TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE

WHY IS USING AND ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE IMPORTANT?

Main form of communication

Get your point across

WHEN DO YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?

Always answer the phone before the third ring.

Be warm and enthusiastic

Welcome the caller courteously

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU ANSWER THE PHONE

Introduce yourself and your business

Ask how you can be of assistance to them

Control your language

Don’t use slang or jargon

Be positive

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU ANSWER THE PHONE IN A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT

Introduce yourself with your name and state what department they have reached

Ask about assisting them

Speak in a slow, clear, and understandable manner so the caller doesn’t get confused

WHAT TO SAY WHEN PLACING SOMEONE ON HOLD

Always ask if it’s alright to put the person on hold

Check-in with the person every 30 to 45 seconds with an update

Offer alternative choices such as:

PROCEDURE FOR TRANSFERRING CALLS

First ask the caller who they are calling for

When told who they want to speak to say something like “one moment, please.”

Make sure you send them through to the right person

When getting a call back make sure that the caller knows that you are the operator

Stay friendly

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The ability to supply your customers with their wants and needs.

Good customer service will bring back customers

Those customers may tell other business about you

HANDLING UPSET CALLERS

Use the ASAP TechniqueAcknowledgeSympathizeAcceptPrepare to help

Don’t make up excuses Don’t let the caller upset

you.

TELEPHONE MESSAGES

What to rememberKeep paper and pen

closeWrite down the caller's

name, phone number and company

Make sure you write down the important information

TELEPHONE MESSAGES

When talking to a callerTalk in a friendly voiceTell them who they are calling for is

unavailableAsk if they want you to take a messageTell them when they can expect who they are

looking for might call them back

SCREENING PHONE CALLS

When Screening a CallAsk who is callingWhere they are fromWhy they are calling

Call who the caller wants to talk toTell them the information about

the callerAsk if they want to talk to them

HANDLING INDECISIVE CALLERS

Don’t get irritated and remain patient

Ask questions that can be answered with yes or no

When telling the caller options, don’t give them more than three

VOICE MAIL GREETING Sound professional Don’t leave commercial or thoughts of the day

on your voicemail, if your not there callers want to quickly leave you a message

Don’t say “ Hi this is Jason, you know what to do.”

Say your greeting with a smile on your face, callers can hear your smile in your voice

VOICE MAIL GREETING 1-2 second pause before greeting State your name & organization/department The day of the week What keys caller can press for immediate

assistants When caller may expect a call back The name and extension of a person who can

provide assistance

SAMPLE GREETING Dow Chemical Costumer Service Donna McGuire Tuesday February 19, 2008. I am in the office today but I’m currently

speaking on another line please press zero and pound and you will be

transferred to our team mate Thank you and have a great day. Good greeting Bad greeting

WHAT NOT TO DO IN YOUR VOICE MAIL GREETING

Your greeting shouldn’t go past 15 seconds

Do not say “ operators are busy”, tell the callers operators are aware of your call but are attending to others

Do not rush your greeting, take your time

WHEN LEAVING A MESSAGE Know what you want with each call you make Make it quick but now to fast, don’t leave a

message over 60 seconds long When you have more then one item write them

down so you remember If your call is critical, include an e-mail address

for them to reach you at Slowly say your extension twice, one at the

beginning of the call and one at the end

SAMPLE MESSAGEScenario

Calling Schumacher InsuranceRequesting quote for auto insurance

Listen to good messageListen to poor message

TELEPHONE VIDEO Click on BLACK in TV to start Video

THE END.

Teresa Guzman Robyn Commire

Alicia Schnepp