As you host and join more and more international meetings, it is important that you and your participants feel they know how to connect efficiently and the meeting is productive at the same time. When you hang up from your meeting, you want to feel that you accomplished your objectives and didn’t waste time getting connected or struggling to understand the content being presented. International calls can be stressful and puzzling, so we’ve put together these useful instructions and suggestions to help make sure they are a success.
Structure of an International Number
When you’re used to seeing phone numbers in a certain formation, international ones can look like one big long string. Here’s how to break them down.
Example: (++12) (034) (123456).
Use the predefined bullet styles to indent and format bullets up to four levels deep.
- The single or double + reminds you to add your international access code
- 12 is the country code (Note: Number of digits can vary)
- 034 is the city or area code (Note: Number of digits can vary)
- 123456 is the local number (Note: Number of digits can vary)
International Dial-In Instructions
Dialing internationally can sometimes be confusing. Follow these simple steps to easily connect with people around the world.
Calling Internationally from the U.S. / Canada
(Access Code) (Country Code) (Area or City Code) (Local Number)
- Dial the access code (U.S./Canada is 011).
- Dial the country code.
- Dial the area or city code (some countries don’t use an area or city code, in which case you can omit this step).
- Dial the local number.
Calling the U.S. / Canada from an International Location
- Dial 001 (the 00 is the direct dialing prefix and the 1 is the country code for the U.S. and Canada).
- Dial the American/Canadian number (area code plus local number).
International Meeting Etiquette
Calling different countries around the globe can be complicated. Review these helpful tips before your next meeting with international participants.
- Recognize the International Date Line
- Crossing the International Date Line can cause confusion. Determine the correct date your conference will be held, based on the location of your international participants.
- Know Your International Time Zones
- It is important to understand the time of the call in both the U.S. and all international locations of your participants.
- Remember to be on Time for Your Meeting
- Being just five minutes late is enough to upset your conference call participants. If you are late to your meeting, make sure to apologize and briefly explain your delay. The best rule of thumb is to be on your conference call before your participants join.
- Take Your Time When Speaking
- Be aware of how fast you speak, especially if a language barrier is at hand. Americans usually speak more rapidly than other cultures. Make a conscious effort to ensure you are speaking clearly and slowly. In addition, stop occasionally to ask your participants if they are following along.
- Watch What You Say
- Be careful of your use of humor and slang, as they don’t typically translate well. This also applies with people who may speak the same language as you. People often take what you say literally if they are not familiar with your culture.
- Offer Alternate Access to Your Conference Call
- At times, regardless of the amount of preparation, it is nearly impossible to arrange a suitable time for all international participants to join your conference call. Use Record & Playback options for those participants that missed your call so they can listen to your meeting at their convenience.
How to find out more
Contact Us to learn more about our international dial-in options, web conferencing, interpretation services and Record & Playback to ensure you have the most effective and productive conference calls. For additional insight into the various international connections click here.
