ART OF

COMMUNICATION

HOW YOU COME

ACROSS ON
TELEPHONE ?
 Good communication skills enable one to become
effective both at home and the workplace.
Increasingly we notice the use of the phrase “should
have excellent communication skills” figuring
prominently as a fundamental requirement in all job-
related advertisements, whatever be the level of the
post.

 At a personal level, one often refers to “the

communication gap” when anticipated responses,
actions are not forthcoming. A study of the process
of communication and the relevant skills required is
the immediate need of a Customer Service and
serves as an indispensable asset in challenging
times.
 What is Communication.
 The word communication comes form the Latin word
“Communicate” which a means a sharing / exchanging
or transfer of ideas. Information or knowledge through
language, signs and symbols there are number of
factors which affect or influence the process of
communication (such as barriers and techniques)

 General communication is that which is evident in

social and extra professional circles. Business
communication or technical communication is a more
well defined aspect of general communication. In
keeping with the requirement of the Customer relation,
we shall focus on business or technical
communication, through typical situational context.
The Components of Communication
 The basic components of the communication
process are: sender, message, medium, receiver
and feedback, essentially the process requires the
interaction between two parties with the sender and
receiver changing roles when necessary.

 The process takes place within a common frame of

reference, i.e. a typical communication environment.
The message may sometimes get distorted by
barriers (semantic difficulties such as the language
used, level and appropriateness of the language,
the vocabulary or the way the receiver interprets the
message affect communication)
 Definition of communication
 Communication is a two – way process by
which meaningful information or
knowledge is exchanged between the
sender and the receiver through an
appropriate channel and medium, to
facilitate appropriate feedback. The
message is first encoded by using the
signs and appropriate language. Later it is
decoded by the receiver.
 Example of communication
Process
 The teacher (sender) discusses a subject
(information, message) with the students
(receiver) using appropriate language (medium)
in the classroom (channel ) and the students
respond (feedback).

 The word ‘medium’ and ‘channel’ are often

interchanged or confused. It is important to
remember that medium is the means, channel is
the route or method of access or the path.
 Who is the receiver of my message?
(Senior, Junior, Customer)
 What is the purpose of my message?
 Why am I communicating? To instruct,
inform, reports etc.
 What is my medium? (Oral, Written,
Visual, or combination)
 What is my channel (Direct like face to
face, or via media)
It is relevant to quote Rudyard Kipling in this
context:

“I Keep Six Honest Serving Men, they taught

me all I know. Their names are ‘What’ &’
Why’ & ‘When’ & ‘How’ & ‘Where’ & ‘Who”
 Importance of communication
 Effective communication skills are extremely important in
today’s demanding business scenario. Concise and
precise expression is the need, particularly for students
of management.

 Competence in communication is a requirement in an

environment where people with different backgrounds
and abilities work together. The quality of communication
is a source of motivation and can improve human
relations. It is a basic managerial skills that can enhance
the public relations and the image of a company. In
customer relation, the executive is enabled to interpret,
understand and express complex information lucidly by
following the 7 C’s of effective communication,
 7 C’s Of Effective Communication
 Clear: Simple and unambiguous language.
 Candid: Truthful information.
 Concise : Briefly expressed information.
 Concrete : Information based on facts expressed
though right word.
 Comprehensive : All relevant information given
 Complete : All the points of view considered
 Correct: Information checked for reliability.
 Communication Barriers
When there is a breakdown in
communication we can assume that it is
because of some barrier.

Barriers to effective communication can

occur at any stage of the communication
process. i.e. at the sender, the medium, the
channel or the receiver.
 The Sender
 The sender of a message can fail to communicate due to
two basic reasons, physical or psychological.

 Psychological barriers many times are manifestations of

individual personality, traits and a cautious person is
capable of overcoming these barriers.

(a) Indifference to the receiver :

A speaker giving a talk on a topic which is irrelevant to
the audience and is oblivious to the listener’s response
is indifferent to his receiver.

