The rise of digital technology has resulted in a decline in our telephone skills. If we want to deliver good customer service, showcase our brand in the right light and build effective relationships, it is an essential skill for everyone who may pick up the phone.

A phone conversation may be the first contact that a prospective customer has with your company. For this reason alone, training your employees on telephone etiquette should be a priority. Add in the fact that a friendly, helpful conversation, where a customer gathers all the information they need could be all it takes to secure a sale and we can start to understand the importance of this skill.

If you are looking for a few pointers in order to deliver some basic telephone skills training, the points below may help.

Making a Call

If you are making a business call it can be helpful to jot down the key information before you dial the number. You might note down the name of the person you ideally want to speak with and list the points you want to cover. Have a pen and paper at hand in order to note down any information given.

When the call is answered, introduce yourself and if appropriate, your company. If you have a named contact, ask to be put through to that person. It is important to be clear, polite and professional throughout the conversation. If you missed a piece of information, ask for it to be repeated. It can be useful to summarise the key points before ending the conversation to clarify that you have fully understood.

Receiving a Call

If you answer a call, it is also important to begin with an introduction. Saying your company name and your own name helps the caller to know if they have got through to the right person. It is then important to listen to what the caller says. Try to avoid interrupting and don’t get distracted by other tasks or people. It can be useful to image the caller is stood in front of you and act accordingly.

Your responses should be friendly and helpful. If you speak with a smile on your face, it will help you to speak with a greater level of interest and expression. People often say they can ‘hear a smile’ but it is the difference in the tone of your voice. If the caller isn’t happy, work hard to remain calm, sincere and diplomatic in your response.

If you don’t have all the information that the caller wants, it is acceptable to ask if you can either put them on hold or call them back. If you think it will take more than a minute or two, then a call back is preferable as no one likes to wait. If you offer to call back, ensure you do and make it a priority. Before you end a call, check that the caller has all the information they wanted from you.

Taking a Message

At times a caller may want to speak to someone who isn’t available. Apologise for the fact that they aren’t available and offer to take a message. You will need to note down their name, their company and their telephone number as a minimum. It can also be valuable to summarise the message, note the time of the call, along with any particular requests such as convenient call back times.

The information you note down will help your colleague to be best prepared for making the return call. They can have information at hand that might be useful and be more professional during the conversation.

Understanding How your Office Phone System Works

An office phone system is quite different from a regular mobile or home phone, so all staff should be shown how to use it properly. This is the only way to ensure that you get maximum value from the available features.

Your office phone system might allow employees to redirect a call, put a caller on hold, make a conference call, activate voicemail or programme in a mobile number for their phone to be redirected to if they are out of the office. By providing clear training you can avoid many customer frustrations.

If you would like to find out more about office phone systems and how they can help your business, visit the Opus Telecoms website.