Phone Etiquette

Rules of Etiquette for Phone Skills in the Workplace

Adapted from an article

By Ruth Mayhew smallbusiness.chron.com

Phone Etiquette

Even though social media, SMS, chat and email are communication staples both in and out of the workplace, many customers still prefer to get in touch over the phone. 

Formal Greeting

Introduce yourself and the place of business.

Answer Promptly

Callers don't like to wait too long for the phone to be answered, otherwise they may assume your company is closed for the day or that you're too busy to tend to customers' needs. Answer within 3 rings.

Unpleasant Noise

Don't answer telephone calls when you're chewing or drinking. Chewing is an absolute no-no, and no caller should ever hear you eating while on the telephone. 

Conflict Management

Unhappy customers have been known to take out their frustrations on the first person they encounter when they call to complain about a product or service. The key to maintaining excellent customer service is to avoid being rude to a customer. 

Messages

A complete phone message should include the caller's name, the person he or she is calling, a briefly stated reason for the call and a number where the caller can be reached.

Multiple Select

Chewing is an absolute no-no, and no caller should ever hear you ________while on the telephone.

• eating

• sleeping

• talking

Multiple Select

You should answer a call within ____ rings.

• 10

• 4

• 1

• 3

Multiple Select

Always treat the customer in the same way they are treating you.

• false

• true

Multiple Select

When taking a message, you should always add the ____________ for the call.

• reason

• tone of voice

Multiple Select

What is the first thing you should say when answering a business phone?

• What up?

• Your name and the name of the business

• I'm busy. What do you want?

Open Ended

If you were in the school office and had to answer the phone, what would you say first?

Open Ended

If you were to answer the phone in a teacher's classroom, what would you say?

Open Ended

Type a summary of today's lesson.