1

Telephone Etiquette
COMPILED BY,
MR. SUNIL KUMAR,
LECTURER
2
Obe!ti"e#$
At the end of the Workshop, the participants will be
able to:
Use effective call greetings as a caller and receiver
Project Del Mars i!age in a positive !anner
Practice good telephone techni"#es and telephone !anners
Use appropriate lang#age d#ring telephone conversations
$peak with an effective telephone voice
Use an effective approach to handle special telephone tasks like
call transfers, taking !essages, call backs, holds, interr#ptions,
and #nintentional disconnects
Manage Diffic#lt %alls
&earn to !anage stress levels d#ring calls
'
Ke% Topi!#
(o#r first i!pression
(o#r voice
)ips and preparing !entall*
Answer + close eti"#ette
,r#strations for callers
%oping with diffic#lt people
-
YOUR &IRST IMPRESSION
.
Etiquette E##enti'l# &(o)
St'(t to &ini#h
&earn the best *(eetin* to !ake a
positive first i!pression and what it takes
to advance that first i!pression into a
positive lasting i!pression/
)aking !ont(ol o+ the !'ll, placing calls
on hol, and t('n#+e((in* calls are three
see!ingl* si!ple tasks that are reall*
!ajor 0danger 1ones/0
&earn how to handle these delicate
sit#ations with phone skills eti"#ette in a
wa* that !akes the interaction as pleasant
as possible for the caller/ (o# aren2t o#t of
the woods *et3
4ven if the call is !anaged skillf#ll*, all the
hard work can be "#ickl* erased if the call
isnt closed efficientl* and positivel*/ We2ll
e5a!ine s#btle and not6so6s#btle habits
that can da!age relationships with callers,
and then we2ll concl#de this session with
skills for -('ppin* up the !'ll that will
leave *o#r caller s!iling/
)he proper wa* to answer the telephone is
however *o#r depart!ent wants *o# to/
Whatever *o#r verbiage, answer in s#ch a
wa* the person on the other end will not
draw a concl#sion that the person who
answered is cold and aloof, and hesitates
to co!!#nicate readil*/
7
)oda*2s technolog* allows *o# to handle !ore
c#sto!er service calls than ever before/ 8#t
when telephone personnel lack call
!anage!ent skills, the onl* thing *o# get
fro! all that technolog* is the abilit* to serve
!ore people poorl*/ )hat !eans losing
c#sto!ers 6 and profits/ (o#r telephone
personalit* has a definite bearing on *o#r
rating with Del Mar3
B'#i! Telephone Te!hnique#
9
I)po(t'nt &i(#t I)p(e##ion#
%ontrar* to pop#lar belief, treating others as *o#
want to be treated reall* isnt the best practice
when it co!es to co!!#nication st*les, beca#se it
ass#!es that ever*one is j#st like YOU/
%o!!#nication is an art and !astering that art
can be the ke* for b#ilding #t(on*e( !u#to)e(
(el'tion#hip#/
:
Soun,.Loo/ +')ili'(0
You !'n be!o)e
!on+i,ent th't %ou '(e
,oin* thi# p'(t o+ %ou(
-o(/ !o((e!tl% i+ %ou
-ill p('!ti!e the
p(ope( te!hnique#.
;
An#-e( P(o)ptl%
Answer before the third ring if at all possible/
<f *o#re talking on another line or to a
person at *o#r desk, e5c#se *o#rself,
answer the phone, per!it the caller to state
his=her p#rpose, then tell hi!=her *o# are on
another line and ask hi!=her if he=she can
wait for a !in#te, or ask if the*d like to
leave a !essage/
1>
I,enti+% You(#el+
What sho#ld *o# sa* when *o# answer the phone?
