Phone Etiquette
Phone Etiquitte
Basic Rules When Speaking with Customers
What better place to start than with the basics. If you already have the basics down then you are just one step closer to having ideal call center etiquette, but if not here are some of the most important rules!
- Always introduce yourself and the company
- No gum chewing
- Speak clearly and directly into the phone
- Don’t cover the phone - put on hold if you need to ask another employee a question
- Answer the phone ideally within 2-3 rings
- Greet the caller according to your companies script
- Use an appropriate tone of voice and pace when speaking to a customer
- Be professional
Proper Hold Procedures
Nobody enjoys being on hold but sometimes it is unavoidable. Here are some tips on how to properly place someone on hold and still create a good customer experience.
- Ask the caller if it is okay to place them on hold and wait for them to say it's okay
- Give them the choice to be called back or if they prefer to stay on hold if the solution is going to take a while
- Check back in every 30 seconds or so with the caller on hold
- Always thank the caller for being patient
Rules When Transferring a Call
Transferring a call properly is especially important. Improperly transferring a call can waste customers' time making them more irritated than they were at the beginning of the call.
- Inform the caller as to why they are being transferred
- Explain why it is in their best interest to be transferred
- Check to make sure the person/department is able to take the call before completing the transfer
- If the call cannot be transferred get all of the caller's information and inform them that someone will give them a call at their earliest convenience
- If the call can be transferred make sure the new department/person has the callers name, request, and any other helpful information they might need to assess the issue
- Consider a policy where your reps stay on the call after they transfer it to a technician so they can see how the issue was resolved. This increases the likelihood that they will be able to handle the call on the first touch when the same or similar case comes up again.
To help, here are some simple dos and don’ts to follow.
DO – Smile when you talk to people. Although they might not be able to see you, a smile can be heard in your voice and the caller will be much more relaxed in their conversation with you. People love talking to happy people.
DON’T – Be distracted. Although the caller may not be able to see what you’re doing, if they don’t have your full attention it will be heard in your tone and responses. Distractions can be anything from responding to an email, replying to a text, scrolling through online shopping, reading a news article, or nibbling on that doughnut that has been sitting next to you calling your name. If you wouldn’t do these things with the person in front of you, don’t do it when you’re on the phone.
DO – When you answer the phone, greet the caller warmly and advise who they are talking to. Always answer the phone with your name at the end of your greeting. You will have an upward inflection on your name which will stay in the mind of the caller. Personal calls received should also be formalised. Some ways you can answer the phone are “Hello this is (say name)” and business calls can be answered with ‘’Good Morning/Afternoon, (say business name), this is (say name)”.
DON’T – Shout or whisper. Being overly loud or overly quiet can make a phone conversation very awkward and might mean you don’t get all of the information to the person on the other end. Try and speak in a calm tone that will be easy to hear and understand.
DO – Speak clearly. You have something to say and the person at the other end wants to hear it. No one wants to repeat themselves many times during a conversation. Speak as clearly as possible to avoid this.
DON’T – Leave the caller on hold for too long. No one likes sitting on hold. If you leave your caller on hold for too long they may think they have been forgotten and may hang up. If this is a business call this could result in a lost sale or an unhappy customer.
DO – Make the caller feel welcome. Although it is a phone call, if your answers are short or you don’t sound interested, the caller may leave the call feeling unwelcome and that their query hasn’t been answered or problem resolved.
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