Rules for communicating by phone. Example of a business conversation on the phone

Today, many people prefer sending emails and text messages to communicating on the phone. Why is this happening? Business calls are a lot of stress.

According to Darlene Price, President of Well Said, Inc. and author of Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results,” fear of talking on the phone and doubts about what exactly to say prevents many people from dialing the number.

Unlike email and text messaging, where you can change what you write at any time, communication over the phone happens in real time. The first 20 seconds of communication on the phone are the key to success. By pairing words with a specific tone of voice, you can increase or decrease the chances of getting the desired outcome from a given interaction.

Although using digital technology is a more convenient way to communicate, the telephone is still a more personalized way to communicate when conducting a business conversation. Nothing can replace the sound of the human voice. Today, many interviews and business meetings are still conducted over the phone. This is why it is important to know how to communicate correctly when choosing this communication method.

To help you make your phone conversations more effective, we've put together a list of basic phone etiquette steps and guidelines. Check out this helpful guide.

Rules for communicating on the phone in business

• At the beginning of a conversation, you cannot use the words: “hello”, “listening”, “speak”. The first and elementary rule: introduce yourself kindly when answering the call. For example: “Good afternoon. Manager Tatyana. .
• Negotiations should be brief. You cannot discuss a transaction or other matter on its merits. To do this, you must schedule a personal meeting.
• Passing the phone many times during a conversation is bad manners.
• Negotiations are conducted only with decision makers.
• The promise to call back should be fulfilled immediately, as soon as the problem is resolved, or within 24 hours.
• If a specialist is absent from the workplace, it is possible to exchange information with the help of another employee or assistant manager. The content of the message via third parties or to an answering machine must be planned in advance, observing the rules of telephone communication. Ask the secretary to organize the transfer of data and ensure that it reaches the addressee in any case.
• Recording on an answering machine begins with a greeting, indicating the date and time of the call. After a short message there are words of farewell.
• Telephone calls should not be left unanswered, as any call can help obtain important information or close a deal. Pick up the handset quickly until the third ring.
• Of course, you cannot answer two phones at the same time.

Telephone etiquette and its basic rules not related to conversation

According to etiquette, a business telephone call can only be made during working hours. In emergency situations, you can disturb the subscriber before 10 pm, but no later.

If important issues need to be discussed, the dialogue should be planned for the pre-lunch period. It is at this time that information is absorbed better. In most cases, the interlocutors are calm, aggression and irritation have not accumulated.

You can expect a response within 7 rings. Next, it is customary to press the end call button. An incoming call is answered after the 3rd ring. This should be done no later, but not earlier.

The duration of a business conversation on the phone has regulations. The duration should not exceed 4 minutes. When you need to increase conversation time, it is recommended to schedule a conversation in person.

When the dialogue is interrupted, the conversation initiator makes a repeat call. This helps avoid confusion about who should call whom back. Instead of the interested person, the call can be made or received by the secretary. It is also possible to assign telephone conversations to another employee.

You can’t force a person to wait for things to end. You need to ask for forgiveness and ask to reschedule the conversation for another time. You can make calls to the personal number of your interlocutor only if he has provided it himself. If the number was given by third parties, you cannot use it.

You can't eat or drink. This is considered the height of lack of culture. Failure to fulfill a promise to call back is a gross violation of the rules. Even if the conversation has lost its relevance, you need to call back.

It is customary to keep a piece of paper and a pen next to the device. This is necessary in order to record all information. Secret information is not transmitted over a cell phone. Such data is exchanged only during a one-on-one conversation. During the conversation, listen carefully to the caller, without being distracted, so as not to lose the thread of the dialogue.

Taboo, or What expressions should be avoided?

