Telephone Etiquette

As they name every era after something interesting, this present one can be bookmarked with Apple’s iPhone. Not because I am a fan of the wonder-device, but still, iPhone era! That’s how inevitable telephone has become to us, today. With it’s ever scaling usage, it also becomes essential to be well versed in techniques of persuasion over the telephone. Etiquette: What makes it difficult, or rather unique, is the absence of physical presence. You don’t see each other during the course of communication. This rules out gestures, making verbal communication the only means of getting the message across.

Broadly classifying, telephone communications can either be personal or business oriented. We cannot say much about personal telephone communications because whatever you say is right, as long as it is alright with the receiver. It all depends on how comfortable you are with each other. Unlike business communication, of course. There are a set of guidelines to steer business communication towards success. They are not rules, so don’t be tempted to break them. The price to pay is way too high. If understood correctly, you can play around with these toys and still be impressive.

As we have already stated, it is verbal communication that takes the norm here. What are the most essential factors that you should focus on?

* Tone

* Fluency

* Pronunciation

* As usual, soft skills

I will take them in order and elaborate.

The speaker at the other end does not see you. He hears you. He images you in his mind from what you say and how you say. To be specific, it is how you say things that matters the most. Did you know that if you smile before picking up the phone, it reflects in your tone? You will sound friendly and not a grouch, which will make the other person feel comfortable. If that is established, if that trust and kind of intimacy is attained, that would be the ultimate goal.

Mirroring the person at the other end works well too. Not that you should mimic him, no. It is that you should copy his tone, rate of speech and loudness. He speaks so because he is accustomed to it. He might like you to speak like that too. So, unless he is in a wild rage and is yelling at you, you can safely copy him.

The only way one knows you are not lying is from your spontaneity. If you stammer a lot or be hesitant, you will not get the response you expect, even if you were speaking facts. Speak clearly and slowly. Do not slur or mumble your words. Speak with confidence so the person on the other end has the feeling that you know what you are doing. Keeping your responses prompt would do the job half the time. But what if you are not so fluent in the language as those call center executives, who manage to speak all accents under the sun, are? Trust me, as I always say! They are NOT the best conversationalists around, and you are not second to anyone.

If your choice of words is not so up to the standard or if you can’t seem to string words together, never mind as long as you keep improving. It is not about hitting hard. It is more about how hard you can get hit, and still keep moving forward. So a few initial humiliations will always be good for you in the long run.

One most important thing that can annoy the listener is to imitate someone else; trying to be the person you are not or possibly can never be. For a fact, you don’t really have to, even if you can. Some people have a natural flair and however they speak, it sounds musical. Others are so not yet ready for that.  A better, worthwhile thing to do would be to try maintaining a neutral  accent; working on dialects and mother-tongue influence should help.

1. Answer incoming calls in a timely manner, preferably within three rings. Let it ring all day, and you lose business.

2. NEVER EVER speak with bubble-gum or any eatable in your mouth.

3. Never be rude to a caller, regardless of how he speaks. Learn not to let your hard day influence your tone.

4. It is not wrong to have dialed a wrong number, but once you realize it, don’t hang up rudely. Apologize.

5. In case you have to leave a message, always state your name, company, phone number and reason for calling. If you take a message for someone else, make sure you deliver it in time.

6. Don’t place the caller on hold if you really don’t have to. If you do, come back to them every minute or two to keep them informed. You don’t want them to think you have forgotten them, do you?

7. Listen and respond. Listen not only to what the speaker is saying but also to their unspoken thoughts. Analyze on what the person does not say that is important to the conversation. Keep giving out verbal nods in acknowledgement.

8. Do not interrupt someone as they are talking to you. If you do by mistake, apologize and let them continue.

9. Never make assumptions or jump to conclusions. Ask if you are not clear with what was said.

10. Always have a pen and paper handy.

11. Before making or attending a call, prepare yourself. A deep breath should calm you.

12. Let the positive note linger around you always. Talk about what can be done instead of drooping over what cannot be done.

Spellbinder
Editorial Team
GSG

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]

VN:F [1.9.13_1145]