How to Use Proper Etiquette When Answering a Business Call

Answering the phone at work: it is a small task, performed numerous times during the day. Although it is a small task, it is important to do it properly. The telephone is often the primary means of communicating with clients or colleagues in other locations. The person on the other end of the telephone may not be familiar with you or your work. When you take a business telephone call with proper etiquette you can convey professionalism and competence in a matter of seconds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Notepad (for taking notes during telephone conversation)
• Telephone
• Pen or Pencil

1. If your company does not require a scripted greeting, answer the phone with your name: “Jane Doe”. You do not want the person on the other end to flounder or guess at with whom he or she is speaking.
2. For a friendlier opening use a greeting, such as “Good morning, this is Jane” or “Jane Doe, how can I help you?”
3. Speak clearly to ensure your caller can understand what you are saying. If you tend to speak quickly, slow your speech for easier comprehension.
4. Your caller may tell you his or her name after you provide yours. Or, the caller may start telling you the purpose of the call. If your caller does not provide his or her name in the first few sentences, ask for it.
5. In the first minute of the call, you should find out the caller’s name, the caller’s company or organization and the purpose of the call. If the caller does not provide this information, take charge of the conversation and get the information you need.
6. If you need to put your caller on hold, use the caller’s name to tell him that you are putting him or her on hold: “Mr. Smith, I am going to put you on hold while I look for that information.” Some people would recommend asking the caller for permission to put him or her on hold, but that allows the caller to deny your request. If you think the caller will agree to being put on hold, you may certainly tailor your dialogue accordingly: “Mr. Smith, will you hold while I look for that information?”
7. You should place a caller on hold if you are going to do anything other than converse with the caller. The time you need to take to concentrate on a file, look for something or speak to a colleague are not things your caller needs to hear. Put the caller on hold when you are not speaking with the caller.
8. If you cannot resolve the caller’s issue during the telephone conversation, provide the caller with contact information and an estimated timeline for a follow up. You want the caller to feel like his or her time on the phone was not wasted.
9. Before you hang up, make sure you have your caller’s phone number and any other necessary contact information. You should also confirm you have the proper spelling of your caller’s name, if you haven’t already.
10. You can end the conversation with any variation of “Goodbye” or “Thank you for calling. However, “Bye-Bye” is somewhat informal and not always appropriate.

Tips & Warnings

• If you sound gruff or unpleasant on the phone, try smiling while speaking. Smiling will change the tone of your voice, making you sound more accessible to your caller.