Do you remember your first time shopping online? It was somewhat nerve-racking when you had to enter your card details and there was a slight discomfort in the knowledge that you might never see your order arrive.

These days everybody shops online, it’s convenient and instantly gratifying. Online video conferencing seems to be going through a similar teething period. As it undergoes mass adoption, most people are still coming to terms with the technology and aren’t completely at ease when teleconferencing. 

At WellsFaber we embrace progress and as such we offer online consultations. While this may be run-of-the-mill for some we are aware that not everyone has had as much exposure to this newfangled way of meeting.

If you’re in this position, or perhaps know some friends or family who are too, here is some information to help you get comfortable before your next remote meeting:

Setting an agenda

An agenda will help your meeting run smoothly. Not only does it provide focus for your conversation, but it also sets expectations for what the meeting is setting out to achieve. It gives everyone time to think about what they want to say and any questions they may want to ask. 

Your agenda should include key talking points that are going to be touched on, who will be attending the meeting and any relevant documentation. Ideally everyone should have access to the agenda well before the meeting takes place.

Knowing what’s out there

What key functionalities are you needing for a successful meeting? Knowing what functionalities are available to you makes picking the right conferencing software that much easier.

Do you need to be able to work collaboratively on documents in real-time during your meeting? Do you want to record the meeting to preserve for future reference and share with people who were unable to attend? Will there be a presentation aspect and do you need to share your personal computer screen with other attendees?

Research says that 55% of communication is body language, which makes a strong case for turning any regular conference call into a video call. 

Online etiquette

We are used to learning from example. Unfortunately, since video conferencing has seen a sudden surge in usage there are some bad examples going around. So while some of these points may seem basic, there are still people that are not aware that what they are doing is not the status quo

  • Test your microphone, camera and screen sharing before the meeting
  • Show up on-time (read: at least 5 minutes before the meeting begins)
  • Introduce everyone at the beginning of the meeting
  • Don’t work on other tasks (checking emails, etc.) and put your phone on silent
  • Make sure you are taking the call in a quiet area free from distractions and don’t interrupt other people when they are speaking

One day maybe we’ll look back and wonder how we ever managed to organize anything without virtual meetings. The best way to feel comfortable with a new technology is to start using it. With comfort comes confidence and convenience, and with convenience we thrive!

If you are wanting to get in touch about your finances – let’s set up an online consultation!