Unwanted expression	Rules for communicating by phone
"No"	This word, especially at the beginning of a sentence, “strains” the interlocutor and complicates mutual understanding. It is advisable to express disagreement correctly. For example, “We will accommodate you and replace the product, but it is no longer possible to return the money.”
"We can not"	Refusing a client right away means sending him to competitors. Solution: offer an alternative and pay attention first of all to what is possible.
“Call Back”, “Nobody’s There”, “Everybody’s at Lunch”	The potential client will not call again, but will choose the services of another company. Therefore, we need to help him solve the problem or arrange a meeting, invite him to the office, etc.
"You must"	These words should be avoided, using softer formulations: “The best thing to do is...”, “It makes sense for you...”
“I don’t know”, “I’m not responsible for this”, “It’s not my fault”	Undermines the reputation of the specialist and the organization. If there is a lack of information, it is better to answer: “Interesting question. Can I clarify this for you?”
“Wait just a second, I’ll look (find)”	Deceiving the client, since it is impossible to get things done in a second. It’s worth telling the truth: “Searching for the necessary information will take 2-3 minutes. Can you wait?
"Am I distracting you?" or “Can I distract you?”	Phrases cause negativity and complicate communication. These questions put the caller in an awkward position. Preferred option: “Do you have a minute?” or “Can you talk now?”
Questions “Who am I talking to now?”, “What do you need?”	Phrases are unacceptable because they turn negotiations into interrogation and violate the rules of telephone communication.
The question "Why..."	The interlocutor may think that you do not trust him.

Basic rules of business telephone etiquette

The conversation begins with a greeting. You cannot use standard, generally accepted expressions among users such as “listening” and others. The intonation throughout the entire dialogue should be even and restrained. You cannot speak irritably or aggressively. If the conversation was not planned with the interlocutor in advance, it is important to find out whether he is comfortable having a conversation. If he is busy, it is important to clarify what time you can call him back.

If there is a dialing error, it is not customary to find out information about the owner. It is recommended to ask for forgiveness, check the accuracy of the entered numbers and try again. The use of slang, jargon, and profanity is unacceptable.

If you are asked to invite another person to your office phone, you cannot find out who is making the call and clarify the purpose of the call. The exception is an employee with appropriate authority.

After discussing important issues, they politely say goodbye and press hang up. If the interlocutor takes the conversation in a different direction, they interrupt him, ask for forgiveness and voice a plausible excuse for ending the dialogue.

When a client calls...

The client who gets through may not identify himself, but immediately begins to explain his problem. Therefore, it is necessary to tactfully ask: “Excuse me, what is your name?”, “What organization are you from?”, “Please tell me your phone number?”

The rules for communicating over the phone with clients are based on the fact that you should only convey accurate information if you have the necessary data. A client who does not wait for a clear answer will no longer contact your organization.

Sometimes you have to deal with an angry or nervous client. It is better to listen to his complaint and not interrupt. He will be capable of constructive dialogue only when he speaks out. When you hear an insult, you must hang up.

If you are calling: what rules of business telephone conversation etiquette should you consider?

The algorithm of actions will be as follows - before pressing the call button, make sure that the number is dialed correctly.

Say hello, wait for a return greeting. Introduce yourself, say the name of the company you are calling from and your job title. If the call was not previously agreed upon, ask if the other person can talk now. If you receive a negative response, check when is the best time to make a follow-up call. After the conversation is over, express your gratitude to the person for their time or information received.

Making calls in public places or in a meeting

Meetings and business meetings are times when, according to the rules, you should refrain from calling. Live voice is a priority. Negotiations that distract the attention of those present are unacceptable.

Answering a call at a business meeting or meeting means showing your interlocutor that you do not value him and the time spent with him, that the person who called is more important.

There are also good reasons, for example, the illness of a relative, a large contract. The rules for communicating by telephone suggest that those present must be notified before the meeting or meeting and the receipt of the call must be coordinated with them. The conversation should be conducted very quickly (no more than 30 seconds), if possible in another office.

A person talking on the phone during a private meeting, in a restaurant, at a meeting looks uncultured and stupid.

Tips: What to do according to the rules of phone call etiquette before talking

Etiquette rules require you to prepare for telephone conversations. The first thing to do is decide on the purpose of the conversation.

Next, think about whether you really need this conversation or whether you can do without it. Analyze whether the interlocutor is ready to discuss the issues that interest you. Are you sure that the conversation will give a positive result? If there is no such confidence, it is advisable to postpone the conversation.

Consider issues that need urgent discussion. Think about what questions your interlocutor might have for you. Select the answer options. Create an action plan in case negotiations fail. Determine your course of action in the event of a person’s voice rising, distrust of your information, and other negative reactions.

