Good service over the phone means putting common courtesy into common practice. All it takes is practice, practice — and more practice. Follow these 10 tips from Preston Diamond to improve your phone manners.
When Alexander Graham Bell first invented the telephone (Greek for “far sound”) in 1876, financiers weren't eager to invest in it. His Bell Telephone Company was so desperate for cash that it offered to sell all patents to Western Union for $100,000. However, Western Union considered the telephone an “electrical toy” and refused.
Imagine this scenario: The phone is ringing at Alexander Graham Bell's office. “Ring, ring.” Voice: “You've reached A.G. Bell's office. If you know A.G.'s extension, enter it now. If you want Watson, press 3, if you're using a rotary dial phone, hang on, we'll be right with you.”
If this had been going on since 1876, would we be used to it? Would you like it any more?
I usually answer the phone “Pres Diamond.” One time, there was silence. When I said, “Pres Diamond, how may I help you?” The voice on the other end finally replied, “I was looking for a diamond to press on my keypad. I couldn't find one, so I didn't know what to do.” Hmmm.
But, now to 10 tips on phone courtesy:
- Always give the caller an opportunity to bypass your message. “Please press pound now to skip the rest of this message.”
- Provide an e-mail option. “Instead of leaving a message, you can send an e-mail to: [email protected].”
- If you screen calls, train the screener so that no “thinking” takes place during calls. The words that flow are from practice, practice, practice — pre-approved so that you know the words to build the image you want.
- Ask others to call your agency to make sure that what you want to happen, happens.
- Do phone courtesy training each working day and review the basics at every staff meeting.
- Ignorance isn't an option. The receptionist should always know who and who isn't available.
- If the person called is in a meeting, use this message: “Pres is in a meeting that will end at 11. May I interrupt him for you or transfer you to his voice mail and he will return the call after the meeting, or transfer you to Jill, who works with Pres?” (Jill must be off the phone and available).
- If the person called is on the phone, use this message. “Pres is on the phone. May I transfer you to his voice mail or to Jill who works with Pres on all calls when Pres isn't available?”
- Offer the option you want the caller to take at the end of the message. It's the one that callers will choose most often.
- Have your secretary check your voice mail hourly. If they know you can't return a call at the appointed or promised time, they can make these calls for you.