by Beneth Perry

Answer the phone as soon as possible, preferably on the first or second ring.

Smile as you answer the phone, and answer with a sincerely friendly lilt to your voice. The person on the other end of the line does not need to know how stressful things may be on your end.

When answering the phone, clearly and slowly identify yourself and your work place. (“Hello—Ironwood. This is Jane.”) It’s probably best not to give a long, detailed greeting, as it tends to come out rushed and may bore the listener.

Try to always catch the caller’s name without his having to repeat it for you. (Keep scratch paper by your phone; as you hear the caller give his name, write it down.) Then, at the end of the conversation, somehow restate the caller’s name—good PR. (“Thanks for calling, John.”)

If you need to direct a call to someone else, give the caller the name of the person who will probably be calling him back. (“Lynn normally handles our registration. She’s out of the office right now, but I’ll be sure to give this message to her.”)

Look for ways to give the caller positive alternatives. For instance, if you cannot fulfill a person’s request, don’t just say no. Instead, you might say, “We’re not able to do that for you, but would you be interested in _________?” Or, if the person the caller is wanting to speak with is not in the office, instead of simply saying, “He’s not in right now,” say, “I’m sorry. He’s not in right now. May I take a message or direct you to someone else?”

Only keep a caller on hold as long as necessary. If you sense that he is going to have to hold for a while or if he has already been holding for a bit, get back on the line with him and ask him if the staff member he’s holding for can call him back.

When a caller asks to speak to someone, never just say yes. Your personnel may be in a meeting, off the property, or simply may not want to take that particular call at the moment. Instead say, “Let me see if he’s available. May I tell him who’s calling?” Also, never transfer a call directly to a staff member—unless you know his voice mail will pick up— without first telling the staff member who is on the line for him. This gives him a chance to collect his thoughts before taking the call.

A nice courtesy for your staff is to tell a caller, “I’ll make sure he gets the message,” instead of saying, “I’ll have him give you a call.” You would not want to promise the caller something that the staff member will not want to do or is unable to do.