23 June, 2016

06 OUMH2203_TOPIC 2 BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS

TOPIC 2 BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS

06 OUMH2203_topic02

LEARNING OUTCOMES



By the end of this topic, you should be able to:



1.   Communicate     effectively  on  the  telephone  by  answering  business

calls and handling enquiries in a positive and professional manner;



2.   Give accurate information, and leave or take messages by phone; and



3.   State   the   common   dos   and   donÊts   when   using   the   telephone   at   the

workplace.



INTRODUCTION



This topic aims to equip you with the basic telephone skills that are essential to

ensure   smooth   work   flow   at   the   workplace.   Very   often,   the   telephone   is   the

companyÊs first line of contact with a client. As such, it is imperative that all staff

be trained in basic telephone etiquette so that favourable impressions are created,

right from the first phone call. The different aspects of making effective business

telephone   calls   pre-call   preparations,   call-answering   techniques,   and   ways   to

take and leave messages  are highlighted. You will also be exposed to common

dos and donÊts when making business calls, together with activities and exercises

that will help you get used to the language structures commonly used in making

formal calls.



2.1    GETTING READY



Look at Figure 2.1 below. What do you think the two people are saying to each

other? Can you guess what the problems are and how problems like these can be

avoided?



Figure 2.1: Pre-call planning prevents miscommunication

Source: Sweeney, S. (2000). Communicating in business.

UK: Cambridge University Press.



To avoid making telephone calls at a time when the call recipient is clearly not

ready    to  take   your   call,  some   kind  of   pre-call   planning    is  necessary.   The

telephone,   which   sits   unobtrusively   on   your   table   most   of   the   time,   can   create

havoc with your work day if you are not  careful. Below are some tips that you

should consider BEFORE you reach for the phone:



(a)    Plan your calls to suit your work schedule and that of your call recipient.

       You should avoid calling at a time when the other party may be unable to

       take your call, for example, late at night. If necessary, compromise on the

       timing of your call so as to minimise problems arising from different time

       zones.



(b)    Be very clear about your objectives in calling. It helps if you make a note of

       what you want to say before placing the call as this reduces the likelihood

       that   you  will  forget   something    important.    Careful   planning    and   jotting

       down of what you want to say also means that you can concentrate on what

       the other person is saying, instead of trying to remember what you want to

       say, during the telephone conversation.



(c)    Anticipate questions from the other person.



(d)   Make   sure   you   have   paper,   pen,   relevant   documentation,   computer   files,

etc, ready and near you in case you need to jot down notes.



(e)   Check recent correspondence to update on the situation at hand before you

place the call.



(f)   Have   your   desk   calendar   nearby   in  case   you   need   to   check   dates   and   fix

appointments.



(g)   A   first-time   call   sometimes   invokes   uncertainty   and   suspicion.   If   you   feel

that   there   is   a   possibility   of   this  arising,   fax   ahead   to   say   when   you   are

going to call and what you wish to talk about. It helps if the person you are

calling knows you  even if it is only via an e-mail.



2.2     RECEIVING CALLS



In   many   organisations   today,   training   staff   to   communicate   effectively   on   the

telephone       is  a  top   priority.   This    is because     there    is  a  high   possibility    of

miscommunication arising in phone conversations, given the fact that you cannot

see   the   person   you   are   talking   to   on   the  other   end   of   the   line.   Add   to   this   the

typical     hectic   pace   of  business     communication,        and    you   have    a  potentially

difficult situation.



You   are   probably   used   to   making   calls   to   friends   and   families   but   when   you

make      calls  to   companies,      a  slightly   different    set  of   rules   apply.    Generally

speaking, when you make a formal business call, you need to be:



(a)   BRIEF - Do not beat about the bush and waste the call recipientÊs time;



(b)   CLEAR - Explain the background and purpose of your call; and



(c)   POLITE - Recognise and accept the other personÊs point of view.



Sometimes,   these   rules   may   seem   to   be  in   conflict,   for   example,   if   you   are   too

brief,   you   may   confuse   the   receiver   or   appear   impolite.   The   trick   is   to   try   and

strike a balance among the three rules.



2.2.1          Telephone Etiquette



Listed below are some of the basic dos and donÊts of telephone use. Observing

these     rules   will   enable    you    to  handle     phone     enquiries    in   a  positive    and

professional manner.



