Many people use phones on a day to day basis at their work, but may not have acquired great phone skills. Knowing how to answer the telephone in an efficient and pleasant way is crucial to having proof to back up "phone skills" on a resume, and makes it easier for the employee to handle the workload that comes with the job. Here are some tips for answering a phone on the job:
Pick up the Phone!
The first key to answering the phone like a pro is to simply answer the phone! Many are not prompt when it comes to answering a ringing telephone. The general accepted rule is three to four rings before the voicemail should pick up. While phone calls may be sometimes dreaded at the office, making someone leave a voicemail message often appears rude.
Phone Messages
Different workplaces have different needs concerning the kind of information to get when taking a message for someone, but universally their name, a callback number, who they wish to speak with, and a brief summary of why they called are all no-brainers. If these are difficult to remember, it can help to buy a phone message booklet and use it to fill out every message.
Greet the Phone Cheerfully
The book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie [Pocket, 1990] explains the importance of this skill well. To appear friendly from the start to the finish of a phone conversation is vital to how others view a worker professionally. Simply grinning before picking up the phone can do wonders to the tone and quality of a voice, making the caller feel at ease.
Choose a Greeting
When working on the phone a lot, the greeting can become second nature. Naming the business and one's name is the simplest form, and often the easiest. Many people will ignore the first part of any phone greeting, so finding a way to rename the business or department can be helpful. Something such as, "This is Joe with Joe's Phones: IT department. How may I help you?" can keep stress and call time short.
Get to the Point!
This is the most subtle skill of all four listed here. There is a scale that ranges from brusque to chatty, and the proper business call belongs off center towards the brusque. Curtness is courteous for most business calls. While there is no need to be unpleasant, rambling on about the day can appear like stalling. The person on the other line has things to get to, as well. Stick to business.
These four skills can drastically improve how workers handle a phone in the office. For many, answering the phone can be awkward, but sticking to a basic formula can take the guesswork out of phone conversations. They won't solve every problem, but having phone skills is a good way to get noticed, and a great way to build up a good report with customers and clients.
Sources:
How to Win Friends and Influence People
5 years of clerical experience
Frank Yeats - Frank Yeats is a graduate of West Texas A&M University with a degree in English. He writes plays, short stories and poetry. His long-term ...
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