Phone etiquettes

Having phone etiquette is not only a personality trait but also boosts your confidence during the phone call. It is considered that telephone etiquettes are most important for customer service personnel but they can prove to be helpful for just about everyone. No matter if you are on a work call, a telephone interview or a general call with your acquaintance, the way you handle a phone call will help you land a great impression. Although with the changing world of technology, the business world has shifted from doing business on phone to emails, skype and virtual meetings but phone communication are still pretty much relevant. According to recent research, the length of calls to businesses increased by 22 %. Thus it is important to learn some phone etiquettes.

General phone etiquettes:

  • Answer the phone quickly: If your phone is in close proximity then try to answer it within the first three rings. A lot of people hang up the phone call after three rings and will not leave a professional impression on them.
  • Introduce Yourself: It is always considered polite to give your introduction after picking up the call before diving into the conversation topic.
  • No distractions: We live in a cutting-edge world and are always multitasking but when on a phone call, try to avoid distractions and focus on the call. Distractions will not only make you look irresponsible but you may lose some important information conveyed in the session.
  • The tone of voice: Be it a professional call or personal call, when on phone a person can not see your expression so the voice of your tone presents your case in front of them. Thus, be sure to sound confident but not pushy or arrogant and also be sensitive to the other person’s response.
  • Proper language: Now, what language you opt for the phone call depends on your relationship with the person on phone, if it is personal, professional or customer. You cannot use slang, swear words or casual language when on a professional call whereas you have to be a little friendly when talking to your customers to build a connection.
  • Friendly greetings: When answering a phone call, you need to stay positive and seem like a cheerful person. The positiveness should resonate with your voice.
  • Ask before transferring someone’s call or putting them on hold.
  • Listen actively: It is really important that you are paying attention to the phone call in order to absorb the whole conversation thus listen carefully with full attention.
  • Take notes: As much as one is confident about their memory power, it is always helpful to keep a notepad handy to take notes just in case of need.
  • Volume: Be mindful of what volume you are using while on the call and also take care to not be very loud or speak with a low voice for better communication.
  • Network Connection: It is important to have a good network connection for a smooth phone call, if facing issues, apologise to the other person and resolve the issue. It is better to give them another call with a better network.
  • Battery: We usually make phone calls with our mobile phones and well it is an electronic device that operates on a battery so it is supposed to wear down from time to time. Thus, during a phone call check your battery and plug it in for recharging if it is low as you don’t want interruptions in the call.
  • Proper interruptions: It is recommended to never interrupt the customer but if it is a business call and you feel that the other person has misunderstood you or talking about something offtopic or you need to say something urgently, it is allowed to interrupt but you should always apologising for cutting them in between or ask if you may interrupt.
  • Appropriate closing: It is as important as the introductory greetings. Don’t end the call abruptly or without thanking the other person for their time. Also, ask them if satisfied with the phone call or would like to reschedule another time.

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