The document provides information about a two-day training program on enhancing interpersonal skills and mastering telephone etiquette. The program aims to help participants understand the importance of interpersonal skills, develop competence in handling difficult customers over the phone, and acquire the right telephone etiquette skills. It discusses foundations of interpersonal skills including communication, listening and conflict resolution. It also covers communication aspects like verbal versus non-verbal communication and barriers to effective listening. The document provides tips on telephone etiquette like answering calls professionally, applying active listening and using a polite tone.

1. ENHANCING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
& MASTERING TELEPHONE
ETIQUETTE
YON BAHIAH BT WAN ARIS
INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS EXCELLENCE
10& 11TH MARCH 2015

2. PROGRAMME OUTCOMES
• Understand the importance for interpersonal
skills in both professional and personal lives
• Develop interpersonal competence to prepare for
challenges at the workplace and others
• Acquire the right skills and attitudes when
answering telephone
• Determine and apply key telephone etiquette and
communication skills
• Handle and manage difficult customers over the
telephone

3. INTRODUCTION
• The success or failure of an organization depends
highly on the individuals working in it. Within the
organizations, effective communication is required:-
• Internally
• - within the teams
• - across teams
• - within departments and across departments
• Externally
• - suppliers
• - customers

5. Foundations of interpersonal skills
• WHAT?
• A set of skills and abilities needed to effectively
interact and communicate with others
• Ability to get along with others and at the same
time getting tasks completed.
• Ability to convey, translate and interpret
information.
• Involves communication , listening, conflict
resolution , delegation etc
• Simply put , its actually people’s skills.

6. • Characteristic Traits such as Attitudes,
Manners, behavior, appearance when
communicating with others

7. • WHY?
• Changing work environment requires excellent
networking skills.
• Working in a team is a norm; enhance
productivity
• Maintain Personal & Professional relationships
• Able to receive & give feedback
• Able to understand others better

9. Ratan Global Business School

10. activity
• Identify someone at work whom you interact
frequently and you would like to improve your
interpersonal communication. Analyze your
relationship with this individual based on the following
questions:
• - do you have a choice working with this person?
• - how do you classify your relationship?
• - who has more power in this relationship?
• - identify the positive and negative attributes of this
person.
• - has there been disagreements between the two of
you and how do you resolve it?

11. Self awareness
• Realisation of one’s self
• Being aware of own traits, feelings & behavior.
• Types :- Public & Private

12. COMMUNICATION
• Most of us use 70 to
90% of our waking time
communicating..
• Aspects of
communication:
• - Verbal & Non Verbal
• - Oral & Written

14. We need to communicate…..

15. • Communication
is the first thing
we learn as a
child but as we
grow older it
becomes the
hardest thing to
do.

16. Effective communication is..
• Right people
getting the right
information at the
right time.

18. We communicate in different ways
depending on the message and the context
it is being sent.

19. Verbal
• Choice of words used to send a message.
• Word of mouth or by writing
• For effective verbal communication, keep it
simple and short.
• Involves memos, emails, faxes, blogs, Sms,
watsapp, twitter etc
• Influenced by choice of words, tone of voice,
speed, clarity of voice.
• Adv: fast feedback, can interpret,

20. Before you speak, let your words pass through
three gates.
• At the first gate, ask yourself,
• ‘Is it true?’
• At the second gate, ask,
• ‘Is it necessary?’
• At the third gate, ask,
• ‘Is it kind?’
• - Sufi saying

21. Non Verbal
• Non Verbal communication- Communication
without the use of words
• Includes
• eg Body language , gestures, postures,
remaining silence, voice intonation and use of
silence ---- often sends a louder message to
other people than the words we say.

22. • Studies show that during interpersonal
communication only 7% of message is verbal;
while 93% is non verbal.
• Nonverbal skills must be practiced so that we
can be sure that we are actually sending the
message that we intend to send.

24. Fluency in non-verbal communication can
be as powerful a tool as masterful
negotiating techniques or expert
salesmanship.
• Joe Navarro

25. listening
• One of the most important communication
skill.
• Sometimes we think we are listening when in
actual fact we are Not.
• Listening takes practice and requires us to be
focus.
• How is listening different from hearing?

26. speak write listen read

29. Barriers to listening
• State of mind – Are you ready to listen? attitude
& emotional state of mind of listener
• Bias/ Prejudices on speaker
• Languages used – slang, accent etc
• Short span of attention – “wandering mind”
• Noise
• Frequent interruptions
• Too much information – message overload
• Impatient – too eager to speak

31. Tips to effective listening
• Appropriate eye contact
• Open mind – willing to listen & accept ideas
from others
• Empathy for speaker
• No interruptions
• Feedback (Verbal & Non verbal)

32. Active listening
• Involves hearing, understanding, judging and
evaluating message before responding

33. Tips to improve interpersonal skills
• Smile ( universal languagw; one smile makes
two.
• Communicate with clarity.
• Be honest when expressing your opinions.
• Compliment sincerely.
• Practice assertiveness.

34. End of day 1

35. Telephone etiquette
• Telephone is an important means of
communication as most businesses are still
conducted via the telephone.
• Company’s image/reputation is projected
through daily telephone communications.
• As such, it is important to communicate
professionally as well as effectively through the
telephones.
• Need to be fully aware of how we talk
& behave over the phone.

36. • Antonio Ejoh HR analyst at Venture Grade group
Antonio Ejoh HR analyst at Venture Grade group

37. • Each phone call is an attempt to communicate
between 2 parties, to impart and receive
information.
• Communication can be ineffective if
telephone etiquette is not observed.

38. • Listening is an integral
aspect of telephone
etiquette.
• As mentioned earlier,
some people have
problems with listening.
• However with practice,
we can get better.
• With two ears and one
mouth, are we using
them proportionately?

39. • Need to apply active
listening to tell customers
that you care about what
he/she has to say.
• Need to clarify what the
message communicated
to ensure that you fully
understand it.
• This means that you
confirm the message in
your own words.

40. • Eg:
• You: May I have your
telephone number
please, Encik Razak?
• Caller: 50243811
• You: So Encik Razak,
your telephone number
is 50 243 811.. Is that
correct???

41. When using the telephone
• Need to:
• 1. listen carefully
• 2. listen actively
• 3. reduce talking

42. Basic elements of professional
telephone beavior
• Pay attention to caller & Stop doing whatever
it is you were doing before receiving the call.
• Concentrate on what the caller is trying to say.

44. Golden rules when telecommunicating
• Answer within 3 rings.
• Sit with appropriate
posture.
• Greet and identify
yourself.
• Smile.. even if caller
can’t see you.( a smile
can be heard over the
phone)

45. • Speak clearly no need
to shout.
• Use proper tone of
voice, should sound
friendly and
enthusiastic.
• Seek permission if you
need to put caller on
hold. (don’t put on hold
for more than 30
seconds)

46. • Ensure that caller is
aware that his call has
been transferred &
make sure call is
answered.
• Be a good listener ,
don’t interrupt.
• Take messages
correctly.. verify

47. • Personalize conversation
by using the caller’s name
eg: thank you Prof Mala
for calling us. If caller has
a title, refer to him/her by
he title.
• Listen to the end.. Don’t
hang up before the caller.
• End call courteously; use
magic words.

48. Negative phrases Positive phrases
“what you want, huh?” “How may I help you?”
“En Dollah has gone back “. En Dollah is currently not in. How can I
assist you?
“I don’t know..not sure lah”. “Let me check and get back to you”.
“ Who is that?” “ May I know who is on the line?”