Telephoning Etiquette: Manners and Techniques for Effective Communication

1. Chapter 7 Telephoning In this chapter students are practiced on how to handle and answer the phone with manners and properly. It also carry out the procedures in answering phone quires, taking messages and relaying it to the specific person. Taking dictation over the phone is of great importance. They can use their listening skills and writing skills to do the task. Working in a call center requires ability and strength on how to handle people’s complaints or inquires in such a way that they will be satisfied with the answer and the action that needs to be accomplish.

2. Vocabulary First let's learn some essential telephone vocabulary, and then you’ll hear examples of formal and informal telephone conversations. RULES OF ETIQUETTE • Speak directly into the mouthpiece. If this is a problem because you use other equipment while on the telephone (i.e., computer), consider purchasing a headset, which will free your hands. • Do not eat or chew gum while talking on the telephone (your caller may ask what you’re having for lunch!!) • If someone walks into your office while you’re talking on the telephone, ask the caller if you may put him/her on hold briefly). Depress the HOLD button. • Don't place the handset in the cradle until you’ve depressed the HOLD button. • Don’t lay the receiver on the desk, without placing the caller on hold (the caller will hear everything being discussed in your office). • Return to caller and complete the call as soon as possible.

3. ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE/GREETING • Answer your own telephone whenever possible and answer within 2-3 rings. Identify yourself and your organization: • "Faculty of Management Science PunraphaPraditpong ,” OR “ Miss Phunrapha, speaking may I help you?” • Polite greetings when picking up the phone that is going to give the caller the impression that you are professional and pleasant. • There has been a lot of discussion of using “good morning” or “good afternoon.” This is unnecessary if you use the right tone. Also, people tend to make mistakes when using these phrases (i.e., saying “good morning” when it’s really afternoon and vice versa). • PLACING CALLERS ON HOLD • Remember to ask your caller “Do you mind holding?” or “May I put you on hold?” before doing so. • If you take the time to ask your caller to hold, be sure to listen to the response. • After placing your caller on hold, check back periodically (between 30-45 seconds). Give them the option to continue to hold if it will take longer to find information OR offer to call them back. • When returning to your caller, remember to thank them for waiting. • If your caller cannot hold, offer to take a message; transfer to another party; or arrange for them to return the call at a specific time. • If you are not in a position to ask your caller to hold, tell the caller, “Please Hold” before depressing the hold button. NOTE: When placing multiple calls on hold, remember to return to the first caller you placed on hold first!

4. Practice and listen to this conversation: Helen: Midtown Computer Solutions, Helen speaking. How can I help you? Ryan: Hello, this is Ryan Bardos. May I speak with Natalie Jones, please? Helen: One moment please - I'll put you through. Helen: Mr. Bardos? I'm sorry, Natalie's in a meeting at the moment. Would you like to leave a message? Ryan: Yes, could you ask her to call me back as soon as possible? It's pretty urgent. Helen: Of course. Does she have your number? Ryan: She has my office number, but let me also give you my cell - it's 472-555-8901. Helen: Let me read that back to you - 472-555-8901. Ryan: That's right. Helen: And could you spell your last name for me? Ryan: B as in Boston - A - R - D as in dog - O - S as in September Helen: Okay, Mr. Bardos. I'll give her the message. Ryan: Thanks a lot. Bye