(b) Status Consciousness:

Inability to relate with people of lower or higher status
than oneself can be a barrier. The communication gap
which exists between the management and workers is
an example.
(c) Past Experience:
Unfavorable previous attempts at communication
can affect the sender’s self confidence while
communicating, e.g. if a student is ridiculed by the
teacher in the classroom, the student will be less
inclined to get a doubt cleared the next time.
Barrier at the sender’s level can also be due to the
medium chosen, i.e. lack of command over
language, which is discussed in the next section.

(d) Unclarified Assumption:

When the sender assumes the receiver to possess
some knowledge or skill or motive, there is a break
in communication. E.g. a technical person
communicating to a non –technical group using
jargon.
 Inappropriate Medium
Barriers can occur at the second stage of the communication process i.e.
when the message is transmitted to the receiver through a medium,

(a) Language : Language is a barrier when

 Sender and receiver are not familiar with each other’s language.
 Sender uses difficult or vague word, or words which can have
different meanings
 There is a problem with the pronunciation and tone of the
speaker e.g. influence of mother tongue while speaking English.
 Speaker’s non-verbal mannerisms are distracting.

(b) Timings :
Message has to be timed properly - a message given too early or
too later will be useless. E.g. a student’s sincere effort to improve
should be praised at the appropriate time.
(c) Noise :
Effective oral communication can be hindered due to
external noises, e.g. a noisy factory or crowded gymnasium.

(d) Choice of Medium :

Many times a well convinced message fails to reach to
receiver due to the wrong choice of medium. The
communication barriers occur, e.g. a manager, instead of
issuing memo to a habitually late employee, can talk to find
out the problem and thus be more effective.

Barriers because of improper medium also exist when certain

codes, signals, symbols etc. are not

properly decoded, e.g. a wrongly given telegraph code.

 The Receiver
(a) Inattentiveness :
Listeners’ inattentiveness may be because of faulty listening,
preoccupied mind, disinterest in the topic or physical fatigue, e.g. if it is
announced that the result of semester exams will be declared during
the lunch recess, the attentiveness during the pre-lunch session may
be low.

(b) Attitude :
(i) Bias :
If we like a person we are receptive to what he says, similarly a
disliked person can never do or may anything right.
(ii) Ego :
Receivers’ ego or exaggerated feeling of self worth will result
in a close mind, blocking communication channels.
(iii) Selective Listening :
Receivers listen to what they like to care to hear.
(iv) Premature Evaluation :
A speaker is evaluated on the basis of his appearance, during
the first five minutes of the talk.
 Oral Communication
Oral communication is a form of verbal communication and has
several advantages.

 Good intonation helps to express the meaning correctly.

 Personal or individual issue may be sorted out.

 Immediate feedback or response is possible.

 Helps communicate effectively with small groups of people.

 Idea for access to illiterates.

 There is no problem of storage.

 Repetition can be used for emphasis.

 From a legal point of view, it has little value as there is
no permanent record.
 For long distance communication, it is difficult to use it
without access to telephone or other instruments.
 Lengthy communication of an official nature is not
feasible through oral communication.
 Revision and review are difficult.
 It is difficult to trace responsibility.

We may infer that whatever is a disadvantage in oral

communication is a possible advantage in written
communication. Further, when a large amount of
information has to be conveyed, the written form is
preferred, as it allows the reader to digest the
information at leisure.
 TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATON

Ways of improving communication

A - As a sender
 When composing message, decide what action or response
you want Choose the language or combination of
written/spoken/non-verbal communication most suitable for
the type of communication.
 Select proper medium.
 Be precise and clear, avoid being vague and ambiguous.
 Check for feedback.

B - As a Receiver
 Give message full attention
 Check that the medium suits your needs : tactfully give hints if
it is inappropriate.
 Ensure full comprehension : Ask for explanation if necessary.
 Ensure full comprehension : To give appropriate feedback.
C – How to be good speaker.

