ARM ENGAGE Telephone Etiquette

Objectives At the end of this session, we will all have an understanding of the following: Hints on common telephone courtesy How to answer and speak on the phone Telephone answering tips And most importantly, we will all have a uniform approach in responding to client ARM Engage

How you answer the phone says a great deal about your business Hints on Common Telephone Courtesy ALWAYS answer the telephone with a smile on your face, it says a lot to the person at the other end of the receiver. How you answer the phone says a great deal about your business Phone answering skills are critical for businesses. The telephone is still most business's primary point of contact with customers. The way you answer your company's phone will form your customer's first impression of your business. Know that the telephone is one of the most important public relations tools for your company. It is the first contact most people have with your firm and in many cases the only contact. Ensure you create an image of efficiency by being courteous and willing to help at all times. ARM Engage

Hints on Common Telephone Courtesy – cont’d Some important telephone languages Yes Please I’m Sorry Thank You Please Hold * Learn to use Please(this is very important) ARM Engage

How To Answer And Speak On The Phone Answering the phone Thank you for calling ARM Pension Managers/ ARM Life/ ARM Investment, my name is ……., how may I help you? May I know your name, please? 2. Introducing yourself My name is xxxxxx calling from ARM Pension Managers PFA Ltd/ ARM Life/ ARM Investment 3. Asking for someone May I please speak to Mr. / Mrs……..? ARM Engage

How To Answer And Speak On The Phone – Cont’d 5. Putting someone on hold May l put you on hold Mr. / Mrs. / Dr. …. while l retrieve the information(Seek customer’s consent) Please hold on - while waiting for details at intervals (30 secs) please return to the call I do apologize for the wait / delay Mr. / Mrs. / Dr. …. I am still trying to get your information (On getting back to the customer Thank you for holding Mr. / Mrs. / Dr. …. Or I appreciate your patience Mr. / Mrs. / Dr. …. 6. When you cannot give the information immediately /Or need clarifications I am sorry to say Mr. / Mrs. / Dr. …. I am unable to provide this information at this time / right now May l call you later in (specific time) with details of your inquiry / request? -Agent to confirm the telephone no…..” I have taken down …080….. I am sorry I didn’t get that, could you spell that, please? - ARM Engage

Answer all incoming phone calls on the first ring . Some Telephone Answering Tips These phone answering tips will ensure that callers know they're dealing with a winning business: Answer all incoming phone calls on the first ring . When you answer the phone, Smile, be warm and enthusiastic. Your voice at the end of the telephone line is sometimes the only impression of your company a caller will get. (This goes a long way to help reinforce the favorable impression of your business that you want to circulate.) Welcome callers courteously and identify yourself and your organization. e.g., “Thank you for calling ARM Pension Managers/ ARM Life, ARM Investment, My name is xxxxxxxx, how may I help you?" (Client should never have to ask where they are calling or to whom they are speaking. ARM Engage

Some Telephone Answering Tips -Cont'd. Do not breath heavily into the receiver it has an embarrassing and negative effect at the other end. (makes you sound unprofessional) Enunciate clearly, keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone, so your caller can understand and hear you clearly. Never use slang or jargon. Instead of saying, "OK", or "No problem", for instance, say “Yes Please” "Certainly", "Very well", or "All right". If you're a person who uses fillers when you speak, such as "uh huh", "um", or phrases such as "like" or "you know", train yourself carefully not to use these when you speak on the phone. Train your voice and vocabulary to be positive when phone answering, even on a “blue" day. For example, rather than saying, "I don't know“ , you can say, “May I get that information for you.“ ARM Engage

Some Telephone Answering Tips -Cont'd. If you cannot immediately supply the information the caller requires, take down his details with the promise you will find out and let him/her know. And make sure you do it. Take telephone messages completely and accurately. If there's something you don't understand or can't spell, such as a person's surname, ask the caller to repeat it or spell it for you. Then make sure the message gets to the intended recipient. Don't use a speaker phone unless absolutely necessary. Speaker phones give the caller the impression that you're not fully concentrating on his call, and make him think that his call is not private. The only time to use a speaker phone is when you need more than one person to be in on the conversation at your end. . ARM Engage

Some Telephone Answering Tips -Cont'd. Finishing a call is equally as important. Be brief in your conversation, but do not rush it. Abrupt endings often sound very rude. It is a good idea to say “would that be all” and "" at the end of a conversation; that again makes the caller feel important and 'listened to‘.– Always let them hang up first after you have said your closing line “Thank you for calling have a nice day/lovely weekend) ARM Engage

When making Outbound Calls When the number you are calling is not answered quickly, always let the telephone ring a reasonable length of time (wait long enough for someone to put aside what he or she is doing). It is very annoying and frustrating to have been disturbed just to pick up the telephone and find the caller has hung up. After dialing a wrong number simply say, “I’m Sorry, I dialed a wrong number (hang up politely) Time your calls so as not to interfere with the work schedule of those you call. (9am – 4pm) If you must put the telephone down during the conversation, do it gently, and when you hang up, do it gently. DO NOT SLAM THE RECEIVER DOWN. The person at the other end may still have the phone close to his/her ear, and then a sudden sharp bang can be hurtful as well as rude. ARM Engage

Questions Please ARM Engage

THANK YOU… ARM Engage