Hone Your Telephone Skills

Answering the phone may seem an easy task when you first think about it. Anyone can answer the phone and talk with the caller. But it takes a different set of skills for anyone to truly have the telephone skills necessary for businesses. Client inquiries go beyond mere listening to the question and answering them; rather, they’re added marketing effort. Aside from listening and answering queries, the words you use, the tone you employ, and your manner of delivery must be inviting and looking to land a sale.

Here are some tips to help hone your telephone skills:

Three Ring Policy. Maybe some people have told you to never answer the phone until the third ring so that you won’t come off looking like you have nothing else to do. However, in business, the three-ring policy is the absolute opposite. Receptionists, and any other functions in your company required to answer phone calls, must do so before the third ring because it can spell out either a sale or loss. Some people might not have the patience to wait for you to pick up the phone. If you are ordering a pizza via a phone call, would you not want to talk to the sales representative immediately? Are you willing to wait several rings or will you switch to another restaurant and try calling them? The ringing sound is a lonely place for your callers, so answer the phone before the third ring.

Phonetics. Over the phone, some words may not be heard clearly no matter how good you think your voice or your employees’ voice might be, so learn how to spell words through phonetics. Phonetics are designed to help you spell the words properly through a different set of words—e.g., “Alpha”, “Bravo”, “Charlie”—that highlight the sound of the letter used to spell that word.

Body movements. Over the phone, you may think that it is all about the voice. However, some suggest that adding body movements while you speak over the phone can help you convey your emotions and tone more. Observing formality may be top of mind for client calls, but no one really wants to talk to someone who sounds phony and programmed to repeat the same line over and over again. If you or your employees find it hard to sound natural over the phone, try simple hand gestures while talking.

Notes. In your workplace, make sure that everyone required to answer the phone have the materials to jot down critical details from their conversation with clients. It does not necessarily have to be quill and parchment, but it can be through the computer. Encoding critical information is actually advisable so that the information can be stored in a database for transferring to interested departments, or for future reference.

To know more about this topic, BusinessCoach, Inc. conducts a seminar entitled “Telephone Skills Training.” Contact (02) 727-5628, (02) 727-8860, (0915) 205-0133 or visit www.businesscoachphil.com for details.

Click here to view details of the seminar: Telephone Skills Training »

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, November 16, 2014. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.