Telephone answering etiquette: five top tips
/Answering the telephone is a vital element of any business. Despite the rise of the internet, the phone is still the primary contact point between clients and your business. The modern tendency to rely on email, social media and texts has, however, resulted in a loss of skills. Professional telephone etiquette is a dying art.
Yet the massive impact of a great first impression, and the ability to reassurance clients you will always be there with a friendly ear and a professional word, are just some of the reasons it is essential that all your phone calls are answered in a perfectly professional manner.
Here are five top tips for being perfectly professional while answering telephone calls.
#1 Script your welcome
Use a welcoming script specially worded to ensure your callers are immediately placed at ease, and reassure them they have reached the correct place. Always be friendly and approachable.
#2 Transfer promptly
Answer transferred calls promptly - don't leave callers waiting. This allows you greet them in a friendly and personal manner, letting the caller know who you are, and why they have been transferred to you.
#3 Enunciate carefully (but not too carefully)
Clarity of speech is essential. Pay particular attention to your words and be sure to enunciate properly. It's very important to do this in the most natural way possible - the trick is to be perfectly clear without sounding like you're trying to speak clearly.
#4 Learn and use their name
Once you learn the caller's name, remember it. Use it where appropriate to reassure them you are providing the personal service they deserve and are attending to their specific needs - you're not simply reeling off pat answers.
#5 Seek their permission
If you absolutely have to place a caller on hold, or transfer them elsewhere, always ask their permission to do so beforehand. This ensures they know what's happening, don't feel they are being palmed off on someone else, and have a sense that they are in control of the conversation.
Worried about the impression you're giving clients when you answer the phone? Concerned that too often, that phone is left ringing off the hook, and calls go unanswered? Get in touch. We have bespoke telephone answering services to suit a wide range of needs - we can help.
Call Centre by frankieleon licensed under Creative commons 6
