by Nancy Friedman, Founder and Chairman, Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training
Ok, here we go. Iâve had, as you might imagine, dozens of complaints on how people act on Zoom calls. And certainly not on purpose, we all know that. However, the need has come to go over the top ten ZOOM ZOMBIES as Iâm calling them. And not in any special order, they all seem to be irritants.
Zoom Zombie #1
Use a REAL BACKGROUND from your location. FAKE IS FAKE. No one really believes youâre on the beach and doing a Zoom meeting. And while itâs âFUN,â it can be very distracting. And those who change the background several times during the meeting are simply childlike. Your office, your family room, dining room, even the kitchen. We all know weâre at home. Messy office? Itâs ok. Honest. Having the San Francisco bridge behind you isnât that important and certainly, Las Vegas in the background can be âloser-ish.â (Pun intended)
Zoom Zombie #2
Keep good lighting in FRONT of you. Not behind you. Test it out first. Get a Zoom partner, if even someone in your own home, to test the lighting out. Itâs like taking your picture outside. If the sun is behind you, normally your face is in the dark. Get the âsunâ in front of you and you look great. Same issue on Zoom.
Zoom Zombie #3
Dogs, kids, and other members yelling in the background. Never fun â on any phone call, let alone Zoom. Be prepared. In most cases, you know you have a Zoom call coming up. Get the dogs in another area of the house. If you can, have someone occupy them while youâre on the Zoom meeting. Alone? Then try and put the Zoom meeting at a time kids are napping or already in bed. Or before they get up. Schedule it. Most of the barking, crying, and extraneous noises are NOT appreciated.
Zoom Zombie #4
We donât eat during a business meeting. This one is frightening that I even need to say it. Not even a snack. Yes, ok for some water. But munching on a sandwich or opening a bag of popcorn or chips? The microphone magnifies the sound 10-fold. A real OMG. Who is doing that? Itâs a business meeting. Even the movement of a water bottle on a desk makes a big sound. Thatâs where you need to learn to use your MUTE.
Zoom Zombie #5
Be a little bit creative. I have noticed so many people use the same word in starting each sentence. âSOâ is the big one. So this and so that. We donât need the word âSOâ in front of every sentence. And while youâre at it. Be mindful of how often youâre saying UMMMM. Most folks use it as a crutch.
Zoom Zombie #6
Your name will appear on your picture. Notice if you put the cursor over the name you will be able to change what it says. Some folks put their email there. Or the company name. You can customize that part. There are two ways. One, put the cursor right over your name. And two, the 3 little dots in the upper right on the screen has a âchange nameâ option. Again, only if you want to.
Zoom Zombie #7
Learn â Learn â Learn. Practice â Practice â Practice. Ahead of time. Practice with a friend or a home companion â or even by yourself. Check out the screen options. This way when youâre on the Zoom meeting, you wonât be the one yelling out âwhere is this or how do I do this?â Donât let a business Zoom meeting be your very first. You can have rehearsals. Be familiar with the screenâŠand its options.
Zoom Zombie #8
Youâre on the air. Itâs TV. Sit up straight. Donât slump. No one looks good when theyâre slumping. Very unflattering. Keep your hands AWAY from your face. Donât lean into your palm with your palm on your face. Very unflattering. And watch your nervous habits. We all have them; weâre just not aware. Some folks play with their hair constantly. Some folks bite their nails. Some do other odd things. Be aware.
Zoom Zombie #9
On a personal note: Having a âhappy hourâ with friends? You can probably forget most of these guidelines. Although Iâm betting theyâll appreciate your sticking with themâŠas you will them.
Zoom Zombie #10
Smile. Do you think Iâd forget? You knew that was coming, didnât you? Think it doesnât matter? Show me a picture of you that you donât like and Iâll show you itâs a picture where youâre not smiling. At least keep a hint of a grin on your face. No one looks good frowning. And you can use the Telephone Doctor mindset. âA phony smile is better than a real frown.â Even when youâre discussing something difficult or sad. Iâm not saying to laugh out loud, but I am saying having a slight smile will help the tone of voice.