Only thing missing is a guy in his underpants
January 23, 2014 10:03 AM   Subscribe

 
So um, this was an ad?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 10:12 AM on January 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


Um... yes? If you watch to the end of the video, it's pretty clearly an ad.
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 10:14 AM on January 23, 2014


(Please ignore ad at the end.)
posted by Dragonness at 10:17 AM on January 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


Pretty funny, certainly similar to the stupid meetings I've had to go through on conference calls. It's particularly bad when it's each office has only one telephone so you have 10 people crowded around one stupid phone. Then of course some people forget to mute so you're treated to all sorts of noises as well!
posted by Carillon at 10:25 AM on January 23, 2014


"Dave, you've been here this whole time?"
"Yup"

I laughed. Left when the ad started. Was funny.
posted by jessamyn at 10:32 AM on January 23, 2014 [4 favorites]


It's missing the guy who tries to secretly sneak out for a moment but doesn't realize that his company's phone system has hold music and the meeting has to stop completely for the duration of his departure because no one can hear anyone else.
posted by rlk at 10:33 AM on January 23, 2014 [5 favorites]


They forgot the guy who has the LOUDEST KEYBOARD IN THE WORLD, and is oblivious to the fact that everyone else on the conference call is yelling at him.
posted by sbutler at 10:39 AM on January 23, 2014 [6 favorites]


Ahh yes, Baron von Clackity
posted by Mister_A at 10:49 AM on January 23, 2014 [16 favorites]


And they forgot the guy who... actually you know what I'm going to just take a moment to recap our previous call on this subject so we're all up to speed before we move on to the next agenda item
posted by ook at 10:53 AM on January 23, 2014 [3 favorites]


It's missing the guy who tries to secretly sneak out for a moment but doesn't realize that his company's phone system has hold music and the meeting has to stop completely for the duration of his departure because no one can hear anyone else.

"Star 6 to mute out if you have to take another call. How many times do we have to tell you people? SIGH."
posted by pianoblack at 10:54 AM on January 23, 2014


this is my life......
posted by mrgroweler at 10:55 AM on January 23, 2014


Where's the guy who's breathing way too loud into the phone?
posted by mhum at 10:56 AM on January 23, 2014 [3 favorites]


The mouth breather.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:58 AM on January 23, 2014


Also needed someone walking up to one of the participants and starting a conversation with them and the dude forgetting to mute so everyone else could hear their offline convo.
posted by dry white toast at 10:58 AM on January 23, 2014


Just to point this out to those of you who will care, but Leadercast is a for-profit endeavor owned (at least partially) by Chik-Fil-A.
posted by jbickers at 11:03 AM on January 23, 2014 [2 favorites]


Unmute audio and join the conference call (via migurski)
posted by Nelson at 11:09 AM on January 23, 2014 [2 favorites]


This is why I like MetaFilter. I can enjoy the images of the stereotypes you are all describing, as if I were watching the video (ad), without having to actually watch the video (ad).

Also: this is why I push people to videoconference from their desks during conference calls. 99% of these problems/annoyances go away (to be replaced by everyone's videoconferencing anxiety, which leads half of the people to aim their cameras at their ceilings with only a thin slice of the top of their heads showing, but that's still better because it is hilarious.)
posted by davejay at 11:18 AM on January 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


This is very accurate. So much so that it's making me uncomfortable.
posted by spiderskull at 11:19 AM on January 23, 2014


Missing the one person on speakerphone at his desk with, like, 18 people talking in the background.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:40 AM on January 23, 2014


This is The 10th Regiment of Foot. I just wanted to point out that I have a lot of coworkers who can't stop talking all the time like they are on a conference call, like at meeting where there is no call-in they introduce themselves every time they speak.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:44 AM on January 23, 2014 [3 favorites]


Yeah, this is actually so realistic that it doesn't achieve parody. It is not funny in the way Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom is not funny. It would be useful as a how-not-to tutorial on teleconferencing.
posted by etc. at 11:48 AM on January 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


On of the joys of modern VOIP meetings is "screen sharing", where, if you're unlucky, you get to be the "demo" person. "maxwelton, why don't you just share your screen, be easier to follow what you're talking about."

With this "feature", you're constantly having to ask "did that refresh? can you see what I'm doing?" Beforehand, of course, you frantically clear your screen of crap which isn't embarrassing, but you don't need people to see, and make sure your browser doesn't have any bookmarks/tabs showing which you also don't want to talk about. Good screen sharing apps allow you to designate which app windows to share, ok ones share your screen but put a generic BG up, and bad ones just dump your screen. Guess which ones my clients all favor...

I recommend not doing what I did, which is see a client chat window signal new message (from a client who, in your world, is more important, ie, pays more), open it on your shared screen, and type "I'll be with you when I can, I'm on a tedious, endless call right now..."

Awkward.
posted by maxwelton at 11:50 AM on January 23, 2014 [5 favorites]


About half of the conference calls at my company go like this:

2:03 We'll get started here shortly
2:05 We're just waiting for a few more people to join
2:08 Let's give them until 10 after
2:12 Beth, can you ping [boss] and see if he's going to join?
2:15 We'll just give [boss] a few more minutes
2:20 Okay, [boss] got pulled into another meeting, let's reschedule this for Tuesday
posted by desjardins at 12:10 PM on January 23, 2014 [14 favorites]


One of the best pieces of advice a boss ever gave me was "if you're ever invited to a meeting with more than six people, you don't have to go". He really meant it too, up to and including the CEO and founders of the company. Unless I was presenting, I could skip the meeting with his blessing. For conference calls that number should be three.

It's amazing how powerful non-verbal cues are even on the phone. You instantly know whether the person talking is at work at a real desk or is lounging at home in a comfortable chair. And of course the best way to end a phone call that goes on to long is to stand up while continuing to talk. Even without any visual stimulus, the "I'm getting up and leaving soon" cue is really strong.
posted by Nelson at 12:29 PM on January 23, 2014 [6 favorites]


I PRESENT THIS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHER OFFICE DRONES. LET US ENJOY THIS HUMOROUS VIDEO IN OUR SHARED EXPERIENCES AS EXPLOITED WORKERS
posted by Dr. Twist at 1:14 PM on January 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


They have another video which is ... humor from an alternate universe? But not really, because I'm sure there are lots of people nodding along and laughing at their masterful caricature: Shoot Christians Say.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:01 PM on January 23, 2014 [4 favorites]


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