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Good
manners are good for business, while great manners can set you apart.
If you're under stress or in a hurry, it's easy to let your guard
down and fail to observe the basics. But if you take a deep breath
before you call, good manners can actually get you the results you
want - faster. Here's a rundown of some quick tips to brush up on
your phone manners and phone style.
Phone
strategy
- Treat
the call as if it were a meeting - have a purpose, and an agenda.
- Decide
what you'll do if someone answers other than the person you're
calling. Would you prefer to leave a message, go to voice mail,
or call back later?
- If
you're on a scheduled call, be at your desk at the appointed time.
- Learn
the names of the people who answer the phones at the numbers you
call most frequently. Speak pleasantly to them, and if you talk
to them very frequently, send them a card or gift on their birthday
or over the holidays.
Do's
and don'ts
- Don't
type or shuffle papers while you're on the phone - it suggests
that you're not listening to the caller.
- If
you have to put the phone down, do it gently to spare your caller's
ear.
- Rid
your mouth of food, gum, cough drops, or candy before talking
on the phone - the receiver amplifies your noshing.
- If
you have to sneeze or cough, turn your head and cover your mouth
- and the receiver.
- Speak
directly into the receiver - don't bury it in your shoulder or
neck.
- If
you dial the wrong number, explain yourself and verify the phone
number so you don't repeat the call. Don't hang up; that's just
rude.
- Cut
down on the background noise when taking or making a call. Radios,
televisions, and even computer bings and bleeps can be distracting
over the phone.
Taking
messages
- Record
the time and date the call came in.
- Verify
the caller's name, company name, and phone number.
- Initialize
the message, so if the person who received the message has any
questions, he or she can contact you.
- Get
a short statement about the caller's intent.
-
Regina M. Robo, News Editor
Resources
and related reading
Letitia Baldridge - Amy
Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette
Judith Martin - Miss
Manners Guide for the Turn of the Millennium
Peggy Post - Emily
Post's Etiquette
Peggy Post and Peter Post - The
Etiquette Advantage in Business
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