Anyone here host conference calls?

[101]

I host a boat-load of conference calls with customers. Usually 50+ people invited to the calls, sometimes more than 100.

Just need to vent here a bit. You invite over 100 people to a conference call and everyone who is invited knows that that are 100+ people who will be on the call.

I greet people as they join and most people say good morning or something along that line and then remain silent until the conference call starts.

Other people are complete fucktards and after they say good morning or whatever greeting they use, they immediately announce "are we the only ones on the call?".

Yes fucktard, 100+ people were invited to this call, and yes, you're the only one here. How stupid are people?

[Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith)]

I host conference calls about twice a month to help train mortgage consultant new hires on our equity products.

My favorites things include, somebody putting their phone on hold (which begins to play elevator music for everyone on the call) - very awkward for me to try and talk over it.

Or the dipshit that just his/her phone down to go handle something else, clearly audible for everyone on the call. These are the same people that will come back and ask the exact question that was just answered a few moments ago.

[idrinkthereforeiam]

Or the assholes that don't put their phones on mute. Assholes.
And then those that don't put their phones on mute and put their blackberry or cell next to the phone, yes, thanks for the buzzing. Assholes.

[NOTTHOR]

On average, I have 3 calls a week. To answer your question regarding how stupid peole are - VERY.

I try to set them up on my bridge, which tells the caller how many people are on the line when they join. It never fails that you get some asshat who puts the call on hold and then his fucking hold music drowns out the call. Or you get the loudtalker. Or my personal favorite, the mouth breather- the guy you can hear ever single breath as he blows it into the receiver. Mute your fucking line unless you're on the mic.

I always make some idle chitchat when not everyone has joined. I'm doing a deal with a fellow Iowa grad on the other side right now, so we had fun BS'ing about the Outback Bowl on a call with 20 people on it last week.

[idrinkthereforeiam]

Or the guy who is on his cell in his car calling in who doesn't put his phone on mute, thanks for the wind and traffic noise. Asshole. And then when he wants to talk he's yelling into his cell.

[NOTTHOR]

Oh yeah, don't forget to give a shout out to another classic character: "Mr. I'm so fucking big that my secretary has to dial in to the call and announce my name because I can't spare the 10 seconds that it takes to dial a phone."

[NOTTHOR]

Jan 13, 2009 9:55:07 GMT -6 idrinkthereforeiam said:

Or the guy who is on his cell in his car calling in who doesn't put his phone on mute, thanks for the wind and traffic noise. Asshole. And then when he wants to talk he's yelling into his cell.

Yeah that guy sucks. He never has the document in front of him, either, so it's always "I don't remeber that section, can someone read it aloud for me?"

Another classic - Mr. Airport Guy. I hate being on the call with that guy, but I hate being at the airport within hearing range of that guy, too, or worse sitting next to him on the plane, while he is negotitating a big time acquisition of up to $2000 of enterprise software.

[NotMyKid]

Jan 13, 2009 9:50:10 GMT -6 idrinkthereforeiam said:

Or the assholes that don't put their phones on mute. Assholes.

No kidding, there really is no excuse for that and on every call I have ever been on there seems to be at least one.

[TBELL]

I don't do conference calls, but I hate it when people call in to me, and then say "can you hang on a second while I answer my other line?" I always tell them "Sure." Then promptly hang up once they do. I don't have time for that.