Vocabulary:
convey [kən'veɪ] 1) [with obj.] transport or carry to a place ■ make (an idea, impression, or feeling) known or understandable ■ communicate (a message or information) 2) transfer the title to (property) • Origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘escort’; compare with convoy ): from Old French conveier, from medieval Latin conviare, from con- ‘together’ + Latin via ‘way’
aloof not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant
utter [ʌ̱tə(r)] -If someone utters sounds or words, they say them; издавать звук; произносить
foul - offensive to the senses, especially through having a disgusting smell or taste or being dirty
astute [əstju͟ːt, AM əstu͟ːt] -If you describe someone as astute, you think they show an understanding of behaviour and situations, and are skilful at using this knowledge to their own advantage. Origin: early 17th cent.: from obsolete French astut or Latin astutus, from astus ‘craft’
A beep is a short, loud sound like that made by a car horn or a telephone answering machine.
cement - [with obj.] fix with cement ■ settle or establish firmly. Origin: Middle English: from Old French ciment (noun), cimenter (verb), from Latin caementum ‘quarry stone’, from caedere ‘hew’
mileage[ma͟ɪlɪʤ] - actual or potential benefit or use to be derived from a situation or event
pressing - requiring quick or immediate action or attention
Proper speech refers to the tone, enunciation, pronunciation, loudness and correctness of the words that a person uses. Speech is a key part of image since, in person, it may be noticed simultaneously with the way the person is dressed, and on the phone, it is the one way the image is conveyed. The voice and the words that an employee utters are another part of the professional image. One of the most important aspects of speech is that foul language in not proper business etiquette. Inappropriate conversation is one of the biggest etiquette faux pas when it comes to speech.
The phone has become the favored way of connecting within and outside of companies. The telephone imposes certain demands on its users since such non-verbal cues like the clothing someone is wearing, the way they move their eyes when a statement is made, or the office in which someone is sitting are unavailable for scrutiny as a way of judging how the interaction is going. There are still however non-verbal cues that an astute telephone user can utilize, such as the timing of a pause, the length of silence, the increase or decrease of noises in the background, the quality of the voice, to indicate the enthusiasm or agreement. Even how quickly someone answers a phone – on which ring the call is answered – can rightly or wrongly- be taken as an indication of how busy the person being called is, how close the phone is to the person being called, how anxious or eager the person being called is to pick up the phone.
Tips for improving telephone etiquette.
If you are an unknown caller, it is perfectly appropriate for a secretary to ask you to identify yourself and to ask why you are calling. Give your name and a brief explanation.
It is rude and poor etiquette to pose as the personal friend of the person you are calling just to get your call through.
The biggest breach of etiquette in business is failing to return phone calls. You should return phone calls as soon as possible but certainly within 24 hours.
If a person is unavailable, leave a message to say that you tried to return the call. To avoid telephone tag, try to give a few times you will be available to take a return call.
If you need to have a long telephone conversation, such as an interview or a discussion of a report, try to set up a telephone appointment so, you know the person you are calling will have enough time to talk to you.
As more and more phone companies offer caller identification systems – whereby the number of the caller is flashed on the screen so you can decide by the number or other information about who is calling whether or not you want to answer the phone- discretion is necessary to avoid intimidating or embarrassing your caller. Fro example, avoid saying the name of a caller (you know it) until it is volunteered. It is jarring to the caller to have a feeling that “Big Brother” is watching him or her. Furthermore the verdict is not in yet on whether these new calling systems are ethical or an invasion of privacy.
Do not chew or slurp loudly while you are on the phone. If you must sneeze or cough during a conversation, try to cover the mouthpiece of the phone so you will not be overheard. If it seems loud enough for the caller to hear, say “excuse me”.
if you have a call waiting- whereby when you are on the phone with someone you hear a beep and may put the first call on hold and talk to the second caller – try to finish up the first conversation before talking extensively to the second caller. If possible, just find out the name and phone number of the second caller. Say: “Iam on the other line. May I call you right back when I finish? Except in absolutely dire emergencies, if you get off the first call because you prefer to speak to the second caller, you may offend your first caller who will see himself or herself less important. However if you have already finished your conversation with the first caller and were simply shuffling your feet with no idea how to terminate the conversation, saying that you have to take the second call is definitely a way out. Sometimes you may terminate the first call for the second call, sometimes you may ignore the beeping that indicates a second call if you are already involved in an intense conversation. In case you think the person you are already talking to will be confused by those beeps, say, “I have call waiting but I am not going to interrupt our call. Don’t worry.” In this way you are taking control and not letting anyone interrupt a key conversation unless it is appropriate to do so.
If you have extensive phone contact with a customer or client, try to meet face to face at least once. It will help to cement that relationship and to personalize your phone contact for a long time to come. You will get a lot of mileage of future phone contact for even fifteen minutes to half an hour face-to-face meeting.
If you anticipate a long conversation, start off by asking “Is this a convenient time for us to talk?”
With very busy people set up a phone “date” and stick to it.
Polite ways to end a phone conversation.
It is a predictable situation that many of us find uncomfortable: telling someone that we have to get off the phone. The hardest type of caller to do this with is the person who simply talks far too long or goes off on unrelated tangents. We may not have a pressing appointment and we may not have a call to return at that moment but if we continue to stay on the phone, we will never get any other work done and we just might miss an appointment later on. It is impolite to tell someone that he or she talks too much, and is far afield from the original reason for your call. Tact is the most important ingredient in getting off the phone with a long winded caller without offending. In your tone of voice, convey a sincere interest in what is being said, but a matter-of-fact statement to the business truth we all live with: “I wish I could talk longer, but I have to get back to something I was in the midst of.” Or: “Thanks for the call, but I have something pressing I must do now”.
There are other situations that can be used to get off the phone without offending someone, but it is better if the situation actually exists, so you do not have to live with the guilt of being a “white liar”.
- Excuse me, but my next appointment just arrived. I have to go now.
- I don’t mean to cut you off, but I have to leave for a meeting or I will be late.
- I’m sorry, but I have to catch a train…
- It’s been great talking to you, but I have to take another call. Can I get back to you a little later?
- I stepped out of a meeting to take your call. I am sorry, but I have to get back to it now.
- I’m in the middle of something. Can I get back to you?
End a phone conversation with some idea what action is now expected.
-Let’s talk again in a few days.
- I’ll call you Next Monday with the answers you asked for.
- Call me when you find out if you can make that meeting.
-let’s talk again and see what we’ve both come up with.
- I hope to talk to you again. I look forward to talking to you again sometime.
The important point to remember in terms of manners is: return calls whether your needs are pressing or not. Be polite. Call back.