Telephone Etiquette tips for the service industry

The telephone has become a major communicating tool for many businesses, and the way it is used can make a big difference for a business’s success. For many people, communicating over the phone can mean a lot of time saved. People are so caught up in their busy lives, that they barely have the time to travel to and from locations looking for items. And because of this businesses need to pay close attention to how they handle phone call, because, in many cases this may be their only chance to make a good first impression.

A customer who usually calls in their request, expects that the person that they communicate with is friendly, polite and can help them with whatever questions they may have; this most of the times will determine whether or not they can and will do business with you.  So it is very important that every business, incorporate proper telephone etiquette into their practices. 

Here are some techniques that you can try:


The first thing you should need to do is to remove all distractions from around you. This way you can give the customer on the other end your full attention and also would allow for you to capture the true essence of the call.


Always greet your caller, make sure to identify the company's name, your name and also the department that you are from. This way they can have someone to refer back to, if they may need any more assistance. 

Get a note pad and pen or any writing material, which you may be able to access. Taking simple notes is a great way of keeping track of what the customer is trying to relate to you.  This way you wouldn’t look stupid by asking them what was the first thing that they said, it can be a very frustrating thing to keep repeating yourself over and over. Some customers may not mind, but there are those who would become upset and want to think that you were not paying attention to them in the first place.

Clear your mouth of any food or gum that you may have in it. There is nothing more frustrating than to hear chapping or muffled sounds over the phone while communicating with someone. For a business this can be very detrimental to your sales, because, communication needs to be clear and understandable, especially for a first time customer. You wouldn’t want to think that, the reason you lost a sale is because, the message you were communicating wasn’t clear or they viewed your organization as unprofessional.


All calls should be answered by the second or third ring.


Always smile when your answering the phone. This may sound strange, but customers can actually here this in your voice.


The other most important thing you need to do when handling a customer over the phone, is to make sure an follow up. If you have to source information or call back for any reason, make sure and do it within the time frame given to the customer. Not returning a customer's call or calling back with information, will only show one thing " That your not interested in their business". This can mean the difference between future business and no business for your company. So if you have to handle several calls during the day, then you should make a check list of the customers you spoke with during the day and the issue which they may have had and start from the top, one by one addressing their issue, until the list has been completed.

Remember this may be your last chance to make a good first impression, so detail is key when handling your telephone customers.