Telephone Etiquette

TELEPHONE
ETIQUETTE

TIPS ON PROPER TELEPHONE RULES
CAMILLE PHILLIPS & ANGEL BOYD

TIP #1- SPEAK CLEARLY

• Make sure that all your words are clear when speaking to
the caller

• Enunciate your words while slightly smiling
• Speak slowly; the person son the other end of the

conversation needs to understand you

TIP #2- GREET THE CALLER
APPROPRIATELY

• Greet the caller (customer in business setting) according
to the time of day (ex.“Good morning”,“good afternoon,”
“good evening”)

• Thank them for calling in your initial greeting; it invites the
caller (customer) to feel comfortable in filing a complaint
or concern

TIP #3- ASK HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Ask the customer (caller) how you can be of service when
greeting them

• After listening to the customer's reason for calling, and you
can't be of assistance, attempt to transfer the consumer to
the appropriate department

TIP #4- LISTEN TO THE CALLER’S
REQUEST

• Listen carefully to the caller's request.
• Ask the customer applicable questions to determine how

you can help.
• Don't interrupt when the caller is speaking.

TIP #5- ASK TO PLACE THE
CALLER ON HOLD
(IF NECESSARY)

• Before you place a caller on hold, ask permission first.
• Once you've pressed the hold button, quickly work to

address the customer's problem as quickly as possible.

TIP #6- DON’T TALK WITH YOUR
MOUTH FULL

• Don't pick up the phone with your mouth full.
• This makes it difficult for the caller to understand you and

is frustrating, especially if the call is urgent.
• Answering the phone at work while eating gives an

unprofessional impression.

TIP #7- DON’T SPEAK TO LOUDLY OR
SOFTLY

• Answer the phone in the volume that you normally speak.
• Speaking softly will make it challenging for the caller to

understand what you're saying.
• Talking softly may confuse the caller, unsure that he has

dialed the right number.
• Answering the phone too loudly sounds harsh and

abrasive, which is an unappealing to the caller.

TIP #8- DON’T LEAVE THE CALLER ON
HOLD

• If you have to place the caller on hold, don't leave the
person calling on hold for a long period of time.

• Check back every few seconds to keep the caller
informed on your progress.

TIP #9- DON’T USE SLANG WORDS

• Using slang or shortened words during phone conversation
is inappropriate and unprofessional.

• For instance, if you have to check on something for the
customer, say "just a moment," not "hold on a sec".

TIP #10- DON’T ANSWER CASUALLY

• At home, answer the phone with "(family last name)
residence"; greet the caller according to the time of day.

• Instead of simply saying "hello" when answering a business
phone, state the name of the business or state the
company's slogan immediately.

TIP #11- BE PREPARED

• A good telephone contact starts with preparation.
• Office staff should know who is responsible for answering

each phone, and whoever takes the calls should be familiar
with the phone and its functions.

TIP #12- BE UPBEAT

• When you answer the call, be aware of your tone of voice
and the speed of your words.

• Try to maintain a cheerful tone of voice, even if you aren't
feeling particularly positive.

• Smiling will help, even though the caller can't see you.
• A smile changes the shape of the mouth, altering your

inflection and tone in ways that can be heard.

TIP #13- BE EFFICIENT

• Incoming calls should be answered promptly, generally on
the second ring.

• Answering calls too quickly might fluster some callers, but
most callers tend to hang up after three or four rings.

TIP #14- BE PROFESSIONAL

• Because you are representing a business, take extra care to speak
like a professional.

• Phrases such as "What's up?" and "Just a sec" are fine for casual
conversation, but not professional communications.

• you should avoid using slang of any kind.
• Not only is it unprofessional, but many find seemingly innocuous

terms to be offensive.
• And don't try to eat and answer the phone at the same time.
• Trying to talk around a bite of food will only make you difficult to

understand.

TIP #15- BE COURTEOUS

• If you need to transfer a call or place a caller on hold,
always ask for permission to do so.

• No caller should ever be placed on hold without a good
reason.

• Always try to end calls on a positive note.
• Assure callers that you are giving them your best effort by

reviewing the actions you have taken and will take.

TIP #16- IDENTIFICATION IS KEY

• At the outset of every call, the person answering should
ask for the caller's name and how they can be of service.

• When answering the phone, always state your name.Try to
include your first and last name.

EXAMPLE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring!
Operator: Hello?
Caller: May I speak to Lucas Williams please?
Operator: May I ask who’s calling?
Caller: Cecilia Johnson
Operator: He’s currently in a meeting right now. Would you
like to leave a message for him?
Caller: May you please tell him that the charity event date
has been changed to December 7th instead of next
Saturday?

CONCLUSION

When you are in a business setting, all the phone call you
make are important whether you're speaking to a customer,
client or vendor.These experiences are the basis for your
business relationship, and a single bad experience is often
enough to lose a customer forever. By following basic rules
of telephone etiquette, you will ensure that your clients have
a positive experience every time they call.

REFERENCES

• http://www.advancedetiquette.com/2012/01/8-telephone-
etiquette-tips/

• http://www.ehow.com/info_8007796_10-dos-donts-
telephone-etiquette.html

• http://www.ehow.com/way_5374469_professional-ways-
answer-business-phone.html