Phone-Call Etiquette Checklist Landlines; Cell-Phones - Plusto.com

Phone-Call Etiquette
Checklist
Landlines; Cell-Phones;
Video-Conferencing and Voice Messages
Dineshrie Pillay
http://www.neospectives.com
1

A. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: MAKING PHONE CALLS
No Summary Detail Check
1 Decide on the mode of
communication
2 Write down notes on
what you want to
discuss
3 Leaving messages with
a PA or 3 rd party
4 Being diverted from
one person to the next
1. Consider whether or not a telephone call is the best mode of communication
for the content of your discussion.
2. For more complex, lengthier discussions, an in-person meeting might be more
suitable.
3. For quick business updates, consider using e-mail instead of telephone
appointments.
1. When you engage in a phone-call, the initial discussion is more likely going to
be about pleasantries.
2. To avoid you forgetting what your phone-call is about, once the pleasantries
are over, write some notes that you want to talk to before making the phonecall.
3. Review your bullets of information so that you are certain to cover all
important points.
1. Never leave your phone number with the person who does not know who
you are and has no idea why you called.
2. Don’t be offended if the secretary asks “Will he or she know what this is
regarding?’ It is their role to filter calls.
3. Never get irritated with an assistant, because the manager is unable to take
your call. Your bad review will be passed on.
4. If your calls are not taken, ask when is the best time to return calls. Don’t
whine about it – this is not professional!
1. Even though you might have introduced yourself to the receptionist,
reintroduce yourself to the person you are calling so that there are no
mix-ups.
5 Phone disconnects
during the call
6 Taking phone-calls that
you are not prepared
for
1. If you call someone and are disconnected, you are responsible for redialing,
even if they are responsible for accidentally hanging up.
2. Since you placed the call, you know how to reach them!
1. When you mistakenly take a phone-call that you are not prepared for, spend
a few minutes on the phone as a matter of courtesy.
2. Then reschedule the appointment for a later date.
3. You will lose credibility when you are not prepared and try to respond
on-the-cuff.
7 Smile when speaking 1. Even without a video image, smiling is seen and experienced over the phone.
2. It also affects the quality of your voice - sounding bright, friendly and
enthusiastic.
8 Ending the
conversation
1. Before ending the conversation, summarize the call to make sure each of you
have the same understanding, and determine the next action steps.
2. Even if you are in a rush, say goodbye, but wait for it to be reciprocated.
Otherwise it might feel like you have hung up on the person!
9 Returning calls 1. Return all calls the same day.
2. If it is late in the evening to return the phone-call, consider sending an SMS or
email, saying that you will follow-up the next day.
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B. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: CELL-PHONE CONVERSATIONS
No Detail Check
1 Consider whether or not it is an appropriate time to make a call.
2 Consider where you are and who might overhear the content of your conversation.
3 Excuse yourself and make the call in private if the timing is appropriate.
4 Speak clearly. If you have a bad connection and are breaking, up tell the person you will call him or her
back.
5 Keep cell phones turned off or set to ‘silent’ in meetings.
6 Keep personal calls to a minimum, especially if you are using a cell phone that is paid for by the
company.
7 When in the company of others, ask permission to take the call.
8 Do not transact important business matters on the phone if you are in the presence of others who are
not part of that transaction.
C. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: VIDEO & TELEPHONE CONFERENCING
No Detail Check
1 Confidential calls should be made in privacy and not be broadcasted.
2 Appoint one person to initiate the call.
When everyone is present, make introductions so that everyone is acknowledged.
3 It is not easy to recognise and remember voices, so identify yourself when you join a conversation and
when you leave the conversation.
4 Speak clearly and project your voice. It is considerate to ask if the receiver can hear you well enough.
5 If you begin a conversation on the telephone and then include others on the call, ask permission from
the receiver before putting them on loudspeaker.
6 Get to the venue early to test the video or tele-conferencing technology.
7 A video or tele-conferencing is still a formal version of a meeting.
Ensure that you follow the rules for a meeting. This means having an agenda, sending out pre-reading
material and getting to the meeting prepared and on time.
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D. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: YOUR PERSONAL VOICE MAIL MESSAGE
No Summary Detail Check
1 Outgoing message 1. Your outgoing message should be given in a friendly voice, stating your
name and requesting that the caller leave a message and phone number.
2. Keep it brief and to the point.
3. Callers don’t want to spend time listening to where you may be or how
sorry you are that you missed the call.
2 Avoid being flippant or
cute on your voice-mail
3 Re-fresh your
voice-mail message
4 On-leave or out-of-the
office messages
5 Check your voice-mail
messages regularly
1. While talking like Daffy Duck or Barry White may be funny at home, it
does not convey a professional business image.
2. Humorous messages may seem charming at first, even perhaps the
second time and then it gets irritating.
1. Change your voice-mail message every three months.
2. Occasionally, call your own number, to evaluate how a new customer,
colleague, or vendor might perceive you.
1. Leave a voice message when on leave.
2. The voice message needs to be simple, stating the dates when you will be
unavailable.
3. Include within your message an alternative contact number and or
person, should the message be urgent.
4. Nobody needs to know where you are and what a fantastic time you are
having!
1. Check your voice mail at least twice a day, and more than twice a day, if
you receive sensitive information.
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E. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: LEAVING VOICE MAIL MESSAGES
No Summary Detail Check
1 Identify yourself 1. Always identify yourself by leaving your name and company contact
details.
2. Don’t assume that your voice will automatically be recognised.
2 Have your bullet points
on hand
3 Content of voice-mail
messages
1. Keep notes by the phone to jot down your main points prior to making a
phone call.
2. If you reach your caller in person, you will be able to remember all your
important issues.
3. If you are required to leave a voice-mail, you will be equally prepared.
1. Keep voice-mails friendly, short, and clear with an indication of next steps
or action required.
2. If the voice-mail is lengthy, leave your phone number clearly and
distinctly at the beginning and at the end of the message.
3. Never leave a harsh or negative voice-mail. It can be listened to over and
over, forwarded, archived and put on a speakerphone to share with the
office.
4 Quantity of messages 1. Consider the number and length of the messages that you leave for that
person, in relation to the number of messages that the recipient may
receive in a day.
2. Leaving 1 voice-mail message is sufficient.
5 Sharing confidential
information
1. Due to the non-secured aspect of voice mail, confidential information is
best shared in person.
6 Background noise 1. Don’t leave voice-mails where background noise from loud restaurants,
jammed bars, parties or boisterous family gatherings can be heard.
7 Returning voice-mail
messages
1. Return all voice mail the same day, even if you end up leaving a voice mail
yourself.
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