1. Helpful Guidelines and Hints
Telephone Etiquette
Helpful Guidelines and Hints

2. Objectives Enhance your professional etiquette How to speak
How to listen
How to be courteous

3. Why is this Important? Display courtesy and respect
Project professionalism
Telephones are a daily business tool

4. How to Speak Slow Clear Smile Pleasant Lower mellow pitch
No gum or food
Avoid slang or complicated language
Concise

5. How to Listen Turn off background noise Listen carefully
Mentally imagine the other person

6. How to be Courteous
Call between the hours of 8am and 10pm unless you have prior permission
Remember time zones
Ask for permission before placing someone on speaker phone
Maintain a calm attitude

7. Answering the Phone Answer with 2-3 rings
Use a professional and pleasant greeting
Identify yourself and your organization/department

8. Answering Quiz Phrase Correct Incorrect Questionable
Accounting, this is Mary. 
Accounting, what do you want? 
Good morning, STC, may I help you? ?

9. Placing Callers on Hold
Do you mind holding?
Periodic checks (30-45 seconds)
Offer options: Continue to hold or call them back
“Her line is still busy, do you wish to continue waiting or may someone else help you?”
Thank them for waiting
Take a message, transfer or arrange a specific call time if caller cannot hold

10. Transferring Calls Know how to transfer calls
Provide the reason for the transfer
Give the name, department and phone number of where they are being transferred to
Ask if they would like to be transferred
Call ahead
Not sure where to transfer them?
Investigate and call them back

11. Screening Calls Not good for public relations Announcing calls
“Yes he’s in. May I tell him who’s calling, please?”
Screening calls
“May I say who’s calling?...Thank you. Let me check and see if he’s in.”
“She’s away from her office; may I take your name and number?”

12. Taking Phone Messages Use telephone forms
Name of person for whom the message was left
Caller’s name, company/department, phone number
Date and time
Message
Action
Always repeat messages for accuracy
“Will you spell the name, please?”
“Will you repeat the number, please?”

13. Closing the Conversation
Talk in past tense
Use “closing phrases”
State follow-up action
Thank them for calling and say “Good-bye”

14. Telephone Etiquette =
Courtesy