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CHAPTER 4: EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS - Coggle Diagram
CHAPTER 4: EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
MAKING A FAVORABLE FIRST IMPRESSION
Your voice
Tone; vary the tone of your voice, avoid speaking in a monotonous voice
Pace; the rate of speech, can affect the ability of the listener to understand the message, you must learn to adjust the pace to fit the needs of the listener
Volume; do not shout or speak so softly modulating your voice (controlling the volume) so that you are speaking neither too loudly nor too softly
Your speaking skills
Grammar; reflect professionalism and education level, always ask for an explanation when you do not understand an expression or phrase
Pronunciation; pronounce words correctly and enunciate clearly, speak slowly, avoid long words, complicated phrases, or long sentences, if you are unsure of any pronunciation, look it up in your dictionary
Vocabulary; state ideas in simple terms, use standard English to express yourself, choose words that are tactful and positive.
INCOMING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
Assisting Callers
Placing a caller on hold; if another incoming call comes through while you are on the phone and there is no one else available to answer the second call, you may, then, need to place the first caller on hold while you answer the other line. You will also need to place a caller on hold while you look up information in order to answer a question sometimes.
Transferring calls; calls are transferred when the caller has reached a wrong extension/ wishes to speak with someone else/ when the caller's request can be answered more effectively by another person within an office or company
Handling a disconnected call; the person who placed the call should call back immediately after the disconnection
Handling difficult callers; sometimes the calls are from an angry, unreasonable, rude, demanding or highly emotional person. You must control yourself and remain professional.
Answering and Ending Calls
Identify yourself; the caller should be informed that he/ she has reached the correct number, so identify your company, department/ office, and yourself. Examples: "CJ Wow Shop Online Shopping System, Nur Ain Suffiyah is here." or "Human Resource Office, Natasha speaking."
Answer promptly; answer all incoming calls promptly and pleasantly, answer the telephone after the first ringing (if possible), reach for the pen/ pencil and notepad in order to take messages (if any)
Conclude the call; the person who places the call is the one who should end it and hang up first (general rule), use the caller's name as you end the conversation (a good habit). For example, "Thank you for calling, Cik Aida. I will be sure to give Encik Abu the information."
Screening Calls and Taking Messages
Screening calls; procedure used to determine who is calling and the purpose of the call. Screening can save you and the caller's time because you will be able to transfer the call immediately to the proper person. Ask questions like: "May I know who is calling, please?"
Giving information; when executives are unavailable to answer the calls, give the caller enough information to explain the executive's absence without revealing unnecessary details
Advantages of computer message: less time needed to key in messages, number of lost messages is reduced, can be transferred immediately to the receiver, printed message form are not needed
Taking messages; you will have a pad or printed message forms for recording telephone messages. Be sure to record accurate and complete message. Message should include date and time of the call, name of the caller and caller's company, telephone number, details of the message, initials of the person who wrote the message
OUTGOING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
Personal telephone calls
generally, brief/ urgent calls are permitted, as are emergency calls
Time zones
refers to geographical region that has same standard time
important to be aware of time zone differences when placing long-distance calls
Planning calls
confirm the name and number of person you are calling
identify clearly the main purpose of the call
outline briefly the point you want to cover
gather information (dates & times of meetings)
documents related to the conversation
questions to ask, pen & paper to take notes
Using directories
(1) Local telephone directory
To find telephone number/ business/ individual/ call the operator for assistance
a. White pages; list in alphabetical order of names and telephone numbers of individuals, business, and government agencies
b. Yellow pages; contain alphabetic listing of business only. The businesses are arranged according to services they provide or products they sell
(2) Directory assistance
Call directory assistance operator for help
(3) Personal and company directories
To save time, keep a personal directory of frequently used telephone numbers
Also a good place to records emergency numbers
Company directory; company provide directory of employees working at a particular location
(4) Electronic directories
Can be accessed using a personal computer
National telephone directories can be purchased on CD-ROM
Long-distance service
(3) Prepaid Phone Cards
card is purchased in advance
used to pay for a certain number of minute of phone use
(4) Toll-Free Service
discounted service applies to incoming calls only, and there is no charge to the caller
(1) Direct-dial calls
station-to-station calls, placed without assistance from an operator
to make a direct-dial call, dial 1, which gives access to a long-distance line, then dial area code, and then dial number you are trying to reach
charges begin as soon as the telephone is answered
company will still be charged even if the person you called is unavailable
(2) Spcialized long-distance calls
More expensice than direct-dial calls
eg. Person-to-person and collect calls
a. Person-to-person; expensive type, dial 0 (operator), the area code, and the telephone number you are calling. Charges will begin after the person requested is on the line
b. Collect calls; charges are billed to the telephone number being called. Dial 0, the are code, and telephone number. Answer clearly 'collect' after being asked what type of call you are placing. Then state your name.
Conference calls
placed when necessary to talk simultaneously with persons at several different location.
calls are set up in advance with a conference operator
(1) Guidelines in planning conference calls
inform all participants; date, time, length of call
verify everyone's telephone number
send needed information or items to participants in advance
identify the objectives and intended outcomes of the call
if using service provider, call in advance and give accurate numbers, names, date, time, and the expected duration of the call
(2) Procedures during conference call
take roll. call out names of the participants
lead the call by presenting the agenda and conference guidelines
have participants identify themselves when speaking
speak clearly, spelling out difficult/ unusual names/ terms. repeat numbers
avoid interrupting other speakers; one person speak at a time
take notes of important points and comments
apply good listening skills
encourage discussion and participation from everyone