5. TRANSFERRING CALLS • Nothing is worse during a phone call than suddenly finding yourself talking to an empty line or being cut off mid-sentence, but many of us have had this happen. Someone transfers us to a different person without warning, knowing the other person is better suited to help us. But if a customer service representative does not communicate this, we may feel slighted or even think we have been cut off and simply hang up. Do not lose a customer this way! • There are a few essential elements of call transfer you should never skip: • Inform the customer. Let callers know you plan to transfer them, and give them the option to refuse. If he or she believes being transferred and retelling the reason for the call is too time-consuming, the customer may opt to leave a message or call back when less pressed for time. The customer could be at a pay phone, calling from work, or on a cell phone. Whatever the reason, a transfer should be made only with the caller's permission. Here's an example: • "Mrs. Ryan, I would like to transfer you to our accounting department. Is that okay with you? I believe that department will be able to get the information you need." • Give the caller the transfer information. Despite your best efforts, the call may be dropped during a transfer. It is extremely frustrating when a customer has to call back but does not know whom to contact. This wastes the customer's time. To avoid this, make sure you tell the customer whom you are transferring them to, along with that person's direct phone number. "You'll be speaking to Jessica Turner in accounting. If the call doesn't go through, you can reach her directly at 800-123-9876."= • "I'm going to transfer you to Pisit in marketing. His direct number is 08-55555555.“ • Let the customer know what to expect. Some telephone systems have quirks that can confuse a caller. Make sure your callers know what to expect when transferred. Are there a few seconds of dead air? Will they hear a click that may make them think they have been disconnected? Tell callers so they will not hang up! • "When I transfer you, there may be a moment without sound. Don't worry, this is normal and someone will pick up right after that." • "After I transfer you, there will be a short series of beeps. Please don't worry; this is just the line switching. Pisit will be with you directly." • Always thank the customer! Let your callers know you appreciate their patience and the opportunity to transfer them to the appropriate person. • "Thank you for your patience, Mr. Knox. I'm sure Jessica will be able to get you the information you need." • "Thank you for letting me put you through to Susan. I'm sure she can resolve this situation to your satisfaction." • Introduce the caller. If your phone system allows you to stay on the line during a transfer, make a formal introduction. You should tell the person you have called who the customer is and a brief summary of the situation. This will make both parties more comfortable and save time. • "Jessica? I have Mrs. Reilly on the line. She's calling in regard to a discrepancy on her October nvoice. Could you help her clear this up?" • "Good morning, Pisit. I have Theresa Ruiz here, who would like to talk to someone about our current marketing campaign in the Chicago area. I think you can help her out on this." • Make sure the call goes through. If your system forces you to transfer without staying on the line, take notice of whether the call goes through by keeping an eye on the line. If the other party does not pick up the call, get back on the line. You will frustrate customers if you promise to transfer them and all they get is a long wait, listening to the phone ring in an apparently empty office.

6. SCREENING CALLS • There is a lot of controversy over whether or not telephone calls should be screened. It is not recommended to screen calls for good public relations!! If you must announce calls, “Yes he’s in. May I tell him who’s calling, please?” is an appropriate response. • When it’s necessary to screen calls (i.e., if someone is available ONLY to certain individuals), “She’s away from her office; may I take your name and number?” OR “May I say who’s calling? Thank you. Let me check and see if he’s in.” are suggested responses. If you are required to ask who is calling or what the nature of the call is, be aware of your tone of voice. Screening calls is always a delicate situation, so it is critical not to offend or put your caller on the defensive with your voice tone.

7. TAKING PHONE MESSAGES • Whenever possible, use telephone message forms to record accurate and complete information. • A good phone message includes: • Name of person for whom the message was left • Caller’s name (get the correct spelling), company or dept. and number • Date and time • Message • Action to be taken (i.e., “Please Call,” “Will call back,” or “URGENT”) • It is important to deliver the message as soon as possible and maintain confidentiality with all messages. Either turn the message over or fold them in half, so there is no danger that they can be read by other staff or visitors.

8. RETURNING PHONE CALLS • Most people find it frustrating when they return phone calls only to learn the other person isn’t in. To avoid playing telephone tag, try the following: • When calling someone, establish specific call-back times. Ask, “When is the best time for me to call again?” or “When is the best time for them to call me back?” • When taking calls for another individual, schedule return calls during specific blocks of time (i.e., “I expect him to return by 2:00 p.m. You can reach him between 2 and 5”). • PLACING OUTBOUND CALLS • Whenever you make a telephone call for yourself or your boss, be sure you have the right number before you place the call. Keep a “frequently called numbers” list within your reach and follow these suggestions: • Get ready. Visualize your caller as a friendly, positive person • Plan ahead of time the objectives you want to accomplish by jotting them down • Make sure you identify yourself when you initially make contact. It is very awkward if the person on the other line does not know who you are or what you are about. If you do not identify yourself most will come to the conclusion that you are not a person they want to talk to. • Identify the information you need to obtain from the conversation by stating your concerns up front • Anticipate questions or objections you may encounter to avoid making additional calls • Take notes during the call • Spell out any follow-up action to the caller (such as when you plan to get back to him)