$#ggestion:
When answering so!eones elses line, give the
na!e of the co!pan* and *o#r na!e/
When answering *o#r own line *o# can give
depart!ent and na!e at the sa!e ti!e and then
*o#r na!e@ i/e/, ADel Mar %ollege %enter for
8#siness, $all* Mae speakingB///
11
YOUR 1OICE
12
T'l/ -ith ' S)ile in You( 1oi!e 2
Be Cou(teou#
Capid speech s#ggests i!patience@
rapid speech is diffic#lt to follow in
face6to6face conversation,
necessitates repetition in telephone
conversations/ SLO3 DO3N/
$low speech, in contrast conve*s
an i!pression of letharg*,
forgetf#lness, lack of vitalit*/
MAKE AN E&&ORT TO 4UICKEN T5E
PACE/
1'
T'l/ -ith ' S)ile in You( 1oi!e 2
Be Cou(teou# !ont6
8e kind, polite, direct, enth#siastic, and speak with a strong voice/
)r* to have little or no backgro#nd noise, i/e/ lo#d radio/
Dont be too fa!iliar/
Do not *ell or talk to others in the roo! while *o# are on the
telephone/
Do not eat, drink, or chew g#! while talking on the telephone/
Alwa*s have paper and pen b* the telephone/
When answering the telephone and the caller did not hear *o#r
introd#ction and sa*s, A<s DDDDDD in?B DE FE) respond with:
A(es/B )his is conf#sing to the caller/ <nstead, answer
b* sa*ing, A)his is he=sheB or A$peaking/B
1-
Clo#e the C'll Co((e!tl%
When the conversation is co!pleted, what
do *o# do?
Make s#re that the caller has no !ore
"#eries
Use AGoodb*e, thank *o#r for calling,B or
so!e other appropriate closing to indicate
the conversation is ended/
&et the caller p#t down the receiver first
so the* don2t feel *o# have c#t the! off/

1.
T('n#+e( C'll# 4ui!/l%
'n, Co((e!tl%.
%orrect transfer of a call re"#ires the one
who answers the telephone to get
ade"#ate infor!ation for correct referral/
When a call !#st be transferred, the !ost
desirable proced#re is to tell the caller to
who! he=she will be transferred, A<ll give
*o# Ms 8rown@ she handles those !atters@
j#st a !o!ent, please/B
8e s#re *o# are transferring the caller to
the proper person or depart!ent/
17
5'n,le the In#t(u)ent Co((e!tl%

Do not hold the instr#!ent with the !o#thpiece
c#pped in the hand/ Hold the instr#!ent b* the
Ahandle/B
Do not p#t the receiver on its side on the desk/
M#ffle the !icrophone with the pal! of the
hand, not the finger tips, if *o# need to !ake
an* vocal aside d#ring the conversation/
19
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
I1JDevelop!ent of CON&IDENCE in handling even diffic#lt telephone calls@ I2 J the recording
of i!portant points of a call@ and I'J the #se of good co!!#nication patterns/
Ass#!e and keep the initiative in conversations/
When *o# answer 6
(o#r response, wont stop at, AFo, he=she isnt here/B <t will e5tend to:
AHe=she isnt here/B AMa* < help *o#?B
o(
AMa* < have hi!=her call *o#?B
o(
AMs 8rown is o#t of A$hall < take a !essage?B
the office/B
o(
APerhaps Mr/=Ms K can help *o#/B
o(
A%an so!eone else help *o#?B
1:
What You Mean: Tell the Caller:
"He/She is out."
"He/She is not in the office at the moment. Would you like
to leave a message on his/her voicemail?"
"I don't know where he/she is."
"He/She has stepped out of the office. Would you like to
leave a message on his/her voicemail?"
"He/She is in the men's/ladies room."
"He/She has stepped out of the office. Would you like to
leave a message on his/her voicemail?"
"He/She hasn't come in yet."
"I epect him/her shortly. Would you like to leave a message
on his/her voicemail?"
"She/He took the day off."
"She/He is out of the office for the day. !an someone else
help you or would you like her/his voicemail?"
"He/She doesn't want to "e distur"ed."
"He/She is unavaila"le at the moment. Would you like to
leave a message on his/her voicemail?"
"She is "usy"
"She is unavaila"le at the moment. Would you like to leave
a message on his/her voicemail?"
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
A!!ept'ble Re#pon#e#
1;
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
A!!ept'ble Re#pon#e# Cont6
)o answer, la!el*, a callers "#estion with, AFo, < dont know,B s#ggests what?