 Take deep breath before starting.

 Think yourself clear, picture the receiver what do you really wish to say and in
what sequence? What is the feedback you desired?
 Rehearse the speech and time it.
 Speak clearly : Audibility is important. Just the distance from the receiver and
adjust the volume of your speech.
 Practice good articulation, i.e. the words. Your direction must be clear and
distinguishable. Pronounce and stress the words properly.
 Use the tone appropriate to the communication situation and vary it to avoid
monotony. Be interested and enthusiastic in your tone.
 Maintain eye contact with your listeners.
 Be thoroughly aware of your subject.
 Read to be well informed.
 Be aware of your body language.

 If making a formal speech.

(a) Have good beginning and conclusion.
(b) Make your speech interesting.
(C) Be relevant.
(d) Anticipate feedback and be prepared for it.
D – How to be good Listener

 Concentrate on the message.

 Make a conscious efforts to listen.
 Maintain eye contact with speaker.
 Through proper posture and gesture
increase the speakers’ sense of being
heard and accepted.
 How you come across on the telephone

Do you know the proper way to answer a home phone?

An office phone? How do you place a business call?
What's the best method of cutting off a long-winded
caller? Learn the answers to these and other questions
about what has be­comecome our most-used form of
communication.
 Talk on Telephone
When you talk on the telephone, in your home or in an office, the quality
of your voice and your ability to express yourself clearly and concisely
are very important.
The person at the other end of the line cannot see your facial
expressions or gestures, and the impression he receives must depend
entirely on what he hears.
The telephone is designed to carry your voice at its natural volume and
pitch. It is not necessary to shout. In fact, raising your voice, espe­cially
during a long-distance call, will only distort it.
The telephone mouthpiece should be held about one inch from your lips
and the ear­piece close to your ear.
Speak clearly and distinctly, with the same in­flections that you would
use in a face-to-face conversation.
If you must put the telephone down during the conversation, do it gently,
and when you hang up, do not slam the receiver down.
The person at the other end may still have the phone close to his ear,
and the sudden sharp bang can be deafening.
The correct way to answer a home telephone is still "Hello."
"Yes" is abrupt and a bit rude, but "This is‘ Mrs. Jones's
house" leaves the door standing open wide, and "Mrs. Jones
speaking“ leaves her without chance of retreat.
This is not nonsense. It is a really important aspect of
modern tele­phone technique. In all big cities telephones are
rung so persistently by every type of stranger who wants to
sell something to Mrs. House­holder, to ask a favor of Mrs.
Prominent, or to get in touch with Mr. Official (having failed to
reach him at his office) that many people are obliged to,
keep their personal telephone numbers unlisted.
The last thing that they want to do, therefore, is to
announce, "Miss Star speak­ing." It is far more practical to
say "Hello" and let the one calling ask, "Is Miss Star there?
Mr. Director would like to speak to her." If she her­self
answers, she simply says, "Yes, this is Miss Star speaking."
 "WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE?"
 When the telephone in the home is answered by someone other than
the head of the household, the response to "May I speak to Mrs.
Brown, please?" is usually "Just a moment, please." But if Mrs. Brown
has told the maid, or a child, that she is very busy and cannot take any
calls, the one who answers is correct in saying, "Mrs. Brown can't
come to the phone just now; may I have your name, and she will call
you as soon as she can.“
 If the caller should say, "I want to speak to Mrs. Brown personally,"
whoever has answered replies, "I'm sorry, but I can't interrupt Mrs.
Brown. May I give her a message?" If the caller still refuses to leave a
message or give his name, he can hardly expect Mrs. Brown to speak
to him.
 Some women instruct their maids or their children to ask, "Who is
calling, please?" so that they are prepared when they reach the tele­
phone. However, others feel that this gives an impression of prying and
may prefer "Just a moment, please.“

 When a woman is alone in the house, she definitely should ask "Who
is calling?" before giving out any information as to her husband's
whereabouts or return. This is not only correct-it's a necessary safety
precaution.
 Whether to give. your name with or without title is a frequent ques­tion.
When talking with strangers, titles are always used, but in other
situations usage may vary.

