If you're having trouble getting your callers to participate freely during conference calls, try these tips

At times, it seems that conference calls take a low priority with the people you've invited. Here are some sure-fire ways to make them WANT to join you at your next conference call!

If possible, always use a phone with a handset that is hard-wired into the phone lines. Be sure to TEST the working condition of your equipment before an important conference call!

Make sure you are in a quiet location where you will not be disturbed.

Avoid using speakerphones and cell phones whenever possible.

You will need senior management commitment in order to implement real changes in your organisation. The executive team should deliver the message that video can increase productivity, enhance collaboration, reduce business travel, and decrease your company's carbon footprint. Very few video conferencing deployments have been successful without executive buy-in. According to Young, the risks associated with social networking and messaging applications often point to other internal problems. “Often it’s just an employee trying to solve a problem,” he said. “If the enterprise solves the problem, then the risk goes away.” Crosley added that organizations often calculate risks improperly, being overly conservative when it comes to communications tools. They focus on the wrong things and don’t accurately estimate the real costs associated with adopting versus ignoring a technology.

One of the mistakes organisations often make is using a system of ad hoc dialling; users simply pick up the remote and the video meeting begins. That works when the system belongs to the individual and it is a personal or a desktop solution. However, people usually do not wish to touch any remote controls! A single process means the video call is connected the same way each time - regardless of the type of meeting. Whether it is a point-to-point call or a multi-point call with more than two sites, the process should be the same. You don't have to purchase your own hardware or hire your own staff to run successful video meetings. Most organisations do not have this expertise as their core competency, which is why many companies choose to outsource this responsibility.

Companies tend to make the most mistakes by not appropriately managing their video conferencing environment. This means they are not managing the users, the rooms, the end points, the network, or the video infrastructure. If your video systems are in meeting rooms, those are often scheduled resources.