Telephone Etiquette Tips for 2008

February 24, 2008 | Basics of Business, Business Administration, Business Management | Comments Off

One of the most common occurrences during the course of a typical business day is a telephone call.  In fact, for many businesses, the number of inbound and outbound conversations may be reach the thousands.  Yet, for all its familiarity and frequency, many businesses still drop the ball when it comes to professional phone etiquette.

Here are some helpful tips to consider before you make your next call successful.

  • Answer the phone as quickly as possible – Try to pick up the phone before the third ring.  People are calling you because they want to speak with you, … not because they want to hear the phone ring or reach your voice mail.  Respect your customers’ time and they will respect yours
  • Identify yourself quickly and clearly – Let the person on the other end of the line know who you are and where you’re calling from.  “Hello, this is David from XYZ Marketing, how can I help you,” would be a good example. And by doing this right away, you’re quickly differentiating yourself from the avalanche of telemarketing and sales calls that every business and consumer gets.
  • Be polite – One would think this should go without saying, but in our current technology-driven world of instant gratification, common courtesy has become a lost art. Don’t ever lose your cool with a difficult or irate customer. It’s in your best interest to remain calm, cool and collected. Never underestimate the power of a simple “please” and “thank you” on the phone. If you do anything on the phone, kill ‘em with kindness.
  • Keep the slang on the down-low: Avoid jargon and excessively informal speech. Use proper grammar and word choice. A phone call can often be the first opportunity to impress a potential customer. No, you don’t have to speak like a college professor, but it wouldn’t hurt. Aim to impress with your authoritative and professional language.
  • Speakerphone. Not cool: Unless it is completely unavoidable, resist the urge to put your customer on speakerphone. Putting someone on speaker phone implies that you’re not 100% committed to concentrating on the conversation. Multi-tasking is an important skill for many business owners, but keep your attention sacred when it comes to listening to the person on the other end of the line.

[tags]voice_mail, phone_etiquette, typical_business, business_day, telemarketing, marketing[/tags]