Business Telephone Etiquette

The telephone has become an indispensable tool in businesses today. Cell phone technology is rapidly changing. It is imperative to know all the rules while talking on a phone for business purposes. Business telephone etiquette should be taught to all members of the organization. This will leave a good impression of your organization on both the callers and the called.

When you pick up the phone, greet the person depending on the time of the day. While calling you should introduce yourself and give the name of your organization if you are working in one. Use short phrases and simple words while talking on the phone. Long-winding sentences will lead to disinterest and poor comprehension in listeners. Avoid the use of casual words and slang. Sales people could call you. It is not compulsory to hear out an entire sales pitch. One can ask the salesperson's name and business and politely express disinterest in the business or products. Further you can request your number to be removed from the calling list.

Proper customer service is an integral part of telephone etiquette. There should be screening of calls by possibly the receptionist before forwarding it to the concerned person. There should be facility to leave a voice message on the phone if the person is not able to take the call at that particular time. If the phone gets disconnected due to some reasons then instead of waiting for the call, callback the person right away. You should avoid multitasking like handling different phone calls at one time. There should be proper scripts for inbound and outbound calls.

If you dial a number that is wrong, apologize promptly and disconnect. One ought to dial carefully and in proper lighting to avoid calling a wrong number and causing inconvenience to others. Etiquette demands that both the caller and receiver should write down information when required. Before making a call or taking one, be sure to have something to write upon. In case the conversation is confidential you should speak from a private room where no one else is present. In case this option is not available speak softly and at the volume not audible to neighboring colleagues. Ideally you should not put a person on hold. You ought to ask permission before putting the person on hold. Unauthorized persons should not be permitted to use the phone. This may have a detrimental effect on the reputation of your organization.

You should never eat food or chew gum while talking on the phone. It causes unpleasant sounds and could possibly irritate the user. Do not talk on the phone while driving. This is not only dangerous but will also divide your attention. Speak softly. Make sure the volume of the phone is not very high as well as speech should be able to be distinctly heard. The correct way to answer the telephone is 'hello'. Simply answering "yes" is an inappropriate and terse response.

You should never be rude to a caller no matter whatever provocation. You should always conduct yourself in a professional business like manner. Speak clearly and slowly when taking a business call. You should not mumble or have slurred speech. Keep phone calls brief and friendly. You ought to be mindful of different time zones. Try to call during the day as far as possible. Calls before 9am and after 9pm should be avoided. You should also be careful in calls where cultural differences come by. Complimentary words and phrases may be considered derogatory in other cultures.

Finally following good business telephone is the responsibility of every person in the organization. These are simple and effective but inexpensive methods to enhance the image of your organization.