Lesson 3: Telephone Techniques

Telephone Techniques

When providing customer service, one of the most popular tools we use is a telephone. While some people seem to be naturally brilliant on the phone, others of us need to work on it. Hopefully all of us will benefit from the techniques in this session.

In this lesson, you’ll learn top techniques for managing telephone calls and providing the best service that you can.  Listen to the video below

Telephone Basics

One of the most important things to remember about telephone communication is your tone. In significant (though often misinterpreted) research, Albert Mehrabian found that when it came to discussing emotions, only 7% of the speaker’s message was communicated by words, and that tone of voice was responsible for about 38% of the meaning, and body language was responsible for about 55%. This means the words themselves played only a very small part in conveying meaning. In other conversations (not the ones about emotions), we know that tone of voice and body language still have a significant influence on meaning. 

Your Initial Greeting

Identify the organization, the department, yourself, and then offer to help. Be careful about verbal shorthand or internal jargon. Don’t make the caller say, “Is this eLearnSA?” or “To whom am I speaking?” Try to make the telephone experience easy for your caller.

Personalizing Service

All customers are important. Together, they represent the sum total of our reason for working where we do. However, each individual customer craves to have their uniqueness recognized and acknowledged in the process of being served. We can appreciate each customer’s importance by knowing and using their name.

A Formula to Practice

• Prepare to hear the name.
• Write it down immediately. If you miss it, ask the person to repeat it.
• Ask, “Let me be sure I’ve spelled your name right. Is that J-a-y-s-o-n?”
• Repeat the name immediately in your next comment to the person.
• Use the name occasionally in the conversation. It’s an attention getter at the beginning of the sentence.
• Thank the person and use the name again as you are parting.

Addressing a Person

Should you call a person Mr., Ms., or Mrs., or use their first name? It really depends on the company and whether you have spoken to this person before. Usually, it’s best to err on the side of caution and use “Mr.” or “Ms.” until the customer says otherwise. Remember that the expectation may be different depending on your industry. Know what is appropriate and endorsed within your company.

Your Telephone Voice

Keep these tips in mind for a pleasant telephone voice.

• Speak at the right volume, neither too loudly nor too softly.
• Don’t talk too quickly.
• Practice when you start working with a new or unfamiliar phone system. Telephones distort sound to varying degrees, so you need to adapt your speaking voice in order to be understood.
• If you are using a headset, practice with a colleague so you can set the microphone volume at the right level.
• Use a pleasant, friendly tone.
• Speak clearly and pronounce your words carefully.
• If you have an accent that customers or clients might have trouble understanding, spell things out or use simpler language to make sure they have it right.
• Last but not least, smile! Customers can hear a smile through the phone.

Your Listening Ear

Never interrupt. Wait to be sure your caller is finished before you start to talk. However, don’t hesitate to ask your customer to repeat anything you don’t understand. You, in turn, should repeat important information that they give you, such as numbers, spelling of words, important names, cities, and streets. Listen for the caller’s mood to try to determine not only what they are saying, but how they feel about it. Remember the importance of asking questions until you are sure that you understand the problem or have as much information as possible.

Your Format for Closing

If necessary, summarize the main ideas of your call by confirming details discussed or follow-up actions promised. Rather than just saying, “Goodbye,” try to close with a friendly, courteous phrase such as:

• “Is there anything else I can do for you?”
• “It was nice talking to you.”
• “Thank you for calling.”
• “Thanks for your help.”
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Handling Everyday Requests

• There are some situations to keep in mind that can influence how the call goes:
• The person they want isn’t there.
• You have to transfer a call.
• You have to put a caller on hold, get information, and return to the line.
• You have to take a message.

Transferring Telephone Calls

An impression of poor service and lack of interest often results when calls are transferred improperly within an organization. A call should only be transferred when the person transferring it cannot help the caller, and is reasonably sure the person to whom the call is transferred will be able to help the caller.

