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Preparing for your first multilingual web conference? Follow the recipe!

Let’s face it, we are creatures of habit, and for the most part, we want things to stay just the way they are. Whether it’s your favorite pair of shoes, your preferred coffee house that makes your morning cup of joe just right, or that old comfy chair where you love to sit and read, that familiarity, that dependability gives a sense of comfort and security that can’t be beat.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many of our familiar routines overnight. Metaphorically speaking, it made us wear a new pair of stiff shoes, forced us to go to a new café that doesn’t know how we like our coffee, and replaced our old comfy chair with a new one that just isn’t the same. Something similar has happened with the way we hold meetings and get business done.

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a mass migration to web conferencing. Businesses and organizations all over the world are now holding meetings online in multiple languages. And you just found out that YOU will need to join one of these meetings for the first time.

When you try something for the first time it can be exciting and scary. At KUDO, we get it and we want you to have a successful first meeting. Acclaimed American chef Ruth Reichl once said: “The first time you make something, follow the recipe, then figure out how to tailor it to your own tastes.” So, here’s our best piece of advice to have a successful first multilingual web conference on KUDO: follow the recipe:

Before the meeting

Find a quiet place

Wear a headset

Turn off distractions

Use Chrome (or Firefox)

Download the app

Test before the event

  • Find a quiet place where you can participate in the meeting without interruptions or distractions.
  • Wear a headset. The other participants and interpreters need to hear you well and you need to hear them. (For more information on why your audio matters read our recent blog: How to Look Good Online? Start with your sound!)
  • Make sure to turn off any applications running in the background or in the system tray on your computer and deactivate any notifications that could distract you or create noise. The same applies to applications that involve the use of video, webcam, microphones or speakers (e.g. Skype, Viber, Telegram, Zoom, etc.)
  • Be sure to always use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as the browser for KUDO. Also, please ensure that you have the latest version installed and regularly updated. Please allow access to your microphone and camera in your browser when prompted.
  • If connecting through a smartphone or iPad, don’t forget to download and install the iOS or Android app well before the meeting so you can become familiar with it and connect easily when the time comes.
  • Configure and test your headset to work on KUDO before the event. You can download a step-by-step guide on how to do this here. You can test your devices and connectivity at https://live.kudoway.com/test.

During the meeting

Get ready in advance

Mute your mic when not in use

Speak slow, one at a time

Don’t panic, ask the operator

  • Take ten extra minutes to prepare everything and get ready to connect on time. Dead time online can seem like an eternity.
  • Mute your microphone when not in use. It keeps extraneous noise from making its way into the meeting and distracting others and is just good online meeting etiquette.
  • Speak slowly, one person at a time, and allow brief pauses from time to time and when handling the floor to another participant. Interpreters are trained professionals but they can’t interpret what two people are saying at the same time!
  • If something isn’t working, don’t panic. Reach out to the meeting Operator by sending a message using the “Operator” tab in the messaging box.

Follow this recipe and you’ll be on your way to an excellent first experience on KUDO.

Would you like to learn more about how to make the most out of your multilingual meetings?

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