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📞 Professional Telephone Etiquette Guide 📞

Camari Training

1. Answering the Phone Professionally

✅ Answer within 3 rings to show attentiveness.

✅ Greet with a warm and professional tone

Good morning

Titan Builders

Susan speaking

How may I help you?

✅ If answering a personal business call, a simple Hello, Susan speaking works well.


2. Speaking Clearly & Confidently

Use a clear, steady tone—don’t mumble or speak too quickly.

Smile while speaking—it naturally makes you sound more approachable.

✅ Avoid slang, jargon, or filler words like “umm” or “like” in professional settings.



3. Using Professional Language

Stay polite and respectful at all times.

✅ Use positive language—for example, instead of “I don’t know,” say “Let me find out for you.”

✅ If the caller has an accent or speaks quickly, politely ask them to repeat rather than guessing.


4. Active Listening

✅ Let the caller finish speaking before responding.

Take notes for complex queries.

✅ Repeat key details to confirm accuracy (Just to confirm, you need this by Friday, correct?”).


5. Using the Phonetic Alphabet for Clarity

✅ When spelling out names, addresses, or reference numbers, use the phonetic alphabet to avoid confusion.

✅ Example: “That’s ‘B’ for Bravo, ‘E’ for Echo, ‘N’ for November.”


Letter

Code Word

Letter

Code Word

A

Alpha

N

November

B

Bravo

O

Oscar

C

Charlie

P

Papa

D

Delta

Q

Quebec

E

Echo

R

Romeo

F

Foxtrot

S

Sierra

G

Golf

T

Tango

H

Hotel

U

Uniform

I

India

V

Victor

J

Juliett

W

Whiskey

K

Kilo

X

X-ray

L

Lima

Y

Yankee

M

Mike

Z

Zulu


✅ This is especially useful for difficult names, postcodes, email addresses, and reference numbers.


6. Transferring & Holding Calls

✅ Always ask before placing someone on hold: “Would you mind holding for a moment while I check that for you?”

✅ If transferring, explain why and let them know who they’re being transferred to.

Check back every 30-60 seconds if they are on hold.



7. Making Professional Calls

✅ Plan key points before calling to stay concise.

✅ Identify yourself and your company at the start.

✅ If leaving a voicemail, keep it short: “Hello, this is Susan from Titan Builders. Please call me back at 09569874125 regarding your quote."


8. Handling Difficult Calls Gracefully

✅ Stay calm and professional, even if the caller is frustrated.

Acknowledge their concern and offer a solution: “I understand this is frustrating, and I’m here to help.”

✅ If necessary, escalate to a supervisor rather than arguing.


9. Ending the Call Professionally

✅ Summarise any key points or next steps.

✅ Thank the caller: Thank you for calling, have a great day!”

✅ Allow them to hang up first to avoid accidental disconnection.


Mastering these telephone techniques ensures clear, courteous, and effective communication—keeping professionalism alive in an increasingly digital world! 📲

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