The reason for the transfer should be explained, along with the name of the person to whom the caller will be transferred. This prepares the caller for what is about to happen, and doesn’t look like you are giving them the run-around. This is known as a warm transfer.

Here’s an example: “Mark Jenson in Fire Prevention handles that. I’ll transfer you to him, Mrs. Smith, if you’ll just hold the line.”

Then the person transferring the call should announce the call to the person receiving it. This will prepare him and eliminates the need for the caller to repeat information.

Putting Callers on Hold

If you are handling a call and you must put the caller on hold, ask their permission and explain why you are putting them on hold. You should also give them your best estimate of how long they will be on hold. Remember that you are asking permission and not making a statement; if they don’t want to be put on hold, you need to keep the call open.

If you think the waiting time might be more than three minutes, give the caller the option of holding or having you call back. Waiting time always seems longer than it actually is.

Progress Reports

A progress report means informing the waiting person what progress is being made on the call. Here’s an example: “Mr. Johnson, I’m still checking the code for that. Do you mind waiting a little longer, or should I call you back?”

Proper Return to the Line

Attract the person’s attention by thanking them for waiting and using their name or a suitable expression. Example: “Thank you for holding, Mr. Leonard. I have the information that you were asking for.”  

Taking a Message

Taking a message for your supervisor or another employee should be relatively simple. However, a great deal of business is lost each year by incomplete or forgotten messages. A courteous person returns telephone calls, but only if they get the correct message.

Taking Messages Accurately and Completely

• Keep a notepad handy.
• Write while you are on the line. Take notes as you handle the call, not after you hang up the receiver.
• Request, rather than demand, information. Consider the value in saying, “May I have your name, please…” rather than the more common but very curt, “What is your name and number?”
• Verify spelling.
• Get the person’s first name, too.
• Spell names out phonetically if they are difficult.
• Give feedback for verification. (For example, “So that’s spelled J-a-y-s-o-n?”)

What to Record

• To whom: The name of the person called.
• From whom: The name of the call and his business connection.
• Where: The caller’s telephone number and extension number.
• What: The message itself.
• Why: Action requested and the action promised.
• By whom: Name of the person who recorded the message.
• When: Date and hour of the call.

Other Tips

To ensure the accuracy and completeness of a message, consider the following suggestions:

• Listen attentively to the message.
• Check to be sure all telephone numbers are correct and use feedback for verification.
• Verify the spelling of difficult names using phonetic helpers.
• After the telephone call has been completed, make additional notes from memory.
• Attach any useful papers, reports, or lists of information to the message.
• When asking to take a message, if the caller says, “No, I’ll call back,” courteously ask one more time. For example you could say, “If I could just tell him who called, I’m sure he will be interested. Of course, you can call back if that would be more convenient.”

Tips and Tricks

Do’s and Don’t’s

Do Say…	Don’t Say…
He’s not in his office at the moment.	He hasn’t come in yet.
She’s away from her desk at the moment.	She’s on her coffee break.
He’s out of the office until tomorrow.	He left early today.
She’s not in the office today.	She’s sick today.
He’s out of the office for the next two weeks.	He’s on vacation for the next two weeks.

Phrases to Avoid Using

• “I believe he went to the men’s room.”
• “He’s taking a nap right now.” (This actually happened. The man had had a heart attack and his physician ordered him to rest 45 minutes after lunch each day, but this information should not be known to the caller.)
• “She has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”
• “He’s at the bank.”

Sentences That Damage Your Image or Lose Goodwill

• “I can’t put your call through unless I can say who is calling.”
• “I don’t have anything to do with your problem.”
• “He’s busy. Would you call him back?”
• “I’m working with someone right now. Could you call back?”
• “There’s nothing I can do about it – that’s our policy.”
• “We might have it but I don’t know for sure.”
• “We’re getting ready to go home. Would you call back in the morning?”
• “I just came in. Could you call back in about 15 minutes?”

Remembering and using these telephone techniques will enable you to give the same exceptional service on the telephone as you would give your customers and clients in person.