9. ANSWERING DEVICES • If you reach an answering device (i.e., answering machine or voice mail), leave the • following information: • Your name, including the correct spelling, if necessary • Your department and telephone number • Date and time • Message, including a good time to reach you • CLOSING THE CONVERSATION • Many times people find it difficult to end a telephone conversation. There are some specific things that you can say to close you conversation professionally: • Talk in the past tense and use “closing” phrases (i.e., “I’m really glad you called” or “I’m glad we resolved this concern”). • State the action you will take • Spell out follow-up action, including time frames/deadlines. • Thank them for calling and say “Good-bye” not “bye-bye,” “Okie-dokie,” “Alrighty,” or any other slang phrase

10. PROPER TELEPHONE LANGUAGE • Although we tell our callers a lot through our voice tone, the words and phrases we use convey a message. Unfortunately, sometimes we send a negative message to our caller. Be aware of the language you are using. • Instead of saying “You have to…You need to…Why didn’t you?” try “Will you please…Would you please?” • “Your problem” or “Your complaint,” would sound better phrased as “Your question,” “Your concern,” or “this situation.” • Many people use phrases like “I can’t do that” or “it’s not my job.” Instead, tell the caller what you can do (i.e., “While I’m not able to establish policy on this matter, I will speak to my manager about your concern.”) • At all costs, avoid sounding abrupt. The following are examples: • “Hang on.” • “Hold on.” • “Who’s calling?” • “I can’t hear you, speak up!” • “I can’t help you. You’ll have to speak to someone else.” • The following would be more appropriate: • "May I put you on hold?” • “May I say who is calling please?” • “I am having a little difficulty hearing you. Can you please speak up?” • "I need to transfer your call to (dept.) so that they can answer your question. May I do so?"

11. CLOSING Telephone techniques are built from a few basic rules and principles. In fact, telephone etiquette can be summarized in one word: COURTESY. Unfortunately, courtesy is not something people are used to being shown routinely in the business world. If the caller is a potential customer and you are courteous to him, you have an excellent chance of gaining a new customer. If he is an existing customer, you’ll keep him for life! There are different types of phones: 1. cell phones or mobile phones (a cell phone with more advanced capabilities is called a smartphone) A smartphone is a mobile phone with an advanced mobile operating system which combines features of a personal computer operating system with other features useful for mobile or handheld use. 2. pay phones or public phones is a small structure furnished with a payphone and designed for a telephone user's convenience

12. 3. Landline is the regular telephone you have in your house. A conventional telecommunications connection by cable lay across land, typically either on poles or buried underground. This type of phone is called a cordless phone because it is not connected by a cord. When someone calls you, the phone makes a sound – we say the phone is ringing. If you're available, you pick up the telephone or answer the telephone, in order to talk to the person. If there's nobody to answer the phone, then the caller will have to leave a message on an answering machine or voicemail. Later, you can call back or return the call.

13. When you want to make a phone call, you start by dialing the number. Let's imagine that you call your friend, but she's already on the phone with someone else. You'll hear a busy signal - a beeping sound that tells you the other person is currently using the phone. Sometimes, when you call a company, they put you on hold. This is when you wait for your call to be answered - usually while listening to music. Finally, when you're finished with the conversation, you hang up. Now you know the basic telephone vocabulary. In the next part of the lesson, you’re going to hear some conversations to learn some useful English phrases for talking on the phone. Check your understanding by reading the scripts below: Michelle: Hello, you've reached the marketing department. How (1) _____________? Male: Yes (2) _____________to Rosalind Wilson, please? Michelle: Who’s (3) ________________________________? Male: It’s Richard Davies here Michelle: Certainly. Please (4) ____________________________. Male: Thank you. Michelle: Hello, marketing. How can I help? Male: Could (5) ______________to Jason Roberts please? Michelle: Certainly. Who shall I say is (6) _______________? Male: My (7) ____________ Mike Andrews. Michelle: Just a second - I’ll see if he’s in. Hello, Jason, I’ve got Mike Andrews on the phone for you ... OK - I’ll put him through. Hang on ! a moment; I’m just putting you through.

14. Grammar focus Present continuous tense 1. The present continuous tense is used to refer to actions or situations that are happening now, at this moment, and plans, intentions and arrangements for the future. 2. It is also used to refer to actions or situations that are temporary, present continuous for temporary periods of time that last for a long time. 3. To talk about actions or situations in the future How we use Present Continuous Tense for The Future We use the present continuous tense to talk about the future when an action or situation is part of a: • plan • an arrangement • intention Sentences with this use of the present continuous always have words or phrases which refer to future time or the context leaves it very clear: