Conference (Zoom) code of conduct

As Zoom is becoming our central communication tool with customer, I feel there are some small and important practices that we should all abide by. It is easy, and make a world of difference.

Be on time

Waiting for a person in Zoom is just as annoying, and is generally disrespectful to the other person’s time.

Dress appropriately

Please do not arrive at a meeting with your sleeping t-shirt…

Mind your background

Working from home does not mean the customer wants to see a mess. Would you ask architectural advice from her?

inspect your image before you start – Is the light OK? It is annoying to speak to someone that has light behind him, or is lighted by the screen. It hurts the eyes:

direct eye contact

People respond better to people that look directly at them. look into the camera, not into the screen.

Talking to him

is not as nice as talking to her

Just because we have a feeling she is looking at us.

Do not use a camera that is not in front of you.

It even looks worse when the camera on the laptop pictures you from below your face.

remember you are on camera, all the time. Even if you are on another window. And, yes – we saw you yawn.

DO use video. It is not that much fuss to keep the rules, and it creates better vibes.

mute/un-mute

When in a larger discussion, it is often good to mute when you are not the centerpiece. But it really depends on the situation, so be aware.

Remember to leave the meeting at the end

You do not want to find out people continued to see you 40 minutes later…

A good habit is to explicitly say goodbye. It is not only polite and friendly – it also helps you remember to close the camera.

ALWAYS send a meeting summary

Or at least what your takeaways are.

Show that you were engaged and are clear going forward. Remember – the most important person in the meeting is the one taking notes.

Happy Zooming!