 The following rules hold good: An older person announcing herself or

himself to someone much younger says, "This is Mrs. Elder" or "Miss
Senior" or "Mr. Elder.“

 A younger lady, whether married or single, says, "This is Marie

Manners." To an older woman whom she knows socially she says,
"Hello,
 Mrs. Knox? This is Mary Bailey." Mrs. Knox answers, "Good morning,
Mrs. Bailey!" (Or "Mary," if she knows her well. )

 A gentleman calling a lady never, under any circumstances,

announces himself to her as "Mr. Smart." Instead, if the call is social,
he says, "This is George Smart.”

 If you are a young man calling a friend and the answering voice is that
of a friend or a member of the friend's family, you say, "This is Jim
Brown," or probably "This is Jim." If the voice is unfamiliar, you say,
"This is Mr. James Brown. May I speak to Mr. Allen Gray?" or if the
friend is the only man in the house, "to Mr. Gray.“
 Invitations by Telephone

When Mrs. Jones issues an invitation by telephone, there is no

long con­versation, but merely:
Mrs. Jones: "Is that you Sally? This is Helen Jones." (If she is
much older than Sally, she would say "This is Mrs. Jones.")
"Could you and your husband (or John) dine with us next
Tuesday?”
Sally: "I'm sorry we can't. We are going to the theater Tuesday
night," or "We'd love to." And probably she repeats "Next
Tuesday at eight" to be sure there is no misunderstanding of
date or time.
Before hanging up, she would add, "Thanks so much," or "We
look forward to it.“
 It is not correct to preface an invitation with, "Hello, John. What are
you doing Saturday night?" or, "Are you going to be busy Monday
afternoon?" This maneuver puts John in the embarrassing position
of saying "Nothing" and then wanting to refuse after being told that
he is expected to dine with the Borings or to play bridge with the
Revokes. On the other hand, if he answers, "I have an
engagement" and is then told that he would have been invited to
something he likes very much, it is disappointing not to be able to
go-without seeming rude to the person he has at first refused. A
young woman who says she has an en­gagement and is then told,
"Too bad you can't come, because John Bril­liant was looking
forward to meeting you," cannot change her mind and say, "Oh,
then I'll get out of my“ dinner somehow and come." To do so would
be the height of rudeness to all concerned
 In responding to a telephone invitation, it is very rude to say, ‘Let
you know," unless it is immediately followed by an explanation
such as ‘I ll have to ask John if he has made any commitments for
that week­end," or "We have tickets for the high school play for that
night, but perhaps I can exchange them for two on Friday." Without
this sort of definite reason, "I'll let you know" sounds as if you were
waiting for a better invitation to come along before saying Yes.
 Ending Telephone Calls
 Under ordinary circumstances, the one who makes the
call is the one who ends it. This is not a matter of great
importance, but it is helpful to know if a call seems to be
dragging on and getting nowhere. The caller simply says,
''I'm so glad I reached you-we'll be looking forward to
seeing you on the seventh. Good-by," or any appropriate
remark.

 We have all been trapped on the telephone by a long-

winded caller-a determined salesman, perhaps, or a
loquacious friend. When you have made several tentative
efforts to end the conversation, which have been
completely ignored, you may take more aggressive
measures. At the first pause, or even interrupting if
necessary, you may say, "I’m terribly sorry, but I simply
must hang up-the baby's crying," or "My bath is running
over," or even, ''I'm late for an appointment now.“
 Another occasion on which a call should be ended
quickly is when the person who receives it has a
visitor-either in a business office or at home. It is
very inconsiderate to carryon a long chat while your
visitor tries to occupy the time and avoid listening to
your conversation. When you answer the phone and
find it is not a call which will be over in a moment or
two, you should postpone it for a more convenient
time. At home you might say, "Joan just dropped in
for a visit, so may I call you back in a little while?"
The businessman could say, "I have a customer
with me at the moment. If you will give me your
number, I'll call you back when I am free.".

