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. If things start out badly on the phone, they may never progress beyond the first call. Used well, the telephone may be one of the most powerful, efficient and cost-effective business tools you have at your disposal.
Through experience, you will develop your own telephone style. Here are some pointers to help you achieve success when using the telephone.
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. Drinking, chewing gum or sucking on a mint are amplified over telephone lines.
Return all phone calls within 48 hours, 24 hours if at all possible.
When you place a call that you know might be lengthy, ask if it is a good time to talk before you dive into your presentation.
Know what you want to say before making an important call. Practice the words out loud until they feel comfortable.
Don't read from a script during a call. Instead either memorize your script as an actor would or write a word or two on index cards to guide you from one idea to another.
Make a telephone appointment when you want to have a focused, longer (15 or more minutes) conversation with someone who is normally busy.
Don't do things such as open mail, flip through the newspaper or do paperwork while on the phone. The person you're talking with will know and will note that they are not a priority with you.
Listen and respond to the person on the other end of the line. When you focus on what they are saying, rather than on what you're going to say next, the phone call becomes much more conversational.
When you're doing a lot of telephone work, take regular breaks to keep yourself mentally alert.
Your voice is your personality over the telephone. It makes an immediate impression that can portray you as friendly or distant, confident or timid, spontaneous or mechanical, relaxed or nervous. Take a moment to evaluate your voice so that you can modulate it to better convey your message over the telephone.
