Telephone Skills

The telephone may be one of the most powerful, efficient and cost-effective business tools you have at your disposal. If things start out badly on the phone, they may never progress beyond the first call. Whether you use the phone for customer service or for sales calls as part of a telemarketing strategy, telephone manners and etiquette are critical components of a professional image.

Through experience, you’ll develop your own telephone style. You’ll also find customers and prospects responding positively when you and your employees smile, listen and show personal interest!

The following tips will help you use your “telephone tool” to its fullest:

- Smile when you’re on the phone; your customers will hear it!

- Answer the phone pleasantly and maintain a pleasant demeanor while on the phone.

- Never answer the phone with food in your mouth or try to eat quietly while talking.

- Return all phone calls within 48 hours

- When you place a call that you know might be lengthy, ask if it's a good time to talk before you begin that conversation.

- Know what you want to say before making an important call.

- Make a telephone appointment when you want to have a focused, longer (15 or more minutes) conversation with someone who is normally busy.

- Listen and respond to the person on the other end of the line. When you focus on them rather on what you’re going to say next, the phone call becomes more conversational.

3. Match the words (1 - 5) with the words (a - e) to complete the phrases.

1. telephone

2. the first

3. personal

4. answer

5. professional

a. interest

b. style

c. image

d. the phone

e. call

4. Match the words and word-combinations in the left column with their equivalents in the right column.

1. important call

2. personal interest

3. becomes more conversational

4. while on the phone

5. manners and etiquette

a. личный интерес

b. манеры и этикет

c. пока разговариваете

d. важный разговор

e. становится более разговорным

5. Read the text again. Decide if the statements are true (t) or false (f).

1. Return all phone calls within 2 days.

2. Don’t smile when you’re on the phone; your customers won’t hear it!

3. Answer the phone pleasantly and maintain a pleasant demeanor while on the phone.

4. Always answer the phone with food in your mouth and do not try to eat quietly while talking.

5. Know what you want to say before making an important call.

Stop and Check 2

Do the tasks below. There are two points for each correct answer.

1. Fill in the gaps.

What’s the time, please?

1. ________ (1)

1. We must hurry up. The delegation is arriving in half an hour.

2. ________ (2) There’s a taxi over there.

1. Hallo. Can I speak to Mr. Green?

2. ________ (3)

1. This is Ahmed Ali. How are you, Mr. Green?

2. ________ (4)

1. Very well too, thank you. When shall I see you? I want to discuss some business with you.

2. ________ (5)?

1. Perfectly all right, thank you. I’ll be at your office at ten on Monday.

2. ________ (6)

1. As far as I know, Serge, you have customers in French-speaking countries, don’t you?

2. ________ (7) A French delegation is coming to Moscow, you know.

1. ________ (8)?

2. This Tuesday.

1. ________ (9)?

2. The prices and some other things.

1. ________ (10)?

2. All this week.

2. Jacqui Bond wrote an email to Ili Enache about a meeting next week. The points from the message have been mixed up. Look at the recommended sequence of points below. Then order the message appropriately.

I’m afraid I may not be able to make the 8:00 start. The train connections can be very difficult at that time of day.

Would it be possible to start at 9:00? It means we would finish at 17:00 instead of 16:00. Please let me know if that’s a problem for you.

Hello, Ili

Best regards, Jacqui

You asked me to send the feasibility report and I am attaching it here. Please note that this is not yet in final draft and there may be some mistakes.

Thanks for sending the agenda for our meeting.

I'm looking forward very much to seeing you next week.

Recommended sequence of points

11. Friendly greeting

12. Thanks or reference to previous contract

13. Most important point / problem

14. Important request

15. Less important points

16. Reference to future contact

17. Ending