Telephone Etiquette

Although several different means of communication like the email and instant chatting or messaging are used on a wide scale today, the telephone is still a part of a person's personal as well as business life. A telephone conversation is as important as the actual face-to-face conversation and hence, one needs to be very careful while making as well as answering calls on a telephone. There are some basic rules or simply dos and don'ts, that one needs to remember during a telephone conversation.

Basic Phone Etiquette

• It is considered good manners to greet the person while making or receiving call; the simplest form of greeting is 'hello'. It is not advisable to answer calls with 'yes' as it seems rude.
• It is mandatory to identify yourself while making a call. Do not ever play games of 'guess who' on a telephone with a busy friend.
• Before handing the call to someone, ask the listener's permission before putting him on hold and thank him for it. (Do not keep a person 'on hold' for more than 1 minute).
• If you are the caller, have some patience when someone puts you 'on hold' as it is not always possible to find the required person on the spot.
• It is necessary to talk clearly and precisely with proper pauses.
• Also, make timely responses as 'yes' and 'okay'.
• It is mandatory to call someone back if you have promised.
• It is not advisable to call a person before 8.00 am and after 9.00 pm.
• If you are at the receiving end of the calls, do not hang-up until the caller does so.
• It is advisable to thank a person while ending the call. You can even say that you appreciated talking to him.
• Lastly, it is considered good manners to return telephone calls and voice messages within 24 hours.

Business Call Etiquette

In the business world, telephone conversations take place before the actual meeting and also form an important part of many business transactions and hence, it is essential to keep in mind certain things while making and receiving calls.

Making a Call

• It is wise to make a written note of things that you need to convey to the person before making a call, lest you forget.
• It is essential to identify yourself and your company first when starting the conversation.
• If your call was expected or planned prior, it is essential to make the listener realize that, in brief, in case he/she has forgotten.
• Tell the person the intention of your call in brief. If it is a receptionist, it is still advised to explain the intention of your call.
• When talking to the required person, talk clearly, slowly and precisely. It is embarrassing to be asked to repeat what you just said.
• Also, make proper and timely responses in the formal 'yes' and 'no' manner. Never use the informal way of 'yeah' and 'nope'.
• While ending the call, thank the person politely for his time.

Examples:

• Good morning, this is (name) from (name of company). Please may I speak with (name).
• Hello, this is (name) from (name of company). I am returning call from (name), is he available?

Receiving a Call

• As 'hello' is the proper way of starting a conversation, it is also an appropriate form of greeting the caller while receiving calls.
• You can even receive calls by identifying yourself and your company.
• It is advisable to try to answer business calls as pleasingly as possible as the tone of the voice can be easily recognizable and can make a great impression.
• While receiving business calls, it is advisable to pay attention and stop other activities like reading, talking to others, chewing gum, attending other calls.
• If inquired whether certain Mr. ABC is available or not, do not reply with a curt 'no'. The perfect answer should be 'I am sorry, Mr. ABC is not available at this time, may I take a message?'.
• If a person is not available, it is better to convey the reason to the caller briefly.
• You should never hang up before the caller does so. Also, be gracious in your goodbyes as that can help in future communications.

Examples:

• Thank you for calling (name of the company). This is (name), how may I help you?
• Hello, (name) speaking.
• (The caller's name), will you hold while I look for information/person?
• Thank you for calling.

These are the basic etiquette that you need to remember and follow every time you make or receive a call. So the next time, do not get intimidated while talking on the phone; a bit of practice and you will be fine. Good luck!