Do you get annoyed when you hear this phrase during an important virtual meeting? Can you hear me? What about now? There’s no denying how these phrases can get to the nerve especially during a remote court reporting. It disrupts the flow of conversation, making the meeting take longer than it should.
And yet, despite the circumstances, you decide to patiently wait until the other person gains a better connection. In the meantime, you find yourself in a remote court reporting where another person babbles incoherently or worse choppily. You are tempted to hang up, but you don’t.
As much as you could, you would like for this not to happen in any of your remote court reporting. But is it possible? How do you establish consistent audio for both you and the other people included in the meeting?
The main goal is to ensure that you have a good audio connection to avoid anything that could slow down your deposition and frustrate everyone else included in the meeting. Here are some of the things you can do to keep your remote court reporting all clear and good:
Always go for a wired connection.
While a wireless connection may seem like the most convenient, it can be a bit unreliable when it comes to remote court reporting. In truth, it is best to go for a wired connection for ultimate security, not to mention the continuity of the meeting flow. For all your remote depositions, it is best to have a wired connection as they are better for your audio.
Don’t forget to test your connection.
You probably do this before the start of any remote court reporting, but here’s another reminder anyway. A test call is critical especially in the line of work that you do. Test calls help you identify possible problems that may occur during the meeting. You’ll be able to conquer any possible technical difficulties during the meeting when you encounter them during the test call. You will have enough time to look into what needs to be fixed.
Is it the microphone? Or perhaps the speakers that are not working? You may also determine the appropriate volume level for your remote court reporting. If you opt to use a headset, you may help fix the settings to make sure that you hear everything clearly during the meeting.
Never skip this step as this will help you ensure that everything will go smoothly as possible.
Choose to work in a quiet place.
Your online appearance during the remote court reporting is very important that’s why you need to set the stage for it. Choose a quiet room from which you will take on the remote deposition. As much as possible, you want no background noise. You want a place where the barking of your dogs or your neighbor’s loud music won’t be heard. This may be a small detail but it is crucial to the success of your online court meeting.
Being in a quiet place will ensure that everyone in the remote court reporting will be able to hear you. This means they can respond better and the court reporter can take down notes clearer too. A quiet place makes for an accurate final transcript that will be received on time.
Isn’t this the goal?
Find a technician to help you.
Not everyone is tech-savvy. If you are one of those who barely know anything about computers or its audio and video system, it is best to ask a technician for help. Your technician will be able to set everything up for you.
There’s no need to feel embarrassed if you know very little about technology. And pretending that you can “figure it out” in the process won’t be doing you any good too. Any questions you may have about the technology needed to get you through the remote court reporting smoothly should be directed to the tech.
The intricacies of the process and the technicality involved could be confusing if you’re not at all tech-savvy. They will know exactly how to troubleshoot possible problems to keep them from occurring during the meeting.
Get the pop-ups in control.
Pop-ups are not a big deal on a regular day. However, they can be very annoying when they come up during the remote court reporting. Just imagine the pop-ups happening while you are in the middle of questioning the witness. Right when you were about to ask your question, you forgot about it.
You were suddenly interrupted by the email reminder. So to be safe, it is best to block all pop-ups before the court meeting. Don’t let them derail you and the justice you are trying very hard to deliver.
Remote court reporting has become the new normal. You may not be used to it yet, but it is best to prepare yourself to ensure that you are able to deliver what is asked with minimal to no glitches at all. At the moment, the remote court reporting is the in-person reporting today.
The pandemic has indeed changed the way people do things. And while you might think that doing the court reports in person is so much better, it is still best to prepare for when it needs to happen online. The small details can mean so much. No matter how small the adjustment you make, it will be truly appreciated in the courtroom.
These little things that you can do can make a huge difference in how the court reporting will go. With these tips, you are sure to avoid asking the other person in the line if they are still there or if they can hear you.
You don’t have to be in that court reporting and get annoyed when the other person cannot seem to hear a word you say. Be prepared for whatever may happen. The tips in this list will make it easy for you to go through the meeting smoothly.