(a)    When the telephone rings, do:



(i)    Answer the phone promptly, if possible, within three rings.



(ii)   Identify yourself immediately. The usual practice is to use a three-part

greeting,    for  example:     "Good    morning,     Open     University    Malaysia,

Fatimah Daud speaking."



(iii)  Use the callerÊs name if you can as that helps to establish rapport.



(iv)   Try   to   resolve   the   callerÊs   problem.  If   you   must   transfer   the   call,   be

sure to explain why.



       (v)    Sound positive and helpful. Your tone of voice speaks volumes about

              you. It helps if the caller can hear you smile.



       (vi)   Keep   jargon   and   technical   words   to   a   minimum   to   avoid   confusing

              the caller.



       (vii)  Speak at a pace that can be understood. Speaking too slowly suggests

              confusion      and    uncertainty     whilst    speaking     too   quickly    suggests

              impatience or anger.



       (viii) Practise   active   listening.   Indicate   to   the   caller   that   you   are   paying

              close   attention   to   what   he   says  by   interrupting   in   an   encouraging

              manner,   using   words   like  Yes/,  I   see/, Okay /,   I   know   what   you

              mean... You can also empathise with the caller by echoing important

              points     raised.   This    will   also   ensure     that   you    have    accurately

              understood the information conveyed.



       (ix)   End the call with a polite Thank you, when you are sure that you have

              answered   all   the   caller's   queries.   It  is   better   to   let   the   caller   put   the

              receiver down first so he does not feel that you have cut him off.



(b)    Do not:



       (i)    Eat and drink while talking on the phone.



       (ii)   Be too familiar with the person on the other end of the phone.



       (iii)  Talk to someone else in your office while you are still on the phone.



       (iv)   Allow too much background noise.



       (v)    Speak too quietly or loudly.



       (vi)   Use rude language (please refer to Figure 2.2).



Figure 2.2: Refrain from using rude language

Source: Rees, D. (Artist). (2005). Get Your War On [Clip art], Retrieved February 8, 2010,

from: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A268460



SELF-CHECK 2.1



       Think back to the times when you were on the telephone. Were you

       ever put on hold and made to wait for a long time before your needs

       were attended to? How did you feel when that happened? What was

       your reaction?



2.2.2     I’m Calling Because …



A    telephone    call  at  the  workplace   is  a  purposeful   activity.  Your   caller  has  an

objective in mind and you will need to find out what this objective is, as quickly as

possible. In some cases, your callerÊs needs are simple and all you have to do is to jot

down his name, address, and telephone and fax numbers for future reference.



However, in more complex situations, you may need to ask probing questions to get

more   information   before   you   can   ascertain   the   real   purpose   behind   the   call   and

determine appropriate follow-up action. For instance, if your caller has a complaint

about a product that he has bought from your company, you would need to:



(a)    Identify the problem;



(b)    Verify that the product is, indeed, from your company;



(c)    Determine if warranty still applies;



(d)    Ascertain how the caller has been using the product;



(e)    Find out what steps have been taken to rectify the problem.



Sometimes, you may need to direct the callerÊs attention to his original objective in

making the call as he/she may get side-tracked and begin talking about other things.

In all instances, always let the caller know that you are sincere in wanting to help.



ACTIVITY 2.1



Different     people     have    different    objectives    when     they   make     a

telephone call. What do you think are the objectives of the people in

the    situations   below?    The   first  one  has   been  done     for  you   as  an

example.



Situation A: A purchasing manager who has received an incomplete delivery.



Objective of call:



To tell the supplier that the delivery is incomplete.



To   arrange   to   get  the   rest   of   the   delivery   as   soon   as possible.



To complain about the poor service.





Situation   B:  A   computer   operator   with   a   hardware   problem   calling   a helpline.



Situation C:      A sales representative for a furniture manufacturer making a first call to a company which sells office furniture.



Situation   D:   A   travel   agent   who   has   paid   for   a   ticket   for   a   flight   that departs tomorrow. The ticket has not reached him yet.



SELF-CHECK 2.2



Have   you   ever   received   a   call   from   someone   who   was   angry   to   the point of being abusive?



Describe what happened during and after the call.



How did you handle the situation?



2.2.3   Common “Telephone Words”



Telephone skills are one of the most difficult to master, partly because we cannot

see the person on the other end of the telephone and thus cannot depend on non-

verbal signs (gestures, facial expressions, etc) to help us understand the person.

