The very first thing you need to do before looking for conference call service providers is to determine your needs. Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I need just basic service where everyone listens to each other over the phone, or do I need video conferencing capabilities as well?

Is web conferencing a something I might benefit more from?

Will I need the ability to transfer data during conference calls?

Another thing you need to assess is exactly how often you will need to use the conference calling service. Some providers charge a monthly fee in addition to their calling fees per minute.

Generally speaking, most conference call providers will offer lower per minute rates if you choose to pay a monthly fee, but should you only need one call each month then you will not want to pay a monthly fee for that one call.

Another good idea is to get your records over the past six months or so and get an average of not only how many conference calls were made, but also an average of how much you paid for each call. This will give you a basis for how to compare the different providers.

Maybe you are thinking of switching conference call providers. Consider why are you making this switch? Is it because of the cost? Maybe you have gotten poor quality during your teleconference calls. Do you need to include more people on your calls? These are all important things that you should examine when shopping for a new provider, but focus on the reason you are changing in the first place.

If quality has been an issue, you really can not judge the providers by their websites or by talking to them on the phone. They are all going to tell you that they provide the best quality service ever. So how can you know for sure?

Find the conference call companies that look interesting and call each. Ask for a free demonstration during your next conference call. If you explain to them that you are looking for a new provider because your call quality was not up to par with the last provider, they will be happy to accommodate. If a call provider will not do this, move on to the next one as they must not be very confident in their quality after all.