Presenting a professional image, both in person and on the telephone, is very important in the Office Skills profession.

Taking care of your customers over the telephone and making them feel well informed and appreciated is essential. the telephone plays an important role in business. Just like a face-to-face meeting, telephone conversations are expected to and should follow certain rules of etiquette to help make the experience pleasant and productive for all those involved. What is telephone Etiquette? Telephone etiquette refers to a set of rules that apply when people make calls to others or when they are receiving a phone call CHARACTERISTICS that CAN BE NOTICED THROUGH THE PHONE Attentiveness, Friendliness, Sincerity, Good Listener, Smile, clarity, Helpfulness, Confidence, Rate of Speech, Greeting

Ways to Sound as Good as You Alertness Show that you are wide-awake, ready to engage in a conversation

Pleasantness Put a smile in your voice

Naturalness Use, simple, straight forward lang.; avoid technical terms/slang

Distinctiveness Speaks directly into the phone; Use a normal tone of voice, the louder you are, the louder everyone else becomes

Expressiveness Talk at a moderate rate and volume, but vary your voice tone

Tips for telephone etiquettes Answering. Answer within three rings, if possible, and apologize for any delay. Identify yourself and your position and ask how you can help. If the caller leaves his or her name, repeat it once to make sure you heard it correctly. If a name isn't offered, politely ask for it. Using "hold.. Always ask if you can put the caller on hold. If you are responsible for answering multiple calls at once, always ask the caller politely if you may put them on hold. Never leave the person on hold for more than a few seconds or they may become upset and hang up. If there's going to be a delay reaching the party or extension requested, offer the caller a choice of waiting or being called back. When putting a caller on hold, check back every half minute or so and repeat the call-back option. Transferring calls. Being transferred from one extension to another frequently irritates callers, so you should head the transfer with a brief explanation of why you're doing it.

In case of an accidental disconnect, give the caller the name, title and extension of the person to whom you are transferring the call. Remain on the line until the new connection is made. Ending a conversation. Verify important points covered and say that you were happy to be of service (or sorry you were unable to help). You want leave the caller with the impression of a friendly, helpful business representative. Finish with a polite offer to be of service again, if needed, and avoid closings like the overworked "have a nice day" or the casual "bye-bye." Remember, there's nothing wrong with a polite "good-bye" or "thank you for calling." If a caller angrily dumps upon you, just listen. Hear the person out. Let him or her voice; often the caller's anger will dispel after a moment or two. Take notes, doing the best you can to capture the essence of the complaint and decide to whom you might refer the caller. Resist every temptation to respond to a rude, angry caller in kind. Under no circumstances should you argue; arguing will only feed the caller's anger. Never be rude to a caller, no matter how nasty they are. Always remember to handle yourself in a professional, business-like manner. This includes handling the situation in a calm, cool manner. The speakerphone- Some people prefer to use a speakerphone even when no one else is listening in so that they can take notes during the conversation without having to juggle a phone receiver. Make sure you inform the people on the line with you that you are using a speakerphone, and if they seem apprehensive, explain why it is necessary. Speakerphones are also useful for conference calls. If you are leading a speakerphone meeting with a number of people, allow each person to introduce him or herself, to help the listeners match a name to a voice. Choose a good time do not make business calls when you're too distracted. You have exactly one opportunity to make a great first impression and you will not make it if you are not prepared. You need to be full of positive energy about what you are doing/ asking otherwise your voice will sound dull with no power to persuade or move the listener into action. Opening the call Eliminate any disturbing background noise if possible. Open the call with a standard professional greeting depending on the time of the day. Mention your first name, organization, and purpose of the call clearly and be as direct as possible. Don't beat around the bush; it can be very irritating. It's a good idea to rehearse saying the person's name several times BEFORE the phone call. Ask if this is a good time for you to be calling when you reach someone. If not, ask when you can reach them again. Leave brief, clear messages on answering systems, giving your name, reason for the call and contact information. Don't forget to leave your phone number, even if the person has it, so she doesn't have to look it up. Display genuine interest Allow the other party plenty of time to speak, and use prompt words such as "I see" and "Really" (in a sincere tone). This shows them that you are truly interested in what they have to say. Avoid acting rushed, even if you are. Follow up Make sure you call back whenever you promised you would. But don't be determined to the point of sounding desperate. But timely follow ups will show that you are sincere and committed to the task Speak clearly. Even if you speak bright words but the caller on the other end of the phone cannot hear you are of no use. They cannot see your face or body language. Therefore, taking the time to speak clearly, slowly and in a cheerful, professional voice is very important. Normal tone Use your normal tone of voice when answering a call. If you have a tendency to speak loud or shout, avoid doing so on the telephone. Always remember your voice has to be very pleasant while interacting with the other person over the phone. Dont just start speaking, before starting the conversation use warm greetings like good morning, good evening or good noon depending on the time. Smile when you talk to people on the phone -- it will show up in your voice. Remember: enthusiasm

is infectious. Think you are calling a friend. Let your voice be natural, calm, relaxed and easy-going. Do not eat or drink while you are on telephone duty. Only eat or drink during your coffee break or lunch break. Do not use slang words or Poor Language. Respond clearly with yes or no when speaking. Never use swears words. Listen to the Caller and what they have to say. The ability to listen is a problem in general but it is very important to listen to what the caller has to say. It is always a good habit to repeat the information back to the client when you are taking a message. Verify that you have heard and transcribed the message accurately. Never call any person at odd hours like early morning or late nights as the person will definitely be sleeping and will not be interested in talking to you. Make sure your content is crisp and relevant. Dont play with words, come to the point directly and convey the information in a convincing manner. First prepare your content thoroughly and then only pick up the receiver to start interacting.

P itch High or low? Low carries better and is also more pleasant

I nflection Use voice to express ideas or moods The voice naturally rises on a questions or inquiry Voices fall at a period, decision or completion

C ourtesy Common, everyday applies the same as face-to-face conversation

T one Many times it is not what you say, but how you say it Voice should reflect sincerity, pleasantness, confidence, and interest

U nderstanding Avoid talking with anything in your mouth (gum, pencil)

R ate Rate of speech should be adapted to personality of contact Fast talkers can arouse suspicion Slow talkers can be irritating

E nunciate Clear enunciation will help avoid misunderstanding and need to repeat yourself