Zoom Call Tips
Welcome to 2020 where remote working no longer bears the stigma of being just for slackers who work in pajamas without showering. Now remote working is recognized as a setting for productive employees who work in pajamas without showering.
I worked from home full time for over 3 years before 2020, and after finally settling back into an office, I was sent back to my home for what I thought would be two or three weeks. I even left a bottle of honey in my desk drawer thinking I’d soon return to it. (One of the many productivity ideas Winnie the Pooh and I share.)
But now we are living in a digital world, and I am a material girl. If you’re like me, Zoom is no longer a thing you use every now and then, but it is what you spend most of your day on. I have a few tips that may help make things better for you, your clients, and your teammates.
Use a USB Headset
Zoom gives you a few options on how you can talk and listen on calls. You can use computer audio or call in with your phone. My suggestion is to (whenever possible) use computer audio with a headset.
I know you don’t want to feel like you’re working the drive-thru line, but I’m telling you, the best sound quality is through a headset with headphones and mic that connects through a USB input. This will help you hear everyone clearly and help you be heard clearly. Not only does it eliminate background noise, but the quality of the sound is greatly improved.
Most USB mics also include a nifty mute button that’s great for spontaneous coughs or if you have to get your rage out by yelling into a pillow during a two-hour call.
When you call into a Zoom call via a phone call (not using computer audio), your sound quality is decreased. Think of how it sounds when someone calls into the radio or C-SPAN. That’s what you sound like. On some calls, I find myself trying to figure out what someone is saying more than I am processing what they are saying. That’s not what you want. Also if your company account is like mine, my company is charged for each minute of a phone call on Zoom, but not for computer audio.
Bluetooth headphones are generally okay, but there is a drop off in the quality when sound travels through Bluetooth. So if you have Bluetooth headphones while calling in, you’re working with two levels of degradation in sound quality.
Speakerphone is awful and has always been awful. Talking directly into your open laptop sounds okay, but it’s not nearly as clear. You also suffer from echoes and ambiance. And most annoyingly, every stroke can be heard when someone starts banging spastically on the keyboard. (Are you hacking into the mainframe? What the heck is going on?)
There are times where you may be away from your computer and need to use a phone, but if possible, always use computer audio. Even on your phone you can likely use computer audio if you have the data.
If you want to be the clearest and most professional, a USB headset is the way to go. Second best option is wireless headphones connected to your computer, linked into the Zoom meeting via the Computer Audio setting. Third best, just skip the call altogether. And fourth, you can call in with your phone if you like sounding like you’re at the end of a tunnel during a hailstorm.
Be on Video (at least sometimes)
Remember 20 years ago when you heard someone had an E-Harmony account and you thought they were a weirdo? Now think of how many times you’ve been out with friends watching them swipe left and right endlessly and you think it’s normal. (Or maybe that’s you swiping.)
The same thing is happening with video calls. There is no substitute for face-to-face experiences, but digital face-to-face is not that bad of an option.
In the past I found myself hiding on calls, knowing I look like crap with an unprofessional background, so I decided to spare everyone from looking at me. I’ve changed my approach and now I use video quite frequently. Being on video shows you’re attentive and engaged in the conversation. You can read facial cues and sell yourself so much better.
You may be thinking, “I’m working out of my closet, I don’t want to look unprofessional.” In the past, if my dog started barking at an Amazon delivery person during a call, I was worried they’d hear it and I’d sound like an amateur. But in 2020, people are generally sympathetic to a little home flair. I was on a sales call recently and I could hear that the client was holding his baby. I didn’t think, “Oh come on, where is the respect?” I thought, “I totally get it, man. And you’re probably about to hear my toddler scream because she dropped an apple.”
It’s okay if you don’t have a professional background. I kind of enjoy seeing everyone’s makeshift workspaces and I get the feeling that we’re all in this together.
That said, I am realizing I need to do a little rearranging at home because I think remote working is here to stay. Video helps me present on sales calls, especially as someone who talks with his hands. You could even try incorporating a white board and objects if you want to be creative.
Keep a Nice Shirt Nearby
I’ll admit I don’t dress the part every day if I know I’m going to have an internal Zoom call with just my team. But you never know when a meeting will suddenly pop up. I’ve personally had a few times where I didn’t think we’d use video, and then the client had four people pop up on video and I wasn’t ready. I now keep a nicer looking shirt next to my computer that I can throw on if needed. And I don’t think my team has noticed that I wear the exact same thing on every call . . . But I guess now they will. Shoot.
And FYI, your tuxedo T-shirt isn’t fooling anyone, Paul.
MUTE MUTE MUTE MUTE MUTE
I know we all multitask on calls. Whenever you hear, “Can you repeat that? You cut out,” everyone knows it means, “I wasn’t paying attention until my name was mentioned.” But to save not only everyone else, including yourself, the embarrassment of being found out for typing instead of listening, mute yourself. This is another great reason why you should use a headset with a mute feature.
Those are my tips! I think a few simple changes could go a long way for you and those you interact with.
