By Shannon Graham
You would think that after two years of experience answering phones in Career Services I would not freak out a little bit every time the phone rings, but I do. I think the moment of anxiety I have has a lot to do with the fact that the only time I talk on the phone is at my job. The rest of the time I text or email, and to me that is a lot easier. However, the ability to speak on the phone and do it well is an important skill that everyone needs to develop.
There are vast amounts of articles online on how to be confident and professional when on the phone. Here are some helpful hints that I got out of reading a few of the available resources:
- Do not use fillers such as “um,” “uh,” and “like.”
- Slow your speech down so you have a moment to think about what you are going to say. These fillers become part of our speech when we talk too fast and have to take time while talking to think about what we want to say next.
- Use good body language.
- Good body language while on the phone can be conveyed to the person on the other end of the line. Good posture and body language helps give you confidence that will be transmitted through your voice.
- Avoid interrupting.
- One of my biggest problems on the phone is not knowing when the other person is done talking. The key is to be patient. If there is a moment of silence over the phone, that is okay and better than interrupting the caller.
- Rehearse what you know you need to say.
- You never know where a phone call is going until you pick it up, but you can rehearse your greeting and other things you tend to say on many phone calls. Rehearsing may sound silly, but saying things out loud can help you cement them in your brain.
- Watch your tone of voice.
- Humans communicate tremendously through body language, but on a phone call our voices are the only mode of communication we have. Make sure that you are using a pleasant tone that conveys interest, confidence, enthusiasm, happiness, and helpfulness. It can be hard to know if you are doing this, so enlist a friend and record yourself on a mock phone call, then analyze your tone.
- Ask people to re-confirm information and spell words or names when taking a message or writing something down.
- Learning the phonetic alphabet can help tremendously with this. It can be hard to hear over the phone, so letters can be easily mixed up. For example, if you are not sure if the caller said “B” or “D”, you can say, “Is that B as in Boy?”
- Always ask permission to put people on hold and check back periodically (about every 35-40 seconds).
Good phone etiquette is also important for phone interviews, informational interviews, and communicating with potential employers. To prepare for these situations, practice with friends or make an appointment with Career Services.
Sources:
Smith, Jacquelyn. “Speak with Impact: 12 Tips for Better Telephone Meetings.” Forbes. 28 June 2013.
“10 Top Tips for Answering Telephone Calls Professionally.” BusinessZone. 23 April 2012.
“Telephone Etiquette.” Lehigh University.
“Helpful Telephone Etiquette Tips.” Salisbury University, Career Services. 2006.