PAPER making! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL O U S SO Volume 6, Number 2, 2020 A Guide to Phone Etiquette: Definition, Tips and Impact
Communicating over the phone remains an important tool for businesses. Despite digital customer service communication advancements including email, texting and automated answering services, customers continue to use the telephone as their initial point of contact. Phone calls are often the first positive impression a client or customer will have of your business. This article will discuss tips to improve the quality of your phone calls and why phone etiquette is important. What is phone etiquette? Phone etiquette is the way you use manners to represent yourself and your business to customers via telephone communication. This includes the way you greet a customer, your body language, tone of voice, word choice, listening skills and how you close a call. Why is phone etiquette important? Identifying the tools to achieve proper phone etiquette can help your business to: x Show professionalism : Whether you are a start-up or a well-established business, you and your representatives know your business best. Communicating your working knowledge to your callers using telephone manners should establish you as professionals worthy of repeat business dealings. x Create a good first impression . Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, and the initial phone call is your businesses’ chance to show the customer how pleasant it is to do business with you. x Increase customer trust and loyalty . If your business has face-to-face interactions with prospects who were initially just callers, the trust between you and your potential customer may grow, leading to them purchasing your goods or services more frequently. x Achieve high customer satisfaction ratings . When you meet customers’ needs over the phone, they can accurately assume that you will continue to meet their needs in person, creating a well- rounded and consistent experience. Elements of proper phone etiquette To achieve excellent phone etiquette, you’ll need to apply the following items:
Friendly greetings Body language Tone of voice Active listening Appropriate closing Tact
x x x x x x
Friendly greetings Answering an office phone properly requires a positive and cheerful disposition. Allow the positivity to resonate in your voice, offer a salutation, thank the customer for calling, introduce yourself and your business by name and then extend your help. This gives the customer a sense that you are warm, alert and pleased to help them with their inquiries. People often mimic positivity and will probably respond to your voice with the same enthusiasm you project.
Article 11 – Phone Etiquette
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