Phone Techniques - Part 2

Following on from part 1, here are some suggestions for improving your skills -

Your Voice

• Clarity - It is important you speak clearly

• Friendliness - The warmth and friendliness in your voice will make a
lasting impression. The reverse is also true

• Speed - Slow your speech rate down a little. Do this particularly if
you are under pressure

• Pitch - Learn to vary the pitch so that your voice sounds
interesting and not flat

• Mouthpiece - Do not hook the phone under your chin. It makes you
sound like Donald Duck


What you say

• Answering - Use the company approved response. This is normally
“Good morning/afternoon, company name, how may I
help you?”

• Planning - Plan your outgoing calls by listing points to be covered.
Plan your sales presentation before you pick up the
phone

• Summarising - Always summarise the main points you have covered at
the end of the call

• Customer’s - Get the customer’s name and use it.


• Your Name - Make sure the customer has your name so they know
who to ask for if they need to ring back


Organisation

• Be tidy. Have the phone where you can get at it easily

• Block off lines you can’t handle

• Create diary entries, use a message book for messages and pass them promptly
to colleagues

• Use the hold facility – do not leave lines open

• Have a list of other departments’ numbers handy in case you need to pass them
on