 In either case, be sure that you do return the call as

soon as you can.
 Three important don'ts
 When you get a wrong number, don't ask, "What
number is this?" Ask instead, "Is this Main 2-3456?"
so that you can look it up again or dial more
carefully the next time.

 Don't answer and then say, "Wait a minute" and

keep the caller wait­ing while you vanish on an
errand of your own. If the doorbell is ring­ing and
you can't listen at that moment, say I’ll call you back
in a few minutes!" And do so.

 Don't let too young a child answer the telephone. A

lot of the caller's time is wasted trying to make the
child understand a message and relay it to the right
person. If there is a long silence, there is no way of
know­ing whether the child is hunting for Mother or
playing. with his dog.
 The Business Telephone
 When telephone calls go through a switchboard, the operator often
answers the ring by giving the name of the company. Some firms,
however, feel that a more friendly impression is made on the caller
by the greeting "ABC Company, good morning," or "Good
afternoon, ABC Company.”

 When the call goes directly through to an office or has been trans­
ferred by the switchboard operator, the person answering should
iden­tify himself and his department: "Mr. Hugo, accounting
department“ If a secretary answers she should give her employer's
name as well as her own: "Mr. Carlson's office, Miss Norton
speaking." If her employer is not in, or if she wishes to protect him
from unnecessary calls, she should then offer to help the caller if
she can, or if not, take a message: "He's not available at the
moment. May I take a message?" or "He's out of the office just now.
May I have him call you?" or "He's attending a meeting this
morning. Could I help you?" If he is in his office,. she asks, "May I
tell him who is calling?" Any of these phrases should elicit the
necessary information without the abruptness of "Who's calling?"
But if the caller is evasive, you may have to ask for his name more
directly. "Who is calling, please?" is sometimes necessary.
 PLACING A BUSINESS CALL
 When placing a call, be sure that you have the correct
number. Next to all business phones there should be a list
of the numbers frequently called.
 As soon as your call is answered, you must identify
yourself; and un­less the person you are calling knows you
well, you must also name your organization. "This is Mr.
Kramer of the Hobbs Company. May I speak to Mr.
Hughes?“
 It is not correct for a salesman to announce himself as
Sam Sales to the operator or secretary who answers. He
says, "This is Mr. Sales of the Blank Company." But when
he reaches the person he is calling, he omits the "Mr." and
uses "Sam“
 Similarly, a young woman in business says, "This is Miss
Caesar of the Wheel Tire Company," and with the person
she is calling uses" Jane Caesar.“
 All names must be given as briefly but as explicitly and
as clearly as is humanly possible.
 The most discourteous telephone habit .is that of the
businessman who tells his secretary to call Mr. Jones
and then is not waiting to take the call. For example, the
secretary dials the number; a voice an­nounces, "A. B.
Jones Company"; the secretary says, "Mr. Frank Brown
is calling Mr. Jones." Promptly Mr. Jones says, "Hello,
Frank," but in­stead of hearing Frank's voice, he hears a
secretary explain, "Mr. Brown is busy on another wire.
He'll be with you in a moment." Mr. Jones listens good-
temperedly a few seconds-and less patiently for more
sec­onds. Mr. Brown is evidently unaware that seconds
seem minutes to a busy person listening to a dead
receiver.
 The correct form for a wife calling her husband at his
office is, "This is Mrs. Jones; is Mr. Jones in?"
 Long-distance calls
 When making a long-distance call, remember not
to shout-amplifiers on the circuits will step up your
voice all the way. On some overseas calls, it is
also important to wait for the other person to finish
speaking before you start. It can be a one-way-at-
a-time circuit, and if both speak at once, both are
shut off until one or the other stops talking. Keep
on the tip of your tongue what you have to say,
and say it promptly. If you have several things to
say, write them down and read them off.
 YOUR GOAL - GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
 Good customer service is more than just smiling at people or being very
friendly on the phone. It is a total commitment to excellent service by each
team member.
 To provide effective Customer Service we must -
 Be enthusiastic
 Be part of a team
 Smile - face to face and while on the telephone
 Keep promises - follow up requests
 Listen to customers - have regard for their feelings
 Let the customer know you are listening
 Take the time to show you are prepared to listen and try to answer with care
 Answer telephones promptly and within three (3) rings
 Say, “May I help you?” after proper greetings rather than “Hello, tell me”.
 Good customer service is achieved when it appears you are doing it with
little effort. You will never gain satisfaction from letting customers know that
it is difficult to meet their requirements.
 Customer service is NOT about being perfect, it is about striving to satisfy
the customer’s needs.
 HELP DESK TELEPHONE ETIQUETTES
DO’S

