Telephone Etiquette

1. Telephone Etiquette

2. Introduction
The following guidelines can be used in
personal conversations as well as at the
office.
Proper business phone etiquette can make a
positive impression on your callers.

3. To Do on Phone
 Improve Voice Quality
 Listen actively
 Paraphrase
 Hold & Mute
 Transfer Calls
 Take Messages
 Exhibit Telephone courtesy

4. Schedule Outward Calls
• At the beginning of each day:
• Make a list of the calls you have to make
• Put them in order of priority
• Allocate time for each call

5. Appropriate Greetings
• As you place/ respond to a call:
• Identify your company
• Give your name and job title/department
• Ask how you can help the caller
– “Good Morning,
– My name is <your first name>, How may I help you?”

6. Close the call
• When you close the call:
• Make sure that the caller has no more queries
• Let the caller put down the receiver first
• Use the following phrases:
– You are welcome Sir/Madam
– We appreciate your calling
– Thank You for calling
– Please, feel free to call again
– Have a nice day!

7. Listening skills
• Use “Active Listening Skills”:
• Listen attentively
• Let the speaker know you listen
• Give verbal attention, e.g.:
– 'yes', 'I see', ‘alright,’ ‘uhh’, ‘I know what you mean’

8. Take Notes
• The human memory is not perfect.
• Jotting down helps you “Actively listen”.
•
• Written notes give you a record of :
 the customer’s name and message
 Correct spellings
 Case reviews
 Accurate contact information

9. Absent Colleagues
• State politely about your absent colleagues whom the caller may
want to speak to:
– Johar isn’t available at the moment
– Raj just stepped out
– Nikita is in a meeting
– May I help you?

10. Things to Avoid
• Let it ring more than four times
• Eat and drink while talking on the phone
• Be too familiar
• Talk to someone else in your office
• Have too much background noise
• Speak too quietly or too loudly
• Speak too quickly

11. Some Casual Words
• Yeah
• OK
• Sure
• One Sec
• Just a minute
• Who’s speaking?
• I’ve no idea!
– Replace them with...

12. Professional Expressions
• Yes Sir
• That’s right Sir
• Very well Sir
• Certainly Sir
• Let me check that for you Sir.
• Let me check and find out.

13. Any Questions