Workplace Telephone Etiquette

Using professional etiquette when answering the phone can give your business a great reputation.

Whether you've been in business for years or are a new company in your industry, it's important for you and your employees to follow proper telephone etiquette. This is part of good customer service and gives you the opportunity to make a great impression on existing and potential clients.

Speaking Clearly

When using the telephone in an office setting, it's important to enunciate words properly; this allows the customer to better understand introductions or instructions (i.e. 'Good morning, this is (company name), may I place you on hold?). Employees should speak directly into the mouthpiece of the phone; if workers have to use a computer while speaking to a customer on the phone, a quality headset should be used.

Transferring Calls

If it is necessary to transfer a customer's call, it is important to notify the customer of the reason for transferring the call and to ask permission to transfer before it takes place (i.e., 'I'm transferring you to the department that handles returns and exchanges. Is that all right? Just one moment). It is also appropriate to call the person that the call is being transferred to check their availability. The person transferring the call should tell the employee preparing to help the caller the customer's name and reason for calling.

Taking Messages

When taking messages for another employee or department, it is important to be pleasant to the caller and to ask for all relevant information. It is necessary to get the caller's first and last name and to ask for the correct spelling if necessary. The caller's return phone number should also be written down and repeated back to the caller. The written message should include the date and time of the call, as well as any additional information about the call, such as "call right away" or "will call back."

Leaving Messages

If leaving a message on an answering machine, proper etiquette suggests that a name or company name should be clearly stated on the recorded messages, as well as the time and date of the call. The reason for the call should be as concise as possible, as leaving long-winded messages is inappropriate. It's also best to include the best times to be contacted for a return call in the message.

Ending a Conversation

The ending of a professional telephone conversation should be just as cordial as the beginning. Instead of simply saying "goodbye," concluding the discussion with phrases like "thank you for calling (company name)," or "we appreciate your business" are more appropriate. Using slang words to end a call is not acceptable. "Goodbye" is the proper phrase, as opposed to "bye" or "talk to you later."

References

• Office Skills.org: Telephone Etiquette
• Salisbury.edu: Helpful Telephone Etiquette Tips