I often find myself having to join conference calls while on the go -- walking, driving or even while standing in lines. Most conference-call services require participants to dial an 800-number,
followed by a passcode. That's reasonable, except when the pass codes are longer than six digits.
Why? On my old BlackBerry and now on my new Android smartphone, when I dial the call-in
number, it takes me away from the screen with the passcode. When I'm on the go or multitasking, I can easily remember a six-digit passcode. But anything more than that becomes an annoying mental and
coordination challenge. The problem is, there is a growing tendency for conference-call passcodes to reach nine or even 12 digits or more.
It would be great if conference-call hosting
vendors would limit their passcodes to six digits. Alternatively, smartphone manufacturers could create a function to automatically memorize passcodes that are associated with call-in numbers within
calendar invites and email messages, and then automatically submit the passcode when requested during conference-call meetings.
Telephony services and smart devices have made tremendous
strides in recent years. But this is one very basic area that still needs work. If there's a simple solution for this, please let me know in the comments. I know I'm not alone.
Oh, the
perils of the 21st-century worker.
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