Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace: Verbal Communication Unit C: Developing Professional Telephone Skills

Objectives Explore professional telephone communication Place telephone calls Receive telephone calls Use voice mail Leave professional messages

Objectives Take calls for other people Screen, hold, and transfer calls Develop cell phone etiquette

Exploring Professional Telephone Communication In the workplace, you use the telephone to communicate with everyone with whom you have a professional relationship. The success of business relationships depends on your phone skills.

Exploring Professional Telephone Communication Guidelines for using the telephone in professional settings:   Use the telephone when appropriate   Identify yourself and your caller   Remember that you lose visual cues   Keep it positive and cheerful   Use technology effectively

Exploring Professional Telephone Communication Choosing phone calls or messages

Placing Telephone Calls Placing a call involves:   Accessing a dial tone, entering the phone number of the person you want to contact   Entering the phone number   Waiting while the recipient’s phone rings   Greeting the person who answers Respect others’ time Plan an agenda for the call

Placing Telephone Calls Guidelines for placing telephone calls:   Organize you call before you make it   Dial calls carefully   Let the telephone ring   Introduce yourself immediately   Follow up with the purpose of your call   Conclude your calls promptly

Receiving Telephone Calls The way you answer the phone makes an immediate impression. When answering the phone in the workplace, identify yourself to let callers know who they reached. Establish a friendly tone. Be responsive in general.

Receiving Telephone Calls Guidelines for receiving telephone calls:   Answer promptly with an appropriate greeting   Introduce yourself   Focus on your caller   Be prepared to talk   Don’t let the telephone interrupt you

Receiving Telephone Calls Be prepared to talk when you answer the phone

Using Voice Mail Businesses often use answering machines and voic systems to accept messages when you are unavailable. Voic systems connect telephones to computers that store messages.

Using Voice Mail Guidelines for using voice mail:   Record your own message   Keep your outgoing message short   Use a generic message for daily use   Add detail if you will be away for more than 24 hours   Check and return calls daily   Maintain your voic inbox

Leaving Professional Messages Leaving a professional message increases the likelihood that your call will be listened to and returned in a timely manner.

Leaving Professional Messages Guidelines for leaving a professional messages:   Speak slowly and clearly   Leave your name and telephone number   Make it easy for the other person to write down your message   Keep your messages short   Include the date and time that you called   Use basic courtesy

Taking Calls for Other People Remember that you are representing someone else and have an obligation to handle the call as professionally as you can.

Taking Calls for Other People Guidelines for taking calls for someone else:   Let the caller know who you are   Avoid sharing details   Take accurate messages   Keep the conversation brief and focused   Avoid the “in a meeting” excuse

Taking Calls for Other People Taking messages for others

Screening, Holding, and Transferring Calls In an organization, calls frequently need to be held or routed to someone else. In some cases, you might need to restrict transfers to certain callers and take messages from others, or screen calls. Screening is frequently used to avoid interrupting busy people.

Screening, Holding, and Transferring Calls Guidelines for screening, holding, and transferring calls:   Put callers on hold when you leave the line   Ask before holding   Check on callers frequently   Transfer calls carefully   Screen calls courteously

Screening, Holding, and Transferring Calls Handling phone calls

Developing Cell Phone Etiquette Over 4 billion people use cell phones. Cell phones demand a special set of guidelines so that you use them without disturbing others or distracting yourself.

Developing Cell Phone Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts of cell phone etiquette:   Follow the 10-foot rule   Be careful of “cell-yell”   Maintain confidentiality in public   Avoid loud and annoying ringtones   Turn off the phone   Don’t interrupt live conversations

Developing Cell Phone Etiquette Don’t let a cell phone interrupt a meeting

Voice over Internet Protocol Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows you to make phone calls using your high-speed Internet connection. Your voice travels across the Internet as data, similar to s. VoIP allows you to make long- distance phone calls for little or no cost. To use VoIP, you contract with a VoIP service provider.

Voice over Internet Protocol Considerations with VoIP:   Decrease long-distance expenses   Increase your mobility   Store voice mail   Consider connection quality   Protect against power failures

Summary Phone skills are critical to successful business relationships. Follow the guidelines for making telephone calls. Be courteous when receiving telephone calls. Voic systems take calls when you’re unavailable. Leave professional messages.

Summary Be professional when taking calls for others. Follow the guidelines for screening, holding, and transferring calls. Develop cell phone etiquette.

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