8#t to sa*, AFo, <! sorr* < dont know, b#t///
AMr/=Ms K !a* have an answer for that proble!/ $hall < transfer *o# to hi!=her/
o(
A<f *o# wo#ld like to Lhold for a !in#te, <ll get Mr/=Ms K to see if the* have an
answer for *o#/B
)hese co!!ents at least s#ggest to the caller that *o# are interested in tr*ing to
help/
Do *o# want the na!e of the caller? )hen tr*: AMa* < tell hi!=her who called?B
A<! s#re Mr/=Ms K wo#ld like to know who has called/B
AWhen he=she ret#rns, !a* < tell hi!=her who called?B
2>
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
3hen Le'"in* the Line
When *o# need to leave the line d#ring a conversation:
$a* how long it will take, and then:
Ask *o#r caller if he=she will hold the line, or if he=she wo#ld
prefer that *o# take a !essage/
A%heck inB with *o#r caller if *o# have to be awa* fro! the line
for !ore than a !in#te, with A<t will take !e a few !in#tes !ore
to find that infor!ation@ do *o# wish to wait or shall < call *o#
back?B
Avoid sa*ing, AM#st a !o!ent,B then leaving the line/ (o#r
caller !a* prefer to receive that infor!ation later than to wait
o#t the ti!e of *o#r search3
Get the %#sto!ers attention/ )o pick #p the telephone and
contin#e with, Aits '7167;:61117,B will invariabl* bring a Awhat
was that?B $oN//

)hank hi!=her for waiting or apologi1e for taking !ore ti!e than
*o# had anticipated wo#ld be necessar*/
Fow that *o# have his=her attention again, give hi!=her the
infor!ation/
21
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
En,in* the C'll
1/ Help *o#r caller co!e to a close with a hint
that *o#r conversation has co!e to an end/
2/ When *o# are listening:
Oeep the initiative here, too/ Whether *o#
are waiting for that break in the
conversation, or whether *o# are listening
to *o#r conversation partners co!plete
stor*/
22
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
Clo#in* the C'll
When *o# are closing:
1/ <f *o# initiated the call, review the
infor!ation details/ Whatever the b#siness
!a* have been/ 8e s#re that the details
*o# have written down are correct/
2/ <f *o# have received the call, repeat to *o#r
caller the b#siness of the call/ Make
certain that *o#r caller has #nderstood
correctl* what *o# have told the!/
2'
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
En,in* P(olon*e, C'll#


A. 3hen %ou -i#h to en, ' p(olon*e, !on"e(#'tion:
)he accepted r#le accords the caller the prerogative of closing a
conversation/
A. I+ %ou h'"e pl'!e, the !'ll:
4ven if *o#r partner in the conversation see!s rel#ctant to close the
contact, it is *o#r privilege to end the tangent #pon which the
conversation has beco!e la#nched b* a polite, AWell, then, we will
take care of that !atter,B
o(
A)hank *o# for *o#r infor!ation,B
o(
whatever appropriatel* refers to the original p#rpose of *o#r callP
and then *o#r polite Agoodb*e/B
C. I+ %ou h'"e (e!ei"e, the !'ll:
)he tone of voice which conve*s a kindl* self6ass#rance is the ke* to
!aking this co!!ent t#rn the trick: A<ve enjo*ed talking with *o#/ <
wish < had !ore ti!e to disc#ss this !atter with *o#/ )hank *o# for
calling/
2-
Con"e(#'tion Te!hnique#
7'the(in* In+o()'tion
1/ $UMMAC<Q4 the b#siness at the close of the call/
2/ Have a pencil in hand when %ou 'n#-e( that
ring/ 8e read* to write as well as listen/
'/ Cecord telephone calls/
-/ Have a pencil in hand when %ou pl'!e a call/
Write down na!es, dates, ti!es, place, and
ite!s/
Su**e#tion#:
Use *o#r notes for letters or !e!os confir!ing
conversations/
2.
