Audio conferencing is one of those vital business services where appearances are deceiving. Most services use outdated equipment with features that haven’t improved in over a decade or more. More than a dozen services now offer iPhone apps, but most are little more than a web page linked to an old computer. The lure is usually some form of “free conference calls.” Many simply arbitrate local access numbers, basically using participants’ iPhones as roaming devices to find local numbers and avoid toll-free charges. While interesting, this approach has many moving parts and places the burden of connecting conference calls on the users themselves. The hidden costs of these “free” minutes are incalculable.

iPhone users should look for the following five (5) features in their conference call app:

1. Call now!

This feature allows you to set up a conference call simply by selecting participants from your Contacts and tapping Call Now! For the first time in 30 years of audio conferencing, a conference call can be initiated without having to send PINs and dial-in numbers; participants are called directly. For example, your partners are meeting for a weekend on a major project and need to go over the latest drafts at this time; there is no time to schedule a conventional audio conference.

2. i-Integration

A well-designed iPhone conference call app will be a seamless integration of the power of the iPhone with the service itself. Two obvious connections are selecting contacts from your iPhone’s Contacts and automatically integrating your scheduled calls with your iPhone’s Calendar. Apps that do not fully integrate native iPhone features are under-engineered and should be avoided. For example, the calendar reminder should allow you to simply click the dial number and enter the PIN automatically.

3. Many PINs

Many/most audio conferencing services offer only a “find me” PIN that you can reuse. However, users are forced to use the same PIN over and over again for different groups and topics. Each use of your unique PIN increases the risk of compromise where the wrong people dial your conference call without your permission, simply because they had your PIN from a previous call. A well-designed iPhone conference call app will allow you to manage multiple PINs. For example, a member of the media who participated in her conference call last month should not be able to secretly call into her confidential board meeting about the planned merger. This happens more often than you might expect when users of One-PIN systems are busy.

4. Web 2.0

Web 2.0 audio conferencing brings many data-related services to the game. Conventional and simple audio conferences are tied to the physical switch that connects the call. On the other hand, Web 2.0 conference calls allow you to manage your call in various ways depending on your requirements. User conveniences such as account management, call management, group contact lists, call reports, and call histories are the types of data-related services that set Web 2.0 apart from the conventional one. Your iPhone conference call application should seamlessly integrate a powerful user experience with the power of the global telecommunications network.

5.Privacy

Your iPhone app should give you privacy options, as not all conference calls have the same requirements. Some calls are public in nature, such as a community organization, while others are sensitive. Your iPhone app should give you the option of a single PIN or two PIN conference. A single PIN conference can be used when privacy is not as important, or when a host does not need to be present to initiate a call, while a two PIN conference can be used for subject privacy concerns. You may want to use some PINs over and over again, while others will only be used once and then deleted. The audio conferencing app on your iPhone should allow you to manage the privacy of your conference calls easily and flexibly.

Historically, audio conferencing clients have had little choice in features other than “plain vanilla.” Selecting the right conference call app for iPhone can greatly improve productivity.

For more information, google “Web 2.0 Audio Conferencing.”

© Copyright 2011. Leader Phone® and Michael McKibben. All rights reserved.