Customer service agents, front desk staff, call centre workers and office assistants all spend a lot of their day on the phone. A caller cannot see your face or your office. Your voice and what you say are all they have to judge you and your employer. Good phone habits are simple to learn and very easy for a manager to notice.
Answering a call
When the phone rings at work, answer within a few rings and say three things:
- A greeting: "Good morning" or "Good afternoon".
- Where they have reached: the name of the shop, office or organisation.
- Your name and an offer to help.
For example: "Good afternoon, Zaa Prints, this is Mariama speaking. How can I help you?"
Speak a little slower than normal, and smile while you talk. People can hear a smile.
Listening and checking
Let the caller finish. Then repeat the key details back to check you understood: "So you want 50 wedding invitations by Friday, is that right?" This one habit prevents many mistakes.
If you do not know the answer, do not guess. Say: "Let me check that for you. Can I call you back within the hour?" Then make sure you do.
Taking a message someone can act on
If the person they want is not available, take a message. A useful message has:
- The caller's name and phone number.
- The date and time of the call.
- What they want, in one or two sentences.
- What you promised, for example "Manager will call back today".