A"oi, 1e(b'l B'((ie(# to Co))uni!'tion
We know that people resist being told the* AhaveB to do an*thing3
Here are a few e5pressions to reflect #pon:
NOT T5IS BUT T5IS
A(e %ou in,i++e(ent0
AHold on///B ADo *o# !ind waiting while <
check that for *o#?B
A(o#ll have to check with AMr/ K is handling that !atter/
Mr/ K/ Ma* < have hi! get in to#ch
with *o#?B
A(e %ou '(bit('(%0
A(o# have to//// AWill *o# please ask Mr/ Mones
A(o# need to/// to call Mr/ 8?B
A(e %ou t'!tle##0
AWhos calling?B AMa* < tell her whos calling,
AWhat is *o#r na!e?B please?B
AMa* < ask *o#r na!e?B
A(e %ou !'#tin* (e+le!tion#0
A< dont know where he is/B AMr/ K isnt in the office j#st
AHe hasnt co!e in *et/B now/B
Hes still o#t to l#nch/B AMa* < have hi! call *o# later?B
A
27
1oi!e M'il
Do:
Make s#re *o#r !essage is polite,
direct, and b#sinesslike/
Make s#re *o#r !essage can be
#nderstood clearl*/
Cet#rn telephone calls pro!ptl*
Do Not:
Make cr#de co!!ents or !ention
social references in *o#r !essage
Ii/e/ <! #nable to answer !*
phone beca#se <! o#t part*ingJ/
Have !#sic pla*ing in the
backgro#nd/
Use !#ltiple people when
recording the greeting/
Roice!ail has !an* benefits and advantages when #sed properl*/ However, *o#
sho#ld not hide behind voice!ail/
29
1oi!e)'il 7(eetin*
8e s#re to record *o#r own personal greeting@ don2t
#se the standard defa#lt greeting or have another
person record *o#r greeting/
Write down what *o# want to sa* in *o#r greeting and
practice sa*ing it a few ti!es before recording/
<ncl#de in *o#r greeting *o#r na!e and depart!ent so
that people know the* have reached the correct
person/
(o#r reg#lar greeting sho#ld incl#de *o#r nor!al work
ho#rs/
Use the attendant feat#re if available3 )his feat#re
allows the caller to reach another person in *o#r
depart!ent fro! *o#r voice!ail/
2:
Che!/in* Me##'*e# 'n,
Retu(nin* C'll#
%heck *o#r !essages dail* and ret#rn
!essages within 2- ho#rs/
Cepl*, forward, or delete !essages
i!!ediatel*/
<f *o# forward a !essage, be s#re to e5plain to
the person to who! *o# are forwarding the
!essage wh* *o# are sending it to the!/
2;
Le'"in* ' 1oi!e)'il Me##'*e +o(
Anothe( Pe(#on
When *o# have to leave a !essage for so!eone to ret#rn *o#r
telephone call, tr* to have the correct pron#nciation of their na!e and
!ake s#re *o# state the following clearl*:
$peak clearl* and slowl*/
8e s#re to leave *o#r na!e and e5tension n#!ber/ <t2s best to sa* it
at the beginning and end of *o#r !essage/
Oeep !essages short and to the point/
Ce!e!ber that *o# want to leave the person *o# are calling with a
good i!pression of *o#/
&eave the date and ti!e *o# called in the !essage/ &et the person
know the best ti!e to call *o# back/
%over one topic in one !essage@ specif* what *o# want the recipient
to do/
'>
Mo(e Etiquette Tip#
'1
Su("i"'l Tool#
)here are specific "o!'bul'(%
+o()ul'# to #se to (e,u!e the
e)otion'l i)p'!t of diffic#lt callers
and !ethods that can t#rn a
stressf#l enco#nter into a positive
interaction/
Ene of the critical factors in
s#ccessf#l telephone
co!!#nication which bears
repeating is S "oi!e tone/
'2
P(o!ee, C'utiou#l%
Choo#e the (i*ht -o(, o(
ph('#e to send the best
!essage/
Le'(n ho- to #'% 8no8 in '
po#iti"e )'nne( b*
s#btracting 8Fot8 Words
and negative phrasing fro!
