Proper Telephone Etiquette

Proper Telephone Etiquette

I have worked at a technical college for over five years. I started out as the Admissions Assistant and have recently been promoted to the Admissions Coordinator. In both of these capacities, answering the telephone and making business telephone calls have been an integral part of my job. Effective telephone communication lends itself to the success of any type of business.

The person answering a business telephone may be first contact a potential customer has with your company, so first impressions can make or break future transactions. My years of phone communication have taught me some tried and true rules of etiquette that should be used in all business situations.

Your voice and speech habits are crucial elements in an effective telephone conversation. I have always heard that you should smile before answering the phone and that positive attitude will shine through in your voice. Yes, you feel a little silly at first, but the conscious effort of smiling is a good reminder to be pleasant to the person on the other end of the line. The greeting will vary depending on the company, but a friendly yet professional greeting is best. Identify yourself to the caller and end the greeting with a statement or question that assures the caller that you are there to help. The greeting I use in my office is informative yet to the point; "South Georgia Tech Student Services. This is Kari Bodrey. How may I help you?" Speak slowly and clearly in a cheerful and professional voice so the caller understands you.

Have paper and pen close by at all times to take notes or messages as needed. Listen to the caller without interrupting and repeat the message back to the customer to verify that the information is accurate. An effective message includes the name of the person for whom the message was left, the caller's name with verified spelling, the caller's company or department, the caller's phone number, the date and time, a brief message, and the action to be taken, such as, "Please call," "Will call back," or "Urgent". It is vital to deliver the message as soon as possible using the company's guidelines.

If the call needs to be put on hold, ask permission first, such as, "May I put you on hold while I locate Mr. Smith for you?" If you know that a call may be on hold for more than 30 seconds, be honest and let the customer know the time frame. Acknowledge the caller when you return to the line and thank him or her for being patient.

Ending a telephone conversation can be awkward, but there are polite ways to bring the call to a close, such as talking in the past tense. For example, you can say, "I'm glad we were able to work together to resolve your problem," or "I'm pleased that were able to help you today." Make sure that you take the time to sincerely thank the caller before he or she hangs up. This will leave the caller with a pleasant last impression.

There are behaviors and situations to be avoided in telephone communications within a business environment. One of my biggest pet peeves is people who eat, drink, or chew gum while they are trying to carry on a phone conversation. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to engage in this behavior in a business setting. Do not get distracted by the people around you while you are taking a phone call. If it is necessary to talk to someone in front of you when you are on the phone, do not cover the mouthpiece with your hand or lay the receiver on desk. Ask the caller if you can put him or her on hold and then talk to the person in front of you.

Proper word and phrase choice is an integral part of a phone conversation. Instead of saying, "Hang on" or "Hold", ask, "May I please put you on hold?" Instead of asking, "Who's this?"