OFFICE PROCEDURES

Prepared by Maria Asuncion

7 of 14
Letter writing for e-Portfolio (p. 116)
• On page 116, read over Project 6-6

• Write a letter of congratulations to Shanti

• You can choose to use any letterhead or none at

all

Send your document to

mariakasuncion@gmail.com or drag it to your
Google Drive folder.
Chapter 8: Collaboration Tools
• In Chapter 4, we discussed the changes in
telecommunications technologies, and how
telephone landlines have changed into voice
messages through the Internet
• In the past, telephones used POTS (plain old
telephone service) to carry analogue signals
through standard line technology
Today’s telephone (p. 132-133)
• Today’s broadband and fibre-optic technology
offers options that have never been available in
the past
• Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) or IP
telephony: routes phone calls over a private IP
network or the internet
• VoIP has become the focal point (focus) of the
commingling (mixing) of voice and data
• With IP, Internet service providers can also
provide telephone service
Advantages of IP telephony
• The primary advantage of IP telephony for
business is reduced cost
• Sending and receiving voice messages over the
Internet or a private network eliminate long-
distance phone charges
• PC-to-PC calls can be completed from almost
any place in the world at no charge
• Businesses can also reduces service and
maintenance costs by only paying one network,
which is their Internet
More advantages
• Users are not tied to one area code and may
even be given a choice of area codes by their
service provider (e.g., 416, 647, 905, etc.)
• When moving to new office space or a new city,
phone service no longer needs to be transferred
• Voicemail can be routed to a computer’s
electronic mailbox
• Phone numbers kept in a user’s contact
management software can be dialed from a
computer
Home office availability
• IP telephony is also available at your home office
in 2 ways:
• A standard telephone can be plugged into an
adapter that is plugged into your network router
• Or freeware (free software) such as Skype can
be used with a headset connected to your
computer
Disadvantages of IP telephony
• IP telephony doesn’t always have good voice
quality, but it is improving
• IP telephony requires high-speed Internet
connection, with good connection reliability
Telephone equipment at work
• Telephone equipment at work include:

• Standard phone sets

• Cordless sets

• Conference call speakers

• Headsets for use for VoIP use

Telephone equipment at work
• Common features on business phone sets
include:
• The ability to answer multiple phone lines

• Built-in speakerphones

• Caller identification displays

• Programmable buttons for setting up call

management features
Intercom
• An intercom is a very useful feature
• Intercom: provides a connection for
communication between 2 or more people similar
to a telephone conference
• Page 134, Figure 8-2
Call management skills (p. 133-136)
• Look over Self-Check B (p. 134)
• Proper telephone behaviours:
• Keep a smile in your voice – treat the person on
the other end of the line as you would a person
standing in front of you, so let the person know
you are interested, and maintain a caring
attitude
• Smiling while on the phone also makes you
sound polite and alert, instead of rude and
monotone
Call management skills (p. 133-136)
• Be attentive – listen carefully to what the other
person says, so during the conversation, try not to
make noises by typing on your keyboard or phone
• Listen for facts and feelings, and be patient
• Search for hidden and subtle meanings
• Respond appropriately to what they say, such as
• “I will see what I can do”
• “I will get the document faxed to you
immediately”
Call management skills (p. 133-136)
• Be discreet – carefully explain why a coworker
cannot answer the phone, but don’t say too much
• For example:
Mr. Albertson is away from the office now. I expect
him back in approximately an hour. May I have him
call you when he returns?
Mr. Albertson is gone for the day because he’s
playing golf.
Mr. Albertson is away because he’s at court.
• Use correct English and avoid slang (p. 135,
Figure 8-3)
• Take messages completely and accurately

• When taking messages, most people at work

write on paper notepads, but these could get
easily lost or misplaced
• There are 2 other options to ensure that there
are backups to messages: carbon copy sheets
and computer-based systems
Call management skills (p. 133-136)
• Carbon copy (or self-duplicating sheets) are used
to copy every message written on it
• An example of a computer-based system is
PHONEslips on Outlook
• p. 135, Figure 8-4
• Use the caller’s name – it’s flattering and personal

• e.g., “Yes, Mr. Valentine, I will be happy to get the

information” and “It was nice to talk with you, Ms. Keiba”

