With the virtual world coming into our lives in such an ubiquitous manner, it is necessary to evolve patterns of behavior which may differ in many ways from the conventions ordinarily used for communication. In a web conference call, the mere fact that the participants are not physically present makes it difficult to adhere to traditional forms of etiquette and good manners.

It is however important to maintain a level of courtesy and code of conduct, or it can have an adverse impact on various participants, who may even be in different parts of the world and may have different customs. While American participants may be comfortable with addressing everyone by first name, this would not be observed in Japan, for example.

Preparation is key to Webex etiquette

All participants should be briefed beforehand about the meeting agenda, this is an important step to maintain proper Webex etiquette. The people participating in the web conference call should be aware of the time, date, instructions if any, and other relevant issues. Planning and preparation is the crucial factor in Webex etiquette, and familiarity with the subject and its details would make the participants more involved and engaged in the meeting. The presenter should get a feel for the equipment to be used, by finding out all the features and how to manage them, testing everything thoroughly to avoid any glitches in the middle of the live web conference call. Proper web meeting etiquette entails that the web conference call should be set up properly, with all necessary items in place well before the scheduled time of the call.

Webex etiquette demands for Punctuality

Punctuality is paramount for Webex etiquette, and becomes even more important as people tuned in to a conference may be waiting in different time zones. The meeting should start exactly when scheduled and there should be no tolerance as far as latecomers are concerned. A roll call should be taken at the outset of the web conference call to know who is present, and also to make introductions.

Webex Etiquette: Introduce Yourself!

The initiator should request all persons participating in the web conference call to introduce themselves. Though there is a distinct possibility that these people may never meet each other, it is a good idea for all to know each other’s names and if possible a little more about the person. This encourages bonding and even in the virtual world, relationships are paramount. The host should also do likewise, as a disembodied voice is certainly not the best way to coordinate the meeting. If you want to maintain proper Webex etiquette with many participants, you must reinforce each person’s identity when they speak by prefacing their comments with their name.

Webex etiquette best practices strive for attentive participants

Webex etiquette calls for all participants to be attentive, and to not be  encourages distractions, like phone calls, eating, shuffling papers and the like. This is a sign of disrespect to the other participants and should be avoided at all costs. Paying total attention and being focused on the discussion is an essential element of a conference call, if it is to be a successful exercise.

Participation

The participants will be more active if they have been briefed on the discussion topics. Much of this depends on the host, whose task it is to see that all participants are fully involved and there is focus on the theme of the discussion. Questions should be answered patiently and all the participants thanked for their time and patience in contributing to the success of the meeting.

Avoid Background Noise for the best web conference calls

Noise is certainly the biggest hindrance in holding a web conference call successfully. From the shuffling of papers, to the clacking of the keyboard, to the chewing of potato chips, everything can be heard by all the people who are part of the web conference call. Each little sound is magnified over the phone, so extra caution is needed to decrease the background noise as much as possible. Phones should be on mute when the person is not speaking for best Webex etiquette, and distracting activity should be kept to a minimum for the duration of the call.

Webex etiquette calls for Courtesy and Good Manners

Like in all human interactions, a little courtesy, kindness and good manners go a long way to making the web conference call a pleasant experience for all participants. Starting from the introductions, to thanking everyone at the end of the call, Webex etiquette is something to be kept in mind at every stage of the web conference call.