When it comes to business success, effective communication is crucial. It helps to make sure that employees are aligned with the core company values, helps to eliminate silos that can lead to organizational divides, and reduces the number and severity of errors.
Over the past few years, the rise of remote and hybrid working has led to communication challenges for many businesses. Conference call bridges are one of the most effective ways to overcome these challenges by facilitating connection and communication between team members and stakeholders.
What is a conference call bridge and how does it work?
A conference call bridge makes it easier for people within an organization to communicate by providing a single phone number that multiple people can connect to remotely.
You can think of a conference call bridge as a virtual conference room that allows people to dial into a single call from anywhere in the world. There is no need for a landline or physical phone – the call is transmitted using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.
Call hosts or participants can invite others to join the call from a dedicated link or dial-in number. They can also turn any phone or video call into a three-way meeting, or dial a phone number and merge with the rest of the conference.
Why is it called a conference call ‘bridge’?
The software that is used to connect people is called a conference call ‘bridge’ because it links people who are in different locations, in a way that a regular call is unable to. In many ways, this technology is similar to a physical bridge that connects people.
The benefits of a conference bridge with audio and video
There are many benefits of using a conference bridge with audio and video. We have outlined some of the key benefits below:
- You don’t have to choose between audio and video – you can have both!
We all have our preferred ways to communicate. Participants can choose whether they’d prefer to communicate using audio or video using a single application.
- Participants can join in from anywhere, from any device
Whether they’re at home or on the go, participants can join from anywhere, from any device. This boosts productivity by allowing participants to collaborate instantly from anywhere, instead of having to schedule a time to meet up in person.
- There is the option for screen sharing and recording
Screen sharing provides each participant with a clear view of what is happening, which can make it easier to visualize ideas and offer insights.
You also have the option to record calls and send them to participants when the meeting is over. This can help people to remember what was said and agreed on during the meeting, and ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what is expected going forward.
- Hosts can schedule a meeting room in advance
Once you have decided when a meeting will take place, you can schedule it in advance and send participants a notification to make sure it’s in their calendars. The host has full control over the meeting You have full control over who can enter the meeting. You can also add additional callers, mute participants, remove people from the call, make warm transfers, and merge calls seamlessly.
How to set up a conference call bridge
To set up a conference call bridge, you must have admin or super admin permissions.
Then, you can follow these steps:
- Sign in to the unified admin portal
- Choose ‘conference bridges’ in the left navigation menu and then select ‘add conference bridge’.
- The next available number will automatically populate the extension. Change this number as needed.
- Enter a name for the conference bridge.
- Select the admin portal checkmark icon and then select the new conference bridge to configure its settings.
You can also choose to add extensions to assist with call management. There are many different types of extensions, from direct extensions which dial a user directly as a primary or secondary line, to conference bridges which send callers to a virtual conference room that allows up to 20 participants.