However,   there   are   standard   phrases   commonly   used   in   phone   conversations

and learning these „telephone words‰ will help you to better understand what

the other person is saying as well as give you some guidelines as to what to say

when making or receiving calls at the workplace.



ACTIVITY 2.2



Read    through    the  words/phrases      given   below.   These   phrases   are

commonly      used    in  phone   conversations.    Can   you   think   of  other

"telephone words". Fill in the blanks with such words.



(a)    Introducing yourself:



? Hello, Chan and Lee Clinic.

? Good morning, this is Mariam.

? Kenny speaking.

? Good evening, Harris, Open University Malaysia.

? Hi, my nameÊs .................. and IÊm calling from ..........................



(b)    Finding out who is on the telephone:

? Excuse me, who is this please?

? May I ask who is calling, please?

? Who's speaking?

? .............................................................................................................



      (c)    Asking for someone:



             ? Is Bob in, please?



             ? Can       I  have   extension    3421,   please?   (extensions     are  internal

                 numbers at a company)



             ? IÊd like to speak to Max Thambirajah.



             ? Can you put me through to Steven, please?



             ? ...............................................................................................................



      (d)    Connecting someone:



             ? Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through ...



             ? Can you hold the line?



             ? Can you hang on a moment, please?



             ? .............................................................................................................



(e)    Saying that someone is not available:



       ? I'm afraid he's out at the moment.



       ? I'm       sorry    but   the   line   is  engaged...     (when     the   extension requested is being used).



       ? I'm sorry but Jack is not in at the moment.



       ? Paul is on leave today.



       ? Jim is in a meeting.



       ? .................................................................................................................



(f)    Asking the other person to repeat what was said:



       ? I'm sorry, but can you say that again?



       ? Pardon?



       ? Can you spell that please?



       ? .................................................................................................................



(g)    Ending a call:



       ? Thank you for calling.



       ? Thank you very much for your help.



       ? Okay, I'll check the details and get back to you later.



       ? I think that covers everything.



       ? IÊll come by your office on Monday at 10am.



       ? .............................................................................................................


30    ? TOPIC 2        BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS



           ACTIVITY 2.3



       In   groups   of   three,   practise   the  telephone   conversation  below,   paying

       special   attention   to   word   pronunciation,   intonation   and   stress.   Then,

       repeat    the  conversation,     replacing   the   words     in  italics  with  similar

       phrases of your choice.



       Switch   roles   and   practise   the   conversation   again   so   that   you   get   the

       chance to role play all the different characters.



       Operator      :  Hello, Aidah, Open University Malaysia. How can I help

                         you?



       Peter         :  This is Peter Ng. Can I have extension 3421, please?



       Operator      :  Certainly, hold on a minute, I'll put you through ...



       Dr Li         :   OUM, Arts Faculty, Dr Li speaking.



       Peter         :   This is Peter Ng calling. Is Professor Mahmud in?



       Dr Li         :   I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?



       Peter         :   Yes, Could you ask him to call me at ...? I need to talk to

                         him       about     a   collaborative     project    with    Dinkins

                         University. It's urgent.



       Dr Li         :  Could you repeat the number please?



       Peter         :   Yes, that's ..., and this is Peter Ng.



       Dr Li         :  Thank      you,   Peter.   I'll  pass  the  message     to  Professor

                         Mahmud when he comes in.



       Peter         :   Thank you so much. Goodbye.



       Dr Li         :   Bye.



Note the common "telephone words‰ in italics and the informal language used.

For    instance,   "Is  Professor    Mahmud       in?"  is  an  informal     way   of  asking:   „Is

Professor     Mahmud       in  the  office?"   Other    informal    words    include    „hold   on‰

(wait), "tied up" (busy).



2.3    TAKING AND LEAVING MESSAGES



Sometimes,   there   may   not   be   anyone   available   to   answer   the   telephone   when   it

rings. When that happens, you need to leave a message.



Basically, there are five simple steps to follow to  ensure that the person who receives

your message has all the information he needs.



(a)    Mention your name:                        Hello, this is Ahmad Fauzi.



(b)    State time and reason for call:           It's 10am. I'm calling to let you know that ...



(c)    Make a request:                           Could you call me back?



(d)    Leave your number:                        My number is ....



(e)    End the call:                             Thanks, I'll talk to you later. Bye.



