Business Telephone Etiquette

This page gives some Business Telephone Etiquette Tips (Business Phone Etiquette) for the elegant woman at work. Discussions about the proper phone etiquette in business, the all-too-common scenarios, and how to have professional telephone manners.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/candydishblog/ / CC BY 2.0

Business Telephone Etiquette Tips

Answering Properly

Good telephone manners means never saying "Hello" when answering a business telephone.

If you are in a company that takes quite a fair bit of incoming calls, the proper phone etiquette is to answer with the company's name first, "Bloomingdale's, Good morning!" You'll be kindly requested to do so by your company.

If you have a more personal relationship with your clients or customers, where they would know you by name and call you from time to time, the proper phone etiquette is to answer with, "Loreal, Good afternoon, this is Blair."

If company name is not required to use in greetings, simply go, "Jessica Madden speaking." when you answer your business telephone.

If someone else is answering your telephone, you may instruct him or her to say, "Good afternoon, this is Elizabeth Arden's office, how may I help you?" or "Good afternoon this is Elizabeth Arden's office,"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drstarbuck/ / CC BY 2.0

Important Business Phone Etiquette:If you use a speakerphone to answer, it is good telephone manners to tell the caller so.

If you sense that you're on a speakerphone, and you're not comfortable with it, just say, "Am I on speakerphone? Do you mind if you turn it off because it is hard to hear."

Business Telephone Etiquette Tips

Speaking With Good Telephone Manners

Your voice - make sure it is clean, clear and professional.

Always be courteous.

Do not be coughing, clearing your throat or eating when on the phone.

if you clear your throat more than once, ask to hold for some water, or call back when you have rectified the problem.

Do not raise your voice.

When on an overseas call, there is somethings a lag between when the person speaks to when you finally 'hear' it. So wait for the person to finish speaking before you begin.

When you are making a call, it is good business phone etiquette to always identify yourself to the first recipient - basically whoever picks up the phone.

"This is Mary kate, May I speak to Nicole Richie please?"

If you picked up the phone asking for you, you may reply, "This is Nicole."

If the call is not for you, you usually answer with these options, "Just one moment please", "May I take down a message?", "May I take down a message and a telephone number?", "Or shall I ask her to call you back?"

It is never good telephone manners to say "She is not in" for the sake of convenience. You may use another short answer, "She is in a meeting right now."

The Age Old Question of Good Telephone Manners:

Should you ask who is calling?

For safety reasons, do.

Is it rude? It is a little, but ask nicely, "May I tell her who's calling?".

Business Telephone Etiquette Tips

Using the Business Phone

Never chat or have lengthy personal calls on the business phone.

People can hear you, get annoyed by the chatter and it never makes a good impression.

When you get a wrong number, don't ask, "What number is this?"

Instead, call back and if the same person answers, you'll know it is the wrong number.

Do not leave any caller on hold for more than a minute.Big Business Phone Etiquette Tip!

Don't carry simultaneous conversation with someone i the room and someone on the telephone.

I know it happens a lot, especially people just barge into your office and talks to you regardless because they think their message is more important than your phone call.

Put one hand up to signal wait, or turn your back around to that person.

Alternatively, I've found a rather effective method is to push a pencil and notepad to let the person leave a message.

When I'm at the receiving end of the phone call and I notice my caller having simultaneous conversations, I get very annoyed and find it hard to concentrate. Usually I politely insist for him/her to call me back when they are done. That usually helps the other person focus on your phone call, which is the business phone etiquette anyway.

You might also be interested in:

Cell Phone Manners

Return to the top of Business Telephone Etiquette

Go back to homepage

Tags: business telephone etiquette, proper phone etiquette, business phone etiquette, telephone etiquette tips, good telephone manners, proper telephone etiquette, telephone etiquette, phone interview etiquette, telephone manners, phone manners

“A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with excellency of heart.”