How To Speak Professionally On The Phone
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1. Answer the phone in as few rings as possible. No one likes to be forced to wait.
2. Prepare yourself with a pen and paper while taking a call so that you can note down the information of the customer.
3. Identify yourself and the company you work for (if at work) as soon as you answer.
4. Avoid opening your questions with "can I" or "would you mind if I" if you open with these you risk loosing control of the call the caller could easily say "yes I do mind" or "no you can't" so just ask direct questions be polite and remember you are within your rights to ask questions, if the caller gets irritated just explain: "thank you for your understanding I am sure you can appreciate we/I deal with a large number of calls by asking you these questions I can ensure your call is directed swiftly and correctly to the right person or department, thank you".
5. Always assume someone from your organization is listening in on the conversation. Organizations adding this ability in will usually announce it after they have installed and used it.
6. Always ask before putting someone on hold, and wait for a reply.
7. Check that the intended recipient is happy to take the call. If somebody asks if they can speak to someone specific, tell the caller that you will "try their line" before putting them on hold and checking that the recipient is available and ready to speak to them.
8. Use correct grammar. Always remember to say "Jane and I" for your subject, and reserve "Jane and me" when you are the direct object (i.e. "Jane and I went to the store" vs. "He talked to Jane and me"). Do not leave the word "at" dangling at the end of a sentence. example: "I do not know where it is at."
9. That old adage, "the customer is always right" holds some truth - however not all the time. The one thing you can count on, though, is that you will never win an argument with a customer. When the customer is wrong, gently explain the correct "truth", in a positive manner. If the customer gets upset and his tone changes to one of annoyance or anger, do not mirror him. Maintain your pleasant tone! "Reflect" his or her feelings back, so that s/he feels you have really heard the complaint; saying things like, "I can hear how frustrating this is for you, and I'm so sorry for that" can go a long way toward soothing an irritated client. If the customer is not satisfied, ask what he or she would like done. Consider it and accept it or tell the customer why you cannot accept. Offer alternatives, if possible.
10. Try to solve the problem within the call time.
11. Phone conversation lacks the obvious input of body language; the recipient on the other end will receive your true intentions through the actual tone of voice you use during the call. Your tone will say more than the actual words that come out of your mouth. Having said this, smile when you speak on the phone! This point of smiling really hit home with the senior management of a call center, and they placed little mirrors at each of the Agent's stations that said: "What you see is what they hear."
12. Use the caller's name, whenever possible. It shows that you are a good listener and adds a personal touch "I'm sorry John, but Mark isn't available at the moment. Can I help you with anything or take a message?"
13. When calling another person, identify yourself first. For example, say "This is Firman calling for Irfan Bachdim, please."
14. Remember to close your conversation with a professional closing. End your conversations with a sincere "Good-day", or "Thank you".
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