We have all heard that annoying phrase on a phone call, “Can you hear me? What about now?” This phrase grates on the nerves and disrupts the flow of conversation. We roll our eyes and try to patiently wait for a better connection while the other person babbles on incoherently or choppily. Sometimes we just hang up. Well, I do, anyway. Don’t let this happen during your remote deposition. Clear, consistent audio is key when you’re not in the same room. There is no reason to have poor audio slowing down your deposition and frustrating everyone online. Here are some small things you can do that have a big impact on audio, and your remote deposition!

Make the Hard-wired Connection. Wireless internet can be a little iffy. For ultimate security and continuity, use a wired connection for your remote deposition. Lags are not good for audio!

Test! Possibly you’re tired of my reminders on this subject. But the test call is critical. This is your opportunity to discover and conquer any technical difficulties, so you have no such troubles during the remote proceeding. This is also the perfect time to try out the quality of your microphone, speakers, and determine the appropriate volume for your remote deposition. You may also want to test out a headset, which provides better quality audio.

Quiet, Please! Make sure that you set the stage for your online appearance. Select a quiet, well-lit room from which you can take the remote deposition. You want no background noise. No piping in from the family dog, no yoo-hoos floating in through an open window, etc. This is a small but crucial detail. The quieter your space, the better everyone can hear you, the more succinctly they can respond, and the better the reporter can take down the record. This all makes for an accurate final transcript received on time, and that is the goal here, isn’t it?

Talk to your Technician. We’re not all tech-savvy. Your technician is! Don’t be embarrassed if you know very little about technology, and don’t pretend “oh, I’ll figure it out as we go.” Any questions you have about the process and technical intricacies involved, take them to the tech. They’ll know what to do to guarantee the optimal online deposition with no embarrassing hiccups or awkward pauses to troubleshoot.

Pop-up Problems. Again, a little thing. Pop-ups can be a nuisance – particularly when you are carefully questioning your witness over the internet. You’re in the middle of your thought and poof! Interrupted by that little outlook reminder, you scramble to get back on track. Block them all. Don’t let pop-ups pop into your remote deposition and derail you.

Remote depositions at their best are practically in person. At the moment, they are the in-person deposition! As with most things in life, it’s the little things that make a huge difference. Small details take blah to boom! and oof to outstanding! Making these small preparations can eliminate interruptions and repetition in your remote deposition and result in a clean final transcript and video (if applicable) with crystal clear audio.