1. Phone, voice mail & phone conferencing
Chapter 6

2. Chapter Overview: Cell phones Answering your business phone
Conference calls
Web meetings
Videoconferencing
Answering your business phone
Taking a phone call
Managing your own voice mail
Leaving a voice mail message
When you reach a person, not voice mail

3. Phone Etiquette
List as many examples of phone etiquette as you can think of
Using it correctly
When with someone else
When answering your phone

4. Answering Your Business Phone
“This is Jackie Williams.”
(not) “This is Jackie Williams speaking”
Don’t just say “Hello”
Consider identifying your department first:
“Trading desk, Jackie Williams.”
Some firms will require the firm name to be used as well:
“Good morning! Safeco Auto Claims Department, this is Jackie Williams.”

5. Taking a Phone Call
Consider letting all calls go to voice mail when you are working on a project.
Let callers know up front if you are busy or engaged in conversation:
“Oh, good morning Duncan. I should let you know, I’m in the middle of a meeting here—is there something I can help you with quickly?”
Signal the end of phone calls with short sentences that recap the conversation.
Restate the purpose and conclusion of the phone call.

6. Phone Call Role Playing
Grab a partner and create a phone call conversation. You two are coworkers and one forgot a date of an upcoming meeting. They are dragging the conversation on but you want to get off the phone.
When done writing down the conversation, role play it.

7. Phone Call Role Play
Decide who will be person A and who will be person B
You will then receive your appropriate scenario
Role play your situation

8. Voice mail Digitally records messages Allows “random access”
Don’t have to listen to messages in the order they were recorded
Can skip, delete, save, & forward messages
Effectively allows you to time shift
Take calls only when convenient for you
Allows you to place shift
Can check messages while you are away from your desk

9. Voice Mail
What is an appropriate voice mail greeting?

10. Managing Your Own Voice Mail
Record a simple, short message
There’s no need to apologize for being away from your phone.
Know the accepted standard for replying to messages
In most firms, the expectation is that messages will be returned within one day.
Learn the features of your phone messaging system
Delete, forward, and delegate
Consider an “alternate greeting” for times when you are away from the office
Daily greetings can be burdensome to maintain

11. Voice-mail greeting Should sound cheerful
Make sure it fully identifies you
“You’ve reached ____ _____ at _____. Please leave me a message at the beep.”

12. Your Voice Mail Listen to your voice mail greeting
Is it appropriate?
Write down an appropriate voice mail greeting for yourself

13. Leaving Voice-Mail Messages
Plan the message you will leave before you commence the call
Brevity –concise, exact use of words
Clarity
Action step
Warn when your callback number is coming
Break your number up into sections separated by pauses
Watch out for numbers (“five” and “nine”, “zero” rather than “oh”)

14. Practice Leaving a Voice Mail Message
Create 3 scenarios with a partner in which you need to leave a voice mail in a business situation. What do you need to let them know?
When finished with all three, hand your paper to the teacher.
You will then be given 3 different scenarios. Write down an appropriate voice mail message that you would leave for each scenario.
Discuss voice mail message as class.

15. When You Reach a Person, Not Voice Mail
Don’t begin your call with an apology
Make a clear introduction, including your full name and the context by which the person knows you
Clearly state what you need
Practice making good closings
Summary, thanks, and “Good-bye”

16. Cell Phones Be sensitive to different norms at different firms:
No cell phones (medical professionals, attorneys in court)
Cell phones only for personal use
Cell phones frequently used within the work group
Cell phones used by everyone with no “desk phone”
Warn if an incoming call may interrupt a conversation
Know when your ringer should be turned off
Cell phone away, out of sight and turned off during job interviews

17. Answering your cell phone
Most cell phones come with caller ID
Can recognize who is calling
Most cell phone users answer with just “Hello”
Acceptable for informal social use
Give full greeting in business situations

18. Conference Calls -2 types
Allows many participants to join in the same conversation
One type is like listening to a private radio broadcast
Others are interactive:
Someone needs to be a “moderator”
Manage an agenda and time-keeping
Encourage people who haven’t been heard from
Participants usually begin by announcing who they are:
“This is Jim in Topeka . . .”
Beware of rustling paper and other noises

19. Web Meetings Useful for sales and training
Participants can see the host/trainer’s desktop and talk by phone at the same time.
Make sure you are prepared and have blocked distractions
Have paper and pen ready to take notes
Relatively cheap for firms to operate

20. Videoconferencing
Best when the participants have a previous history of working face-to-face
Make sure you are well-prepared
Ask for training on your firm’s particular system
Have an agenda and don’t meet too long without breaks

21. Conference Call, Web Meeting, Videoconferencing Brochure
Working individually or with a partner, create a brochure/handout that compares and contrasts a conference call, web meeting, and videoconferencing.
Describe each
Give at least two advantages of using each
Give at least two disadvantages of each
Give at least 3 tips when using each/being a part of each
Include color and pictures. 20 points. Due Monday