             SELF-CHECK 2.3



        Read the following voice message and answer the questions below:



        Telephone: (Ring... Ring... Ring...) Hello, this is Sanjeev. I'm afraid I'm

        not in at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep..... (beep).



        Ken: Hello Sanjeev, this is Ken. It's noon now and I'm calling to see if

        you would like to come with me to the futsal game on Friday. Could

        you   call   me   back?   You   can   reach   me   at   016-367   8925   until   5pm   this

        afternoon. I'll talk to you later. Bye.



        Does the message contain all the information needed to allow the call

        recipient to respond to the call? List down this information.



        1.      Name:     ......................................................



        2.      Time and reason for call: ................................................................



        3.      Request: ............................................................................................



        4.      Contact number: .............................................................................



        5.      Ending: ............................................................................................




2.3.1        Language Checklist



Below   are   words/phrases   commonly   used   when   you   take   or   leave   telephone

messages.   Can   you   think   of   other words?  Fill   in   the   blanks   with   some   of   these

words/phrases.



(a)   Offering to take a message:



      ? Would you like to leave a message?



      ? Could I take a message, please?



      ? Could I have your name and contact number, please?



      ? ////////////////////////.



(b)   Leaving a message:



      ? Could you ask X to call me back please?



      ? Can I leave a message for X?



      ? /////////////////////////



(c)   Promising action:



      ? I'll give X your message as soon as he comes in.



      ? I will pass your message on.



      ? ////////////////////////.



2.3.2        Tips for Effective Message Taking



In order to help you take down messages accurately, you should:



? Use a pad/notebook to write down the details.



? Record the date and time of message.



? Spell names accurately  do not be afraid to ask the caller if you are unsure

    how his/her name is spelled.



? Quickly ascertain what the caller wants  a return call, action to be taken, etc.



? Offer assistance.



? Follow up with appropriate action.





ACTIVITY 2.4



Work in pairs. Use the information given below to write out the phone

conversation; then practise it aloud with your partner.



Caller A:

You    want    to  speak  to  Mrs   Abraham      about   your   account   with   her

company,   KW   Associates.   She   is   not   in   the   office,   so   you   decide   to

leave   your   name   and   telephone   number.   The   reason   for   your   call   is

that you would like to change the conditions of your contract with KW

Associates. You can be reached at your contact number until 5pm, but

if Mrs Abraham calls after 5pm, she should call 012-458 2777.



Caller B:

You are a receptionist at KW Associates. Caller A would like to speak

to Mrs Abraham but she is out of the office. Take down the message

and make sure you get the following information:



Name and telephone number -- ask Caller A to spell his surname.



The message Caller A would like to leave for Mrs Abraham.



The latest (time) that Mrs Abraham can call Caller A at the given telephone number.





ACTIVITY 2.5



        Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word/words.



         1.     Hello,      I   am     trying     to   get    ...................................  with  Mr

                Thuraisingam          and    someone      gave     me   this   number.      Is   he   in,

                please?

                 I am sorry but Mr Thuraisingam has just left.



         2.     Hello, is Ahmad Tajuddin ..................... today, please?

                 Yes, he is. IÊll ............... him.



         3.     Hello, this is Carol Lee from Flamingo Enterprise. IÊd ............... to

                speak to Jane Tham, please.

                 IÊll put you ...................................... to her.



         4.     Good morning. This is Carol Lee. Can I speak to Roy Stevenson,

                please? ItÊs rather      ....................................

                 IÊm .................................... but Roy is not here at the moment. Can

                I help you?



         5.     Good      afternoon.      This   is  Siti Hashimah         from     LeoÊs    Studio.    I

                would like to speak with Francis Brown please ....................... my

                order.

                 ................................................................................... Can you give me

                your order number, please?



         6.     Good morning. Is ................................ Miss Elizabeth Cardova?

                 Yes, speaking.



         7.     Good   evening.   I   was   wondering   if   I   could   speak   to   Jolina   Lum

                ................... Accounts, please?

                 IÊm   sorry   but   Accounts   arenÊt   ...................................  Can   I   take   a

                message?



2.4          DIFFICULT CALLS



Sometimes it is necessary for us to handle difficult calls from people who we do

business with. As in any business dealing, it is important for us to observe the

highest degree of professionalism in handling difficult calls. We must make sure

that we handle all difficult calls politely and tactfully.



