Conference Call

I had my first conference call today.

I know, I know. How very grown up.

In a way it's great: there's no way I'd have been able to sit there with my flip flop'd feet up on the table eating an ice cream in a board room. How were they to know?

In another way, it's very odd. There are lots of uncomfortable gaps in the conversation because you really need eye contact to have a proper multi-person chat.

But on the good side: the meeting was so much quicker than it would have been if we'd been in the same room because we were all so uncomfortable we wanted it done and dusted as soon as possible. And besides my fingers were sticky from the ice cream.

The only thing I wish I'd known was the opening etiquette. The automated BT lady tells you to type in the pin code you've been given to join the meeting. So, I pulled the handset away to see the keypad and carefully typed it in. As I put the ear piece back I heard the lady say 'and then press hash key'. "Ooh, this is fun!", I said as I hit hash whilst trying not to drip Magnum on it.

Suddenly there was silence and I said.. 'erm.. hello?' and another voice said 'Hi, who's that?'.. 'It's Steve..'
And then after some pleasantries an automated voice said 'Guest joining the call is..' followed by a man's voice saying 'Sean' - And then the same voice (now known as Sean) greeted us and started apologising for being late.

It was at this point I realised that what I'd missed the lady say before 'and then press the hash key' was most likely in hindsight 'Say your name now...'

So when I'd joined in the other's had heard the lady say 'Guest joining the call is.. "OOH, THIS IS FUN!"