Before the call, you need to prepare the documentation necessary for the conversation so that you have clear information before your eyes. Place a piece of paper or device that will be used to record information next to the device. If the dialogue is recorded on a voice recorder, the interlocutor must be warned about this. If a person refuses to have a conversation with this device, the conversation cannot be recorded, according to current legislation. Write down personal information about the person you are talking to.

Keep the dialogue plan before your eyes.

Since telephone conversations have time constraints, it is recommended to plan the conversation to fit within the allotted time:

• identify and briefly describe the topic of conversation (40-45 seconds);
• exchange of personal data - full name, company name, position, competence in the topic under discussion (20-25 sec);
• analysis of the problem (1-2 min);
• summing up (20-25 sec.).

If the result of the dialogue is unsatisfactory, it is important to set a time for the next conversation at the end of the conversation.

Preparing for the upcoming conversation

Before a serious phone call, you should carefully prepare for it as follows:

1. Get ready mentally.
2. Formulate, or better yet, write down the goal, plan and main issues of the upcoming conversation on paper, which will always lie in front of you during the negotiations.
3. Be sure to prepare all materials that may be useful during telephone conversations.
4. It is necessary to distance yourself from negativity and personal problems even before the conversation begins, since the voice can give off an aggressive attitude, which the client often takes personally.
5. The time for negotiations must be selected so that it is convenient for both you and the interlocutor. If you plan to call a business partner, try to discuss with him in advance a convenient time for him.

If they call you: what are the rules of telephone etiquette?

Algorithm of actions - pick up the phone and say your first name, patronymic and last name or the name of the company; in a large organization they call the name of the department. If the person got to the wrong place, say without nerves or aggression that the subscriber made a mistake. Don't show irritation.

Don't have multiple phone conversations at the same time. You cannot force the subscriber to wait on the line. Carry out all dialogues in order. If during a conversation the interlocutor shows dissatisfaction with your activities or the activities of the company, products or services, try to understand the problem. Don't respond to aggression with aggression.

After the end of the working day, activate your answering machine. In the body of the message, include useful information that is of interest to all clients. If the caller asks to have another employee come to the phone who is not on site, offer your services in solving the problems that have arisen, if you are able to do so.

The end of the dialogue is completed by the interlocutor. If you need to end the conversation soon, then politely interrupt the person.

How to save received information

Be sure to save important phone numbers of people and organizations, as well as other information obtained as a result of telephone conversations. The following recommendations will help you do this:

• To begin with, you can simply write down the information received somewhere without delaying the interlocutor too much. Then they need to be transferred to a calendar or notebook.
• A phone number that you will probably call again must be in your address book!
• Every six months, review your book and cross out irrelevant numbers.
• The book should be changed every year, but throwing away the old one is not recommended.

Telephone etiquette rules for a call center

Employees of such institutions, due to their job responsibilities, must know and adhere to the rules for conducting dialogue on the apparatus. This indicates their competence and suitability for the position they occupy.

Introduce yourself at the beginning of a conversation

Rules for starting a conversation:

• greetings;
• company name message;
• performance;
• offer of assistance to the subscriber.

Addressing "you"

According to etiquette, “you” is used to address any person over 12 years of age. A telephone conversation is no exception. Call center employees should address any client using “you” only.

Choose your words wisely

It is important to choose the right expressions.

You can’t say: “I don’t know...”, you need to say, “I’ll clarify this information for you.”

Avoid phrases: “I can’t help”; focus on the fact that you can offer another solution to the problem.

Don't tell the caller "You owe" because he doesn't owe you anything.

You shouldn’t say, “Stay on the line, I’ll be back soon,” but instead respond with, “It may take some time to find the information you’re interested in. Can you stay on the line?”

Watch your intonation

The tone should be even and friendly. No irritation or aggression. This will cause a response from the interlocutor.

Use the hold function

This function is needed to think about how best to answer a question or find the necessary information. You can use it 1-2 times per conversation.

Smile

The interlocutor will not see your smile, but will feel it from your intonation. A smile will demonstrate a friendly attitude and readiness for dialogue.

What mistakes are made during a telephone conversation?

