Phone Etiquette - Part I
(Part One of a Three-Part Series)
Minding Your Landline Manners
As a business owner you know that communication is vital. Whether that communication takes place electronically, face-to-face or over the phone makes no difference; you want all your correspondence to be clear and effective. Communication via phone can be extremely efficient because it’s much like a face-to-face meeting where you’re able to manage issues in real time. However, it also poses some significant challenges; for instance, you can be easily distracted by something completely unrelated to your phone conversation.
In addition to enabling you to communicate effectively, phone conversations also enable you to build a stronger relationship with clients; what you do on the phone can make or break your professional image. In order to sustain a positive reputation as a tax preparer you need to practice good phone etiquette. Here are some things to remember when making and taking calls:
Making a Call
There are a few things to remember when making a call. Sometimes you won’t get through to the person you intended to reach, but you’re still required to make those interactions as purposeful and polite as possible. Here are four things to remember:
1. Remove all distraction. As discussed above it’s important that your listener feel that you’re focused on the conversation at hand. This means you shouldn’t work while talking. You should also ensure that other family members won’t be interrupting you while in the midst of your phone call.
2. Speak slowly and clearly. In order to be successful you must be understood. Whether you have a natural inclination to rush through presentations or you become nervous and speak quickly, you must practice achieving a good pace, one that enables you to annunciate your words well enough that your party doesn’t have to work at understanding you. Also remember that you must warm up your vocals before you make that first call of the day. Even though you may have been awake for a few hours, if your throat hasn’t gotten that wake up call with a little speaking practice you may end up sounding like you’re making the call from your bed.
3. Identify yourself, your business and the purpose of your call. Nothing is more disconcerting than getting a business call from someone who doesn’t identify themselves, their business and the purpose of their call. You must remember that every call should have a purpose, and if you’re unable to communicate that purpose effectively than you’re wasting time. Whether you’re talking to a receptionist or the intended party, you want your communication to be clear and effective, and that requires you to identify yourself and your purpose upfront.
4. Estimate the length of your business. You should prepare the listener for the length of your business. Don’t tell your party it will only take a minute if it really requires 20. That will end up frustrating your business associate, making it more difficult for you to accomplish your purpose. Be honest, and if necessary, reschedule a time that will better accommodate your schedules and your objectives.
It’s important that you remember that all correspondence contributes to your professional image, and that includes each and every phone call you make. By attending to a few simple rules of phone etiquette you’ll be able to maintain that professional image you’ve built your business upon.
Come back next week when we’ll talk about using proper phone etiquette when answering a call and using voicemail.