 Some Good telephone habits:

 Treat every call and caller as important. Be attentive.
Don’t be distracted by work on your desk. It will reflect in
your voice.
 Answer the phone with a smile; it actually does help
convey a cheerful attitude. Answer every phone call
promptly by the second or maximum third ring.
 Do not eat, chew gum and munch while talking.
 Keep your message pad and pen handy.
 Be current on the information. It helps filling in the caller
promptly.
 Personalize your conversation by using the caller’s name;
 For e.g. “Yes, Mr. Vishwas. I ‘ll fax or courier,” or ‘Thank
you for calling, Ms. Nandita.”
 When taking messages for another person,
make complete notes:
 The caller’s full name, spelled correctly (ask for
correct spelling if in doubt)
 The caller’s department, institution, agency or
firm.
 The caller’s telephone number (include area
code)
 The purpose of the call.
 The date and time call was taken.
 Your initials.
 If you need to put the caller on hold, ask before
you do so. Some callers would rather try calling
again.
 When you have several incoming calls simultaneously,
Handle the situation in the following manner:
 Ask someone if available in vicinity to help you
answering one of the calls.
 Calmly excuse yourself: “Good morning. May I put you
on hold for a moment while I answer the other phone?
 Put them on hold.
 Answer the other call and ask them if you may put
them on hold. Return promptly to the original call
Saying ” thanks for being on line Mr. Rajesh”. If it will
be longer than one or two minutes, ask if you can
return the call.
 When you need to transfer a call to a colleague, Take
the caller’s name and notify the colleague so that
he/she can be ready to speak.
 Be tactful when co-workers are away from the
office. Say, “he/she is away from his desk
(office) now. May I take a message?” rather
“he/she is out for lunch,” “gone for a break.”
 Be a good listener: make notes while talking on
the phone. If you are going to put a caller on
hold, make a note of talk.
 Avoid technical expressions and acronyms,
which may confuse the caller.
 Use business like phrases instead of slang. Say
“Yes,” “Certainly” and “of course,” instead of
“OK”, “Yeah,” and “Uh-huh.
 When making calls, identify yourself and the
office. “This is Preeti from Customer service –
Health India”
 It is courteous to let the caller hang up first.
 APPROPRIATE GREETINGS
 “Good morning, this is Preeti from
Customer Service “May I help you?”
 “Good afternoon, Health India Customer
service, Preeti speaking.”
 Welcome to Health India, This is Preeti
May I help you?
 MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON
PHONE
1. Project a sincere quality over the phone.
 Use natural vocabulary and tone of voice.
 Keep your voice clear and tone bright.
 Avoid extravagant claims, obvious exaggerations.
 Relate what you are saying, to the caller’s need.