*o#r co!!#nication/ )he
end res#lt: callers who
#nderstand and accept *o#r
infor!ation !ore "#ickl*/
''
De'lin* 3ith Di++i!ult C'lle(#
What *o# sho#ld do is:
&isten witho#t interr#pting
Gather the facts and !ake a note of the!
)ake their details so *o# can get back to the!
$*!pathi1e with the! and offer to act as fast as *o#
can
Apologi1e if *o# have !ade the !istake
$ta* cal! even tho#gh the caller is angr* and possibl*
ab#sive/
'-
Th(ee M%th# 'bout
Stu,ent#.C'lle(#
9. Stu,ent# t(% to )'/e thin*# ,i++i!ult.
:. Stu,ent# li/e to !o)pl'in.
;. Stu,ent# e<pe!t the i)po##ible.
-/ Stu,ent# '(e ne"e( #'ti#+ie,.
'.
9= 3o(,# 'n, Ph('#e# Th't Keep
Stu,ent# Cool
Hello3 <2! sorr* to keep *o#
waiting/
Good !orning3 )hank *o# for waiting/
Please/ <t was nice talking with
*o#/
)hank *o#/ <s there an*thing else <
can do for *o#?
<2! ver* sorr*/ )hank *o# for co!ing in
Ior callingJ/
45c#se !e/ <t2s been a pleas#re to
serve *o#/
(o#2re welco!e/ <2d be happ* to do that for
*o#/
Ma* < help *o#? We appreciate *o#r
b#siness/
'7
A(e You Su(e You>(e
Un,e(#too,0
%heck *o#r presentation/ $peak distinctl* at a
!oderate pace, with eno#gh vol#!e to be heard
clearl*/
$ta* with *o#r caller/ Don2t give i!portant
infor!ation when the caller doesn2t appear to be
listening/
Use ever*da* lang#age/ When *o# !#st #se a
ter! callers !a* not #nderstand, e5plain it/
Cepeat, or spell o#t, infor!ation/
Ask for feedback/
4nco#rage "#estions/
'9
3h't To Do 3hen
You M'/e ' Mi#t'/e
(o# can recover fro! bl#nders and be a winner/ Here2s how:
Make things right/ (o#r first responsibilit* is to correct the !istake/
Apologi1e/ When *o# !ake a !istake, *o#2ll #s#all* gain stat#re b*
apologi1ing in a direct wa*/
&et the !atter rest/ Ene apolog* s#ffices/
&earn !ore abo#t operations/ <f *o# have to track down a goof, #se the
occasion to learn !ore abo#t the intricacies of *o#r depart!ent or ca!p#s
operations/
Ask if *o# can do so!ething else/ After resolving *o#r !istake, ask if *o#
can help in an* other wa*/
&et others know *o#2ve learned so!ething/ Ass#re those affected b* *o#r
error that it won2t happen again/ Oeep records/
Oeep a record of errors !ade, the ca#ses, and their sol#tions/ Ceview the
list of !istakes to prevent their rec#rrence/
':
99 Mo#t &(equent C'lle(
Co)pl'int#
9. 8The telephone (in*# +o( ' lon* ti)e be+o(e
it i# 'n#-e(e,.8
)r* to answer calls within ' rings/
:. 8The% pl'!e )e on hol, +o( #o)eti)e#, it
#ee)#, hou(#.8
<f *o# find *o#rself placing !an* calls on hold,
write down the na!e of the caller and a brief
description of what the* are calling abo#t/
';
99 Mo#t &(equent C'lle(
Co)pl'int# Cont6
;. 8The line i# bu#% +o( hou(# it #ee)#.8
)r* to keep calls short/
?. 8The% '(e "e(% (u,e 'n, *et o++en#i"e -hen
'#/e, thei( +ull n')e o( #o)eti)e# u#t -on>t
*i"e it.8
)r* to sta* pleasant/
@. 8The% let )e t'l/ on 'n, on onl% to (e'liAe
th't the%>(e not the pe(#on I #houl, be t'l/in*
to.8
