This document provides guidance on effective telephone skills, including answering, transferring, placing on hold, and ending calls properly. The key points covered are: 1) Answer calls within 3 rings, identify yourself and department, and offer assistance. 2) Use proper etiquette when placing callers on hold or transferring, including explaining reasons for delays and introductions. 3) Take complete messages including name, number, date, message, and action required. Thank the caller before ending the conversation.

1. A2 TELEPHONE SKILLS

2. Aims
Provide a suitable greeting and farewell to callers

3. Aims
 Use the telephone effectively
 Transfer and/or place a call on hold
 Learn telephone phrases
 Take a written message

4. Do’s and Dont’s when answering
the telephone
 Be prepared
 pen and paper
 telephone extension
list
 Avoid chewing, eating,
drinking or smoking
 Use correct posture

5. Answer the call with a smile on
your face!

6. Answering the Telephone
 Answer quickly,
maximum within three rings

7. Answering the Telephone
Provide a greeting
 “Good Morning, Ans Waheed speaking”
 “Good Afternoon, this is Rob Trip
speaking”
 “Good Evening, Erasmus University,
Sumera van Dyk speaking.”

8. Answering the Telephone
 Identify the Department:
 Marketing Department: dealing with marketing and sales
 Operations: the flow once the customer has purchased
 Customer Service: ensuring that the Customer is always happy
 Human Resources Department: charged with finding, screening,
 recruiting and training job applicants
 Sales Department: Handling the Sale once it has reached that point
 in the process
 Accounting Department: manages the money flow
 Legal Department: works on all types of contracts. They usually
 create sales and employment contracts

9. Answering the Telephone
Identify yourself:
 “Astrid Brim speaking”
 “Patrick Parsley speaking”
NEVER SAY: You are speaking with XXXXX,
from (use of) of Delra Airlines.

10. Answering the Telephone
 Offer assistance
 “How May I Help/Assist You?”

11. Answering the Telephone
Some phrases:
• X speaking.
• Can I help you?
• Who's calling please?
• Who's speaking?
• How may I help/ assist you?
• Hold the line please.
• Could you hold on please?
• Just a moment please.

12. Answering the Telephone
Some more phrases:
• Thank you for holding.
• The line's free now ... I'll put you through.
• I'll connect you now / I'm connecting you now
• I'm afraid the line's engaged. Could you call back later?
• I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment.
• I'm sorry. He's out of the office today. /
He isn't in at the moment.
• I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here
• I'm sorry. There's nobody here by that name.
• Sorry. I think you've dialled the wrong number./
I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.

13. Answering the Telephone
• The line is very bad ... Could you speak up please?
• Could you repeat that please?
• I'm afraid I can't hear you.
• Sorry. I didn't catch that. Could you say it again please?
• Can I leave / take a message?
• Would you like to leave a message?
• Could you give him/her a message?
• Could you ask him/her to call me back?
• Could you tell him/her that I called?
• Could you give me your name please?
• Could you spell that please?
• What's your number please?

14. Answering the Telephone
 “Good Morning, Business Center, John speaking, How
may I help you?”
 Good afternoon, Business Center, Mara speaking,
what can I do for you?”
 “Good Afternoon, Finance, Fatima speaking, How
may I help you?”
 “Who would you like to speak to?”

15. Transferring or
Placing Calls on Hold
 Handle calls yourself where possible
 Transfer calls directly to the correct extension

16. Transferring or
Placing Calls on Hold
 Always ask if you can put the person on hold
and wait for the answer
Example: “Mr Mankell, the extension is busy,
may I please place your call on hold?

17. Transferring or
Placing Calls on Hold
 Explain delays
 “Thank you for holding, Mr Frost, the extension is still
busy, would you like to continue
holding or shall I ask
Mr Derrick to call you back
as soon as his extension
is free?”

18. Transferring or
Placing Calls on Hold
 Let the caller know:
 why you are transferring the call
 who they are being transferred to
Example: “Mr Mankell, I am transferring your call to
to Ms Tulip who will be able to assist you
in this regard.”

19. Transferring or
Placing Calls on Hold
 Always stay on the line until the transfer is complete!
 Explain to the person receiving
the call:
 why you are transferring the call
 who the caller is

20. Transferring a Call
 Examples:
 “Sarah, this is John, I have Mr. Frost on the line who
needs some information about Corporate Room
Rates.”
 “Good morning, Mr. Frost, this is Sarah. I understand
that you would like to know about our Corporate
Room Rates, is that correct?”

21. Transferring a Call
 Use guest’s name (personalise the call)
 Confirm understanding of the reason for the call
 Ask a closed question for confirmation
Example:
 Do you agree to that?

22. Taking Messages
 Message for…
 Name and title of caller
 Company name
 Telephone number
 Time and date of call
 Message

23. Taking Messages
 Action required
 Name/initials of person
 taking the message
 Repeat the message
back

24. Ending the Call
 End the conversation on a positive note
 Thank the caller
 Use the caller’s name

25. Ending the Call
 “Thank you for calling Mr Mankell, goodbye.”
 “Thank you for the booking, Mrs Armstrong,
we look forward to seeing you.”
 “Goodbye Ms Jamra and thank you for calling.”

26. THANK YOU !