2. Project a friendly quality.

 Use tone and manner that are warm and cordial.
 Smile; identify yourself, as well as the caller, with warmth
and interest.
 Do not be very formal or inflexible.
 Do not rush.
 Be attentive & Listen carefully.
 Respond to what the caller says.
 Be courteous.
3. Project responsiveness.
 Answer the caller’s questions.
 Get your facts straight by checking with the
caller. Ask questions.
 Do not sound as if you are reading something
or saying it from notes.
 Always listen to what you are saying and
what it means, especially to the caller.
 Do not speed or rush over points familiar to
you, but unfamiliar to the caller.
 Avoid soft, low pitch speech.
4. Don’t be mechanical?
 Watch against a tired tone of voice, giving the
impression of someone bored with doing the same job
again and again.
 Vary your phrasing from call to call
 Practice saying the same thing in different ways.

The mechanical skills that will make you a

professional.
 Answer the phone before or during the second ring.
 Hold the mouthpiece about an inch from your lips.
 Never slam the receiver down.
 Let the caller hang up first.
 CHEERFUL ON TELEPHONE

 Creating the Right Impression – Initial Contact

 Few people in business want to be rude and ill
mannered, yet it is all too easy on the telephone to
sound as if you are, even without intending to. How do
we convey the right impression of friendly helpfulness?
 Three things convey a Cheerful, Helpful image on the
telephone:
• Our attitude
• Our voice
• Our words
 This applies throughout the call, though at the Initial
Contact it is more important.
 RIGHT ATTITUDE ON PHONE
 A customer service professional should watch
the following to convey the right attitude on
phone.

Your Attitude
 Answer promptly.
 Identify yourself with your organization.
 Sound friendly and interested.
 Get/use caller’s name.
 Listen attentively.
Your Voice
 Smile in voice.
 Speak clearly and distinctly.
 Vary voice.
 Hold mouthpiece near mouth!

Yours Words
 Courteous words and phrases.
 Avoid emotive words.
 Plain words – no jargon.

Let us discuss these three needs in detail.

 ATTITUDE
 Answer promptly. “Answer before the third
ring.” Think how you hate to be kept waiting. A
prompt reply helps get things off to a good
start.
 Answer the call with name of your department
and your own name so the caller knows who is
he talking to.
 Get your caller’s name – and use it during the
conversation. If the caller does not give his
name, ask “who’s speaking/calling please?” –
not the curt “Who’s /that?”
 Treat your caller as though he is in front of
you. That way you are less likely to do
something that may seem rude.
 VOICE
 Try and vary your voice. Do not talk in a flat monotone with the
same emphasis on all words. Stress some of words in a
sentence.

 Say to yourself “Thank you very much” without emphasizing any

of the words. Now say it again and stress the word “very”. Hear
the difference? The second version is much more alive, isn’t it?
You can do it by adding a little bit of enthusiasm to your work

 Try and keep a ‘smile’ in your voice. It goes a long way to put the
caller in a good frame of mind. At times it is hard to keep that
smile. For e.g. if you are annoyed for some reason, pause and
take a deep breath, try to relax before you answer your next call.
That way your annoyance will be less likely to show in your voice.

 Speak clearly and distinctly. The caller should not struggle to hear
your voice. be sure to form your words properly before you speak.

