My Profile
Active Members
TodayLast 7 Days
more...
Awards & Gifts
Online Exams
Fresher Jobs
Our fresher job section is exclusively for fresh graduates! Find jobs for freshers in major Indian
cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune or Kochi
Resources
Find educational articles, blogs, discussion threads and other resources.
Colleges
Find details about any college in India or search for courses.
|
Telephone etiquettes
Posted Date: 06 Jul 2007 Resource Type: Articles/Knowledge Sharing Category: General
|
Posted By: B.SENTHIL KUMAR Member Level: Gold
Rating:  Points: 6
|
|
|
Telephonic communication is impaired by an almost complete absence of body language. In a professional environment, telephone interactions need to be guided by courtesy and grace. Read on to know how you can better the art of making or responding to a call.
Making a call
Identify yourself and then ask for the person you wish to speak with.
For instance,“This is Rekha. May I speak with Ritu?”
“Can I talk to Ritu?” - while acceptable, is not polite, going strictly by the book.
Responding to a call
Follow the norm of“Greeting– Identification– Service”, while answering a call.
For instance, for external communication“Good morning! This is Rekha. How may I help you?” is appropriate.
For internal communication“Good morning! This is Rekha.” or“Rekha here.” or simply“Rekha.”
Responding with“Hello” is not acceptable, since it further prompts the caller to ask for the identity of the receiver. In the event of the caller not identifying himself, the receiver can ask:
“May I know who’s calling?”
“Who’s calling?” in this context is considered rude.
Hold the line
If you need to leave the line to get some information, give the caller the option to wait or have you call back.“Not returning a phone call at work is like not using your turn signal while driving” says Nancy Friedman, a telephone etiquette expert.
In the event of taking a call on behalf of a colleague, identify yourself, offer to take a message and remember to convey it. Eg.“Ritu’s desk. Rekha here. Ritu is not at her desk. May I take a message for her?”
Use gestures, however, as it helps you become more expressive, animated and engaging in your conversation. And smile, as the person at the other end can hear you smile! A smile alters the quality of the voice rendering it warm and pleasant.
Be a good listener
The listener contributes as much to the conversation as the speaker. Be a good listener by listening actively and encouraging the speaker by giving appropriate cues. Do not interrupt as it breaks the line of thought.
Use the point form while presenting multiple ideas and remember to talk into the mouthpiece keeping your lips 1 to 1.5 inches away. Give the conversation your complete attention for maximum impact!
Don'ts
Certain phrases are categorized as‘forbidden’ as they carry a negative connotation: E.g.
- ‘I don’t know’
Replace this with“Let me check this out for you”
- ‘You will have to’
This sounds like ordering the caller around. Replace it with“You’ll need to” or“Maybe this is how you could handle this”
- ‘We can’t do this’
Instead say“Let me see what we can do” and try an offer a close alternative.
- ‘No’
This cuts off any the scope for further communication and must be avoided.
Wrong number?
If you happen to dial a wrong number while making a call, don’t terminate the call abruptly. Apologize to the receiver for having caused an interruption.
When using the speaker phone, inform the person you are speaking with of the same. Use it carefully taking care not to disturb your colleagues around and refrain from discussing anything confidential.
While leaving voice mail messages, always identify yourself, the organisation you are representing, and state clearly the phone number you can be reached on. Speak slowly, distinctly and keep your message precise. Remember that voice mail messages are a form of recorded communication, much like print or e-mail.
|
Responses
|
No responses found. Be the first to respond and make money from revenue sharing program.
|
|
Watch TV Channels
|