Politel* interr#pt the caller if *o# are #nable to
help the!/
->
99 Mo#t &(equent C'lle(
Co)pl'int# Cont6
=. 8I+ I !'ll the -(on* ,ep'(t)ent +o( help, the% ,on>t
*i"e )e #u**e#tion# to -he(e I #houl, be !'llin*,
the% u#t #'%, >I ,on>t /no-, not ou( ,ep'(t)ent.>8
,re"#entl*, *o# will find that *o#r n#!ber is si!ilar to
another depart!ent on ca!p#s/ Cather than hanging #p
on a caller or sa*ing *o# don2t know, tr* to be helpf#l
Iwithin reasonJ/
B. 8The% ,on>t !le'(l% li#ten to )% nee,# be+o(e the%
t('n#+e( )e to the -(on* pe(#on.8
&isten to the caller caref#ll*3
C. 8So)eti)e# the% ,i#!onne!t )e -hile t('n#+e((in*
)% !'ll.8
8e caref#l when transferring a call/
-1
99 Mo#t &(equent C'lle(
Co)pl'int# Cont6
D. 8The% tol, )e to !'ll b'!/, but ne"e( *'"e )e '
n')e o( nu)be( o( ,i"i#ion to '#/ +o(.8
<f *o# tell a caller to call back later, tell the! which
n#!ber to call/
9E. 8The pe(#on #'%#, >3'it>, 'n, then t'l/# to othe( !oF
-o(/e(# -ithout puttin* )e on hol, #o th't I !'n>t
he'( thei( #)'ll t'l/.8
Use the hold b#tton3
99. 8The% 'n#-e( -ith 'n '**('"'te, "oi!e, '# i+ I
,i#tu(be, the) b% !'llin*.8
Ce!e!ber that st#dents are the reason there is a
college/
-2
B'ttlin* Bu(nout$
&i"e Su("i"'l Tip#
9. Ne"e( t'/e the -o(/ pe(#on'll%/ When st#dents co!plain, the*
are not co!plaining abo#t *o# personall*/
:. Don>t t'/e p(oble)# ho)e/ Give *o#r work co!plete attention
while *o# are 0on d#t*,0 b#t leave it there when *o# go ho!e at
night/
;. &in, -'%# to (e,u!e #t(e##/ (es, it has beco!e a clichT to
reco!!end e5ercise to red#ce stress/
?. 7et help +(o) othe(#/ Don2t let *o#rself feel isolated and alone/
@. Re)e)be( the 8*oo, ne-#/8 $t#dents #s#all* call with
proble!s, not praise/ 8#t don2t let that give *o# a warped
perspective of the world/
-'
&i"e 3'%# to A,, So)e &un to
You( 3o(/,'%
3o(/ in ' pe(/.
B(e'the. Se"e('l ti)e# ,u(in* the ,'%,
p'u#e +o( th(ee #lo-, ,eep, (el'<in*
b(e'th#.
Keep #t(e## (elie"e(# on h'n,.
Celeb('te #)'ll "i!to(ie#.
Re"ie- %ou( #u!!e##e# 't the en, o+
the ,'%. Thin/ 'bout -h't %ou ,i, -ell.
--
9E Tip# +o( Keepin* &(e#h 'n,
Cool Un,e( P(e##u(e
)ake brisk walks on *o#r break/
Post !otivational "#otes on *o#r phone or aro#nd *o#r workstation/
Get !ore sleep at night/
)ake breaks with positive coworkers/
$hare *o#r feelings abo#t work with friends and fa!il* !e!bers/
4at a health* l#nch/
&isten to !otivational tapes on *o#r wa* to work/
Make ti!e for *o#r hobbies/
Oeep a f#nn* pict#re near *o#r phone so *o# re!e!ber to s!ile/
Allow *o#rself one five !in#te phone call to a friend/
-.
At the En, o+ the D'%G.
At the end of the da*, spend a few !o!ents reflecting
En what *o# have acco!plished/ )all* #p the good
e5periences against the bad/
$#re, there are alwa*s angr* st#dents and those *o# can
never please/
8eca#se *o# are a professional, it2s nat#ral to re!e!ber
and be concerned abo#t the negative st#dent contacts *o#
e5perience/
(o# deserve to pat *o#rself on the back3