 Hold the telephone mouthpiece near your mouth otherwise your

care over the previous pointers on your voice will be wasted. Your
caller will not hear you!
 WORDS

 Use courteous words and phrases. It is all too

easy to use the wrong words and sound
abrupt. “May I ask you to note down our
address?” sounds much better over the
telephone than “You’ll have write down our
address”.
 Avoid ‘emotive’ words. For example, “you
failed to intimate us within 24 hrs”.
 “Failed” is a very emotive word and there are
nearly always alternative words or phrases
available.
 3.Use plain, simple words as much as
possible. Don’t confuse your caller with
technical jargon.
 LISTENING
 A customer service professional also needs to be a good listener.
Listening attentively to the customer helps you to understand his/her
needs and guide you to satisfy the same.
 Callers will:
 - Make statements
 - Offer objections, and
 - Ask questions
 You will:
 Hear what you want to
 Hear what you expect to
 Rather try this:
 - Ask questions to determine NEED.
 - Select a course of ACTION and make specific statements.
 Remain POSITIVE & SERVICE oriented.
SOME REASONS WHY PEOPLE FAIL TO
LISTEN
 They anticipate what is going to be said and switch off.
 They are planning what to say when it’s their turn.
 They may be tired or worried i.e. not able to concentrate
 They can’t hear or they find the speaker’s voice dull and
monotonous.
 The conversation is too complex or difficult to follow.
 The speaker lacks credibility and confidence.
 Uncomfortable office environment & external distractions
 Feeling hungry or feeling sleepy (after lunch)
 The Telephone Courtesy Test
If it interests you to know how good your telephone manners my be, the
number of times you can answer “Yes” to the following questions will
give you your rating. If every one is “Yes,” you deserve not merely a
crown but a halo!

1. Do you make sure of the correct number so as not to risk disturbing

strangers by “Calling from memory”?

2. Do you make sure that your conversations with busy people are as
brief as possible?

3. When calling intimate friends who do not recognize your voice, do

you resist playing a game of “guess who?” and announce yourself
promptly?

4. Do you try to time your calls so as not to interfere with the

occupations of those you call most often?
5. Do you make business calls well before the close of office hours,
especially if you are calling a person whom you know is a commuter?

6. In a business office, do you explain to personal friends inclined to talk at

length that you will call them after hours?

7. Do you treat wrong-number calls as a mutual inconvenience and answer.

“Sorry, wrong number,” in a tone of polite sympathy instead of showing ill-
tempered annoyance?

8. On a dial telephone, do you always wait for the dial tone?

9. When the number you are calling is not answered quickly, do you wait
long enough for someone to lay aside what he or she may be doing and
to reach the telephone? It is very annoying to have been disturbed just to
pick up the telephone and find the caller has hung up.

10. When making a number of calls on a party line, do you space them so
that others on the line may have a chance to use their telephones?
 How you come across on the phone
Answer the following True or False :
1. A person calling a business office should announce
himself to the secretary as “Mr. Hook of Brown and
Smith,” and when he gets the person he wants say,
“This is Bryce Hook.”
2. A housewife properly answers the phone, “Sally Silt
speaking.”
3. It is improper to ask a caller to identify himself before
answering his questions.
4. An older person calling a younger person introduces
himself with his full name, “Wally Troll calling.”
5. A woman who introduces herself as Mary Smith should
not be addressed by the person she introduces herself
to as “Marry.”
6. It is a good idea to being an invitation by checking a
person’s availability : “What are you doing Friday night?”
7. A person who gets a wrong number should apologize
and say, “What number is this?”
8. It is never acceptable to end a conversation until the
caller terminates it.
9. Democratic practice calls for introducing yourself to
whoever answers the phone by your first name : “this is
Jake Freely calling.”
10. Because of the need for efficiency in offices it is
permissible for a person to initiate a call on a second line
after he has put in a call on the first line and to ask the
person to “please wait a minute.”
11. Women do not refer to themselves as Miss or Mrs.,
when using their full name : “This is Miss Mary Smith.”
“This is Mrs. Eve Adams.”
12. When receiving a telephoned invitation it is proper to
reply, “I’ll let you know,” before committing yourself, in
case something better turns up.
13. An invitation should be preceded by a lengthy
conversation.
14. As a simple precaution a housewife does not identify
herself upon answering the phone.
15. Friends have an obligations to recognize your voice
immediately so it is not necessary to identify yourself
when phoning.