• Ask questions tactfully – be careful and only ask

necessary questions
• e.g., “May I tell Mr. Albertson who is calling?” and “When
Mr. Albertson returns, may I tell him who called?
• Avoid asking: “Who’s calling?” It may offend people with
its bluntness
• Speak distinctly and clearly
• Speak without anything in your mouth (gum, candy,
etc.)
• Speak in a normal voice at a moderate rate (not too
fast, not too slow)
• Using a Bluetooth wireless headset helps your
mobility
• Handle problem calls
• When dealing with angry callers, sometimes listening
to them patiently helps defuse their anger
Incoming calls (p. 137-138)
• Answer promptly
• Identify yourself and your organization
• Transfer calls carefully
• Callers dislike being told their call will be
transferred but then they are disconnected due to
incorrect transferring procedures
• Make sure you inform the caller that they will be
transferred
• e.g., “Mr. Albertson is out, but Mr. Figimara can
give you information. May I transfer you to him?”
Incoming calls (p. 137-138)
• Place calls on hold
• You may need to check with someone else of
access your files to get more information, or you
might be holding the call for a coworker
• If you must place the caller on hold, make sure
to ask for the caller’s permission
• e.g., “I need to pull the information from my
files. Would you like to hold for a moment while
I get it, or should I call you back?”
• e.g., “Mr. Albertson is on another call, would you
like to hold?”
Incoming calls (p. 137-138)
• Handle multiple calls
• When taking a second call and putting the first
call on hold, make sure you inform the multiple
callers on the situation
• Tell the first caller: “Please wait for a moment. I
must answer another line.” And inform the
second caller: “Please hold for a moment.”
• Make sure to always thank the caller for waiting
 Incoming calls (p. 137-138)
• Defer cellphone calls
• If people in the workplace or any room with you
deserve your full attention, it is important to not let
your eyes stray, especially on your phone
• If your eyes stray to your phone, others will likely
notice and may be offended
• Show your respect for other when using your phone
in a public place or an open work area by keeping
your voice low so as not to disturb others around
you
• Screen calls
• Gatekeeping: determining who is calling and why, and
then diverting calls that will not be taken, such as sales
calls
• Leave a message when you leave your desk
• When you’re away from your workspace, make sure you
leave a professional voice message on your phone
• “This is [name]. I’m currently at a meeting right now, and
will return around 4PM” and “You’ve reached [name]’s
office. Please leave a message, and I will call you as
soon as I can.”
Incoming calls (p. 137-138)
• Lastly, make sure you follow up
• If you said to a caller that you’d call back with
information, make sure to follow through that
action
• Following through enhances your reputation for
reliability and trustworthiness
• When you fail to follow up, the result may be a
lost client
Outgoing calls (p. 138-139)
• Place calls properly
• Plan your call
• Frequently called numbers
• Note the time zone (p. 140, Figure 8-6)
Voice mail (p. 139-141)
• For making voice mail announcements:
• Begin by identifying the company
• Provide the most important information or
answer the most frequently asked questions,
such as hours of operation, website and street
address
• Keep caller instructions short—aim for about 15
seconds
• Keep it current
• Your voicemail message should be timely and professional
• When callers hear an outdated message, it may frustrate
them
• Change the voicemail message frequently, especially if
your schedule changes
• Leaving a message
• Keep your message short and straightforward
• Include your name and company, your number & the
purpose of your call
• Speak slowly and distinctly (try enunciating)
Workplace collaboration tools (p. 141-144)
• Groupware: network, Web-based software and
cloud software used for workplace collaboration
• Examples: Microsoft SharePoint Services, Novell
GroupWise, IBM Notes Google Apps, Jive
Software, and EMC Documentum eRoom
• Electronic mail (email) is the most popular
workplace communication channel and
collaboration tool
Workplace collaboration tools (p. 141-144)
• Groupware: network, Web-based software and
cloud software used for workplace collaboration
• Examples: Microsoft SharePoint Services, Novell
GroupWise, IBM Notes Google Apps, Jive
Software, and EMC Documentum eRoom
• Electronic mail (email) is the most popular
workplace communication channel and
collaboration tool
Email
• Email messages are commonly used and:
• Are convenient
• Can transfer files
• Can be accessed from various devices
• Provide a low-cost method of communication
• Can be saved as a permanent record of
business activity
Email
• Email software: used to store an electronic
address book, and to create, send, receive,
retrieve, reply to, and save email messages
• Some examples: Novell GroupWise, Microsoft
Outlook, Windows Live Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird
and Qualcomm Eudora
• Web mail: access email through a Web browser;
e.g., Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and EarthLink Web Mail
Email (p. 142)
• Email use policies:
• Sending personal emails from workplace
computers reduces employee productivity
• Forwarding jokes, junk mail and chain letters to
others can stress the email system, which can
result in decreased productivity
• Offensive email content can place a company at
risk for charges of workplace harassment
 Email (p. 142)
• Email use policies (continued):
• Many business protect themselves from potential
harassment lawsuits by using network software
tools to monitor their employees’ email and/or
have a formal email policy such as the one at
Central Washington University (Figure 8-7)
• Workplace email policies outline rules concerning
these problems
• Let’s read p. 143’s Soft Skills “Email Ethics”
Other workplace collaboration tools
• Instant messaging (as reviewed from Ch. 6)
• Shared online workspaces: Microsoft OneDrive,
Dropbox & Google Drive (the one we use in
class) are good examples
• Online discussion groups, wikis and blogs (as
studied from Business Communication)
• Virtual meetings (will be reviewed in Ch. 13):
Adobe Connect, ezTalks Cloud, Zoho Meeting,
Skype, ClickMeeting, GoToMeeting, join.me
Project 8-7 (p. 147)
• Develop your own behaviour guidelines for the ethical
use of email. List at least 5.
• Review the email ethics section (p. 143) and email
use policies (p. 142 and Figure 8-7 [textbook
correction])
• Make sure to add a title, and send it to
mariakasuncion@gmail.com when completed
• Read an example: https://tinyurl.com/mariaproject8-7