute yourself. No one will know if you do… unless you've had a TV on in your room the whole time.
