Last week, I made the mistake of attempting to call the HR department at Sears Headquarters. It was for an unusual issue that couldn’t be handled through their seemingly endless and frustrating automated systems—and yes, I understand that they’ve filed for bankruptcy, so maybe things are a bit stressful around there, but still… By the time I was connected with a live human, I found myself trying to communicate with the surliest, least helpful person I’ve ever met. Let’s hope this person is one of my subscribers! Perhaps this article will be of assistance.
Even in our age of constant, almost-exclusive electronic communication, many of us still make and receive plenty of phone calls during the course of a business day. One big advantage of phone calls is the addition of your voice, which enhances communication with your vocal tone and volume. Your voice can often project facial expression as well—we’ve all “heard” a smile over the phone. Another advantage is you can get immediate feedback about what you’re saying, so you can offer further explanation or clarification if necessary. Phone calls are always more personal than emails, so if you want to add that human touch and you can’t pay a visit, a phone call is the next best thing. Still, definite rules govern business conversations on the phone, so make sure you follow these guidelines:
If you’re the one placing the call…
Greet the person who answers the phone and identify yourself.
No matter who picks up the phone, greet that person cordially by saying, “hello,” “good morning,” “good afternoon,” or something similar. Then clearly state your first and last name, as in, “This is Natalie Jablonski.” Don’t try to be friendly by launching into “Hi, how are you doing today?” before you tell the other person who you are. This will only cause people to be suspicious of you and wonder what you’re after.
Immediately state your reason for calling.
Unless you know them and you’re already friends, don’t beat around the bush, make jokes, or try to get friendly with whoever answered the phone. Get to the point. If you’re calling for a specific person, politely ask to speak to that person, as in, “I’d like to speak with Jessica Chang, please.” If you need to talk to someone but you don’t know their name, say, “I’d like to speak with the person who’s in charge of public relations. Can you please direct me?” Or if you need some kind of service, say, “I’m having trouble with my copy machine. Can you please tell me who to speak to?”
Say “thank you.”
Once the person who answered the phone answers your question or says they’re about to connect you to someone else, thank them.
Identify yourself again, if necessary.
When you’ve been connected with another party, unless that person picks up the phone and greets you by name, identify yourself again, as in, “Hi, Jessica. This is Natalie Jablonski.” If Jessica happens to be someone you know well, you might leave off your last name so you don’t sound too formal. Then wait for Jessica to respond so you can be sure she knows it’s you.
Take the other person’s cue on personal chitchat.
If Jessica greets you enthusiastically and asks you about your weekend, go ahead and have a short friendly chat (if you can spare the time). But if she responds with a quick, “Hi, Natalie. What can I do for you?” get to the point and finish the phone call as soon as you can.
If you’re the one receiving the call…
Protocol for receiving a phone call varies according to your position: If you’re a warehouse clerk, you’ll do certain things differently than if you’re a vice president. But in general, phone etiquette is much the same.
When picking up a call, say “hello” and/or identify yourself.
If you’re answering your own phone, the person who is calling already knows who you are, so you can simply say, “Hello.” (However, I always say, “Hello, this is Denise,” because sometimes calls can be accidentally misdirected.) But if you’re answering for a whole department or you’re one of three staff members answering the same phone, you’ll need to give the name of the department and your own name, as in, “Shipping Department, this is Jason Cohen speaking.”
Respond to the caller with some kind of greeting.
Once the caller identifies themselves, it’s polite to say, “Hello, Sabrina. How can I help you?” Or, if you know Sabrina, you might want to say something more friendly, like, “Hi, Sabrina. What’s up on your end?”
Help the caller to solve their problem or answer their question—even if it takes a little extra work.
This might seem obvious, but I mention it anyway, because we’ve all encountered people who seemed as if they didn’t really want to help us. (Are you reading this, Sears HR person?) But assisting the caller in any way possible should be the whole point of why you answered the phone in the first place! And if you aren’t the appropriate person to help, or if you don’t know the answer to the caller’s question, then do your best to find the right person and send the caller in the correct direction. It’s simply the right thing to do.
Don’t leave callers on hold for more than a minute or two.
If you’re on the phone and another call comes in that you need to take, ask the first caller if you can put them on hold. If they agree, don’t leave them on hold for more than two minutes, max—and preferably a lot less. (Personally, I think one minute is an awfully long time to be on hold!) If you can’t resume the original call by then, ask if you can call them back. Then follow through and don’t forget!
For both callers and receivers…
Be cordial.
Do your utmost to be pleasant and make problem solving your priority. If you smile when you’re speaking, the other person will sense it and feel more at ease. And true kindness counts for a lot when we’re interacting with others in any situation—including with colleagues or acquaintances on the phone.
Ask before you put the other party on speakerphone.
Speakerphones should be used only for calls that involve several people who are gathered in the same place to use one phone. Using speakerphones for any other reason makes it seem like you’re so disinterested you can’t be bothered to pick up your phone receiver. (There’s actually one other condition: When you need both hands free to type notes about the conversation you’re having, in which case, it’s polite to let the person know your reasons for using the speakerphone.)
Sign off.
At the end of the call, say something pleasant like, “It was nice talking with you,” or “Great, we’ve got that solved,” or “I’m looking forward to our lunch next week.” And always thank the other person, even if you’re the one doing the favor, making the plan, or resolving the issue
Say “good-bye.”
Everyone deserves a “hello” at the beginning of every transaction and a “good-bye” at the end, whether it’s a meeting or a phone call. When we hear the word “goodbye” (or “bye”), it signals the end of the communication. “Okay” (click) just doesn’t cut it. In the movies, people are always barking out orders over the phone, then hanging up abruptly, but it’s just plain rude. Don’t do it—even if Tom Cruise does! (After all, we have to forgive him because he’s probably busy saving the world from aliens.)
Personalize your voice mail.
Record a pleasant voice mail message in your own voice so people will know that it’s you and they’ve dialed the right number. A robotic recitation of your number is off-putting—plus, it implies that you’re just too self-important, lazy, or disorganized (or all three) to bother with such details. And guess what? Even if you’re a CEO, I’m talking to you, too. No matter how busy or high-ranking you are, you certainly have the time to make a brief voice mail recording, rather than have your assistant do it! It’s the human thing to do.
So there you have it. Follow these simple etiquette rules, and you’re sure to sound positive, professional, and polite—no matter what the issue or topic might be—in all your future phone conversations!
Do you have a question you’d like for me to answer in a future blog? Just say the word! You can contact me on my website, at denisemdudley.com.
Happy 3rd day of Hanukkah, and happy upcoming Christmas, Kwanza, and Boxing Day!