Mind Your Manners - Amy Palec

Tip of the Month for January 2006
Telephone Etiquette

Whether making or taking phone calls, proper phone etiquette is essential to maintaining a favorable impression for both you and your company.

In one of my first professional jobs, I was fortunate to have a mentor who trained everyone on our team in “phone etiquette.” Is this being done at your company? Managers should never assume that new hires have had previous phone etiquette training. Always make sure that you convey to them what is expected when answering the phone. Consistency among employees adds polish and professionalism to your company’s image.

First Impressions on the Phone

Remember: you may be the first and only contact a person will have with your company or department, and that impression will stay with the caller long after the call is over.

Answer the call promptly (try to pick up before the third ring.)

Before you pick up the receiver, discontinue any activity such as typing at the computer, chewing food, or conversations with nearby coworkers.

Speak clearly and in a pleasant tone of voice.

If the caller has reached the wrong department, be courteous. If possible, find out what they are calling about and redirect their call appropriately.

Before transferring a call, make sure you explain to the caller what you are doing.

Ask the caller for their name – it shows you are interested. Then use their name in the conversation.

Ask permission before you put someone on hold. When you return to the caller, thank them for holding. Don’t leave them on hold for too long. If a long wait appears to be unavoidable, ask for their name and number and offer to get back to them. And then make good on the offer – promptly.

Often times you may need to covey a message to the caller that is portrayed in a more professional way than the bold truth. Here are some examples:

He or she is out.

Tell the caller: “He/She is not in the office at the moment. Would you like to leave a message on his voicemail?”

You don’t know where he or she is.

Tell the caller: “He/She has stepped out of the office. Would you like to leave a message on his voicemail?”

He or she took the day off.

Tell the caller: “He/She is out of the office for the day. Can someone else help you or would you like his/her voicemail?”

He or she does not want to be disturbed.

Tell the caller: “He/She is unavailable at the moment. Would you like to leave a message on his/her voicemail?”

Making Calls

When you make a call, identify yourself and your company first, and then ask for the person with whom you wish to speak. Think of this as the telephone equivalent of handing your business card to the receptionist.

If you told a person you would call at a certain time, call them as promised. Just as for a formal meeting, it is important to be prompt.

If you sense the person on the other end is in a rush or is distracted, ask “is this a good time, or should I call back?”

Taking Messages

Be prepared with writing materials; do not make the caller wait for you to get organized.

When taking messages:

Get the caller’s name (and the correct spelling – it’s a professional touch.)
Get the caller’s phone number, including the area code.
And of course, take the message. Be sure to repeat the message back to the caller.
Note the date and time they called, and put your initials on the message.

Most companies prefer to use voicemail as a means of taking messages. If that is the case, the following guidelines may be helpful:

Voicemail Greeting

Be sure to record your own personal message greeting; don’t use the standard electronic voice. People feel they have already lost the personal communication by simply being sent to your voice mail.
Write down what it is that you want to say in your greeting and practice saying it a few times prior to recording.
Include in your greeting your name and department so that callers know they have the correct person.
Your regular greeting should include your normal work ours. If you know that you will be on vacation or the office is closed, leave the dates so callers will know when you will be back to work.
If your message is long, and your messaging system support its, offer callers the option to bypass your message.

The most important rule for voicemail is about retrieving and returning calls. Check your messages daily and return calls within 24 hours.

Mind Your Manners specializes in seminars and consulting services in business etiquette and international protocol. For more information, please contact Amy Palec at (262) 376-0515 or visit her web site www.amypalec.com.