ACTIVITY 2.6



     Read   the   following   telephone   conversation   and   answer   the   questions

     below, using information from the passage given.



     Cindy dials. (Ring! Ring!...)



     Secretary     :   Good morning, Asia Enterprises.



     Cindy        :    Hello, could I speak to Jimmy Lau, please?



     Secretary    :    May I know who is calling?



     Cindy         :   My name is Cindy Liew. I am a student at Open Universit

                       Malaysia. I am calling about a project we are doing.


36    TOPIC 2        BASIC TELEPHONE SKILLS



      Secretary    :    OK. Could you hold the line, please?



      (pause)



      Lau           :  Hello, how can I help you?



      Cindy         :   Good     morning,    Sir.  My   name    is  Cindy    Liew.   I  am   a

                       student at Open University Malaysia. I am calling about a

                       project   we   are   doing   on   work   experience.   Tommy   Chan

                       from Eurasia Products Sdn Bhd said you might be able to

                       help me. He is a friend of my uncle.



      Lau           :   Yes, I know Tommy. So?



      Cindy         :   Well,   our   assignment   is  to   identify   a   company   and   find

                       out more about the kind of work it does.



      Lau           :  Yes?



      Cindy         :   Would you mind if I drop in and visit your company one

                       day next          week and talk to some of your staff.



      Lau           :  We are very busy. What would you like to do exactly?



      Cindy         :   I   would   like   to   spend   a   day  in   your   organisation  and

                       follow a member of your staff as he goes about his work.



      Lau           : Yes. Well, as I said, we are very busy next week.



      Cindy        :    Oh, would it be possible to arrange something later then?

                       I will adjust my time to suit your schedule



      Lau           :   Well, we might be able to arrange a visit for you the week

                       after/



      Cindy         :  That would be fine. Thank you very much, indeed. I don't

                       want     to   cause   you    any   trouble   but    I  would    really

                       appreciate it.



      Lau           :   I will try to arrange something. Which day would you like

                       to come?



      Cindy        :    Let me see ... Wednesday is the best day for me.



      Lau           :  Sorry, we donÊt allow visitors on Wednesday.



      Cindy         :   How about Thursday, then?



      Lau           :   That might be possible



     Cindy         :    Thursday then, Thursday would be fine for me. What time

                       is convenient for you?



     Lau            :   10am?



     Cindy         :  Yes, 10am is fine. Could you tell me where your office is,

                       please?



     Lau            :   On the 7th floor, Suite 723, Wisma AE. Please ask for my

                       secretary.



     Cindy          :   Alright,    I'll  be  at  your    office  in   Suite   723   at  10am,

                       Thursday, August 28. Thank you so much for your help. I

                       look forward to meeting you.



     Lau            :  I will see you then.



     Cindy         :   Goodbye, and thank you again.



     1.      (a)    What    was   Lau's   initial  response    towards     CindyÊs    request?

                  What words from the passage suggest this?



            (b)     How   did   Cindy   manage   to   get   Lau   to   change   his   attitude

                   towards her?



            (c)     What lessons can you learn from this?



     2.     Imagine   that   when   Cindy   called   Jimmy   LauÊs   office,   his   secretary

            informed   her   that   he   was   in   a   meeting.   What   could   Cindy   say   to

            make   sure   that   she   gets   to   speak  to   him   the   next   time   she   calls?

            Write out a possible telephone conversation between Cindy and the

            secretary.



  You need to have good, basic telephone skills if you wish to be effective at the

    workplace.



  When making business calls, remember to be brief, clear and polite.



  Business calls usually have a purpose and you need to identify the objective

    of the call as quickly as possible.



  Answer all calls promptly, within three rings.



Offer a three part greeting  hello, the name of the organisation, and the name

     of person answering the call.



Business calls often use standard phrases which are informal in tone.



Observe   telephone   etiquette   when   answering   phone   calls   sound   positive

     and helpful, avoid technical jargon, do not eat or drink while on the phone,

     speak at a steady pace, etc.



Phone messages should contain five elements  the name of caller, the time

     and reason for the call, the request, a contact number, and a thank you.



One      needs   to  be  firm,  persistent   and   well-prepared,     when    dealing    with

     difficult calls.




Active listening                                
Hold on



Connect you                                    
Jargon



Hang on                                        
Put you through 

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