Numerous studies that have been conducted among business people have indicated that about 56% of calls are made without greeting phrases. Explaining the reason for not saying greetings, businessmen said that it goes without saying, and they also cannot say hello many times during the day. It is important to remember here that in speech communication there is nothing that goes without saying, and therefore every phrase must be voiced.

Under no circumstances should you interrupt your interlocutor mid-conversation - give him the opportunity to express his thoughts to the end. It is necessary to pronounce words clearly, and also to monitor the tone of speech and its volume. There should be a pause between questions to give the interlocutor the right to answer.

Try not to give in to negative emotions

Negative emotions should not be given free rein, as this may offend a business partner.

Important points and safe words

Business negotiations over the phone may seem more difficult to many than, for example, correspondence by email. After all, you may accidentally say a harsh word that can cancel out the emerging positive result. You don’t have time to think and formulate proposals correctly. In addition, the interlocutor may somehow misperceive your intonation - for example, you are tired, but it seems to him that you do not want to listen to him.

To avoid all this, you should learn to control your emotions , perhaps even develop a special tone for telephone conversations - even, calm, benevolent. In this case, you will get great advantages: your problem can be solved much faster and easier than when communicating via emails.

To achieve greater effect, you can connect Skype. Using a video call will help make your speech more convincing, however, it is a fairly powerful tool that requires absolute self-confidence and public speaking skills.

A person who masters the skill of telephone conversations knows a few more little secrets. In business conversations, there are words and phrases that are undesirable to use under any circumstances:

“I don’t know” (instead you should say: “I will clarify the information and give an answer a little later”); “You must” (replacement of such an imperative expression: “Perhaps it would be convenient for you...”, “You could...”, “I ask you to do...”); “No” (replace the categorical statement with an alternative sentence: “We are not able to do this, but we propose to solve your problem as follows ...”).

Telephone etiquette rules for a secretary

If the call is outgoing, then the secretary must accept it taking into account the following rules:

• call the subscriber when it is convenient for him to accept the call;
• clearly define the purpose of the conversation;
• keep a conversation plan and a list of topics before your eyes;
• avoid long monologues;
• record key points of the conversation;
• At the end of the dialogue, achieve specific agreements.

The secretary must make an outgoing call taking into account the following recommendations:

• say hello;
• state your name and position;
• write down the name and patronymic of the caller and address him that way during the dialogue;
• show interest in the call;
• the tone should be even, friendly;
• If there is no time for a conversation or urgent matters arise that require your intervention, politely interrupt the interlocutor and find out when it is best for you to call him back;
• if you are not competent in the question asked by the caller, inform the caller about this and promise to find out the information in the near future, agree on the next conversation;
• Be patient and do not push your interlocutor to quickly end the dialogue.

Business calls

Particular attention should be paid to communication with colleagues. Following the subtleties of telephone etiquette helps create a favorable impression, which largely guarantees the success of business negotiations.

The main thing that distinguishes a business telephone conversation from a personal one is brevity. In business, it is not customary to waste time on empty talk. After introducing yourself and hearing the answer, you should briefly outline the meaning of the matter. The ability to clearly formulate and convey your thoughts will be appreciated by both colleagues at your level and senior managers.

Raising the tone and especially offensive language are unacceptable in a conversation with any employee, regardless of age and position. If you agree on a time and place to meet, immediately write this information down in a notebook.

When communicating with a client, it is better not to be distracted by incoming calls or, after apologizing, to talk as soon as possible.

Telephone etiquette includes the rule of active listening. To make your interlocutor feel that you are closely following his speech, engage in his monologue with short phrases or words (“clear,” “agree,” “yes”).

How long the conversation lasts and how well the conversation is structured often determines whether the joint work will continue.

It is customary to communicate by telephone on official matters on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Actions before making a call

You should prepare for important conversations in advance. In order not to miss a point and not call back about the same issue (which creates a negative impression), you need to make a list of questions for discussion.

Think over a brief and clear content of the conversation if any information needs to be conveyed through a secretary or intermediary.

Have a notepad and pencil ready in case you need to write anything down.

It is not customary to call your home phone for business matters. If necessary, you should first find out whether this is convenient.

If possible, you should ask what time is best to call your home or mobile phone. It would be a good idea to mention when it will be convenient for you.

Sometimes, instead of a phone call, it is better to write an SMS or leave a voice message on the answering machine.