When working in customer service, as a receptionist and also in the private sphere, it is advantageous to know how to behave politely on the telephone. A friendly voice on the phone makes life in society more pleasant for everyone. Whatever the motivation, in everyday life it is useful to know the correct telephone etiquette.

 

Speak correctly

 

One of the most important aspects on the phone is clear pronunciation. As the other person cannot see your mouth movements and gestures, they have to rely solely on the interpretation of your words. You should therefore speak clearly and not too quickly.

Some people tend to speak louder than necessary on the phone. With today's technology, the person on the other end of the line receives the voice volume just as they would during a normal conversation, so there's no need to raise your voice. It is not only more pleasant for the person on the other end of the line, but also for those in the background of the person speaking, especially in the office. So it's important not to shout and to keep your voice polite and friendly.

 

Identify

 

Although the caller ID shows which line is calling, this does not mean that the other person knows who they are dealing with. So you have to tell them directly who you are talking to to avoid embarrassment.

When picking up the phone, it therefore makes sense to answer by name so that the caller knows who has answered the phone in the household.

 

Listen

 

It's not just about what you have to say yourself, you also have to listen to the other person without interrupting them. Don't just wait wordlessly until the other person has finished speaking, otherwise they will have to make sure that someone is still on the line. Therefore, react with small sounds or comments from time to time.

There may be a slight time delay in long-distance calls, so you should pause briefly after each sentence to give the other person a chance to say something.

 

 

Duration of the call

 

Please do not force the other person to talk for hours on end, as they may have a lot to do and be too polite to cut the call short. If you constantly talk on the phone for too long, you risk the other person not picking up the phone at all if they are afraid of being tied to the phone for a long time.

Although it is polite to start the conversation with phrases such as "how are you", you should get to the point quickly and succinctly and thus to the reason for the call. This is especially true for business calls.

 

Voicemail

 

If the call is forwarded to voicemail, you should first state your name and, if applicable, the company name and leave a short and precise message. Please avoid unnecessary chatter. To avoid complicated and confusing messages, you can prepare a message in advance.