First con call

My First Conference Call

My first conference call was superb, I must say. However, I was a little intimidated before the start. There was a dramatic beginning to my day. I came to the office at 9.00 a.m., a half an hour before the scheduled time of my conference, with the impression that Shradha would be there to assist me. Now, you must be wondering who she is. She is my team mate in the Hyderabad portion of our group. Unfortunately, she got delayed because of the terrible traffic. Moreover, the time was running fast and so was I.

I approached her cubicle and saw a guy sitting there, engrossed in his work. He was none other than Vamsi, a ray of hope for me. He told me that he had just received a call from Shradha asking me to make the call. I was thinking, “This is not an acceptable situation and why do things like this happen to me .” Anyway, without wasting much time, I asked him about how to make a con call. “Could you please assist me, please?” That was my wording. And he was more than ready to help me after seeing me unnerved.

He accompanied me and we went to the nearby conference room. There he tried something on the VOIP phone (I guess, that’s the name he called it) but the phone line seemed to be busy. Then we moved to the next conference room as he gave some logic why that the first one was not working. And I was dumb throughout the scene.

Wooh! The phone in the other conference room worked and he explained to me the way to make a conference call. Things were set in place and he left me alone. I was enjoying the music that usually is played before the leader joins the con call. Suddenly, there was a lady standing in the doorway asking me to vacate the room. Poor chap, Vikas! I thought for a while and was answerless. Then I got my senses back to normal and thought about what I would have to do if I move to next room. I pleaded with her to my best; but all in vain, as she had some urgent work to be reviewed. And I said to myself, “No, please not now.” I should have planned better well before.

I was in a pathetic condition. And the time was running fast, faster than in the usual manner. I approached Vamsi again with the “S.O.S. plank” on my face. We then rushed to another conference room. It was vacant. We cross checked it and it was vacant for sure.

All right, I said as I pushed up my sleeves to get to work, and things were again set in place. Vamsi left me all alone to face the strange phone. I was prepared by that time, and I said “Hello” with a shaking voice. There was a mature and pleasant voice from the other side. It was none other than my manager, Michael, and I was relieved.

The whole scenario took place in about 10 to 15 minutes. But, believe me, the preparation on my part was nothing more than the printout of the email containing the International conference number and pass code.