Making Phone Calls Many businessHV use e mail to do much of ...

Making Phone Calls
Many business use email to do much of their business today, but it is still important to be able to
make clear and concise telephone calls.
goal prepare for phone calls you want to make and to be ready to respond to calls you
receive. If you understand that you can prepare for a telephone call, using the telephone can
become much easier.
Look at this simple business telephone dialogue
1. Good morning, this is Chang. How may I direct your call, please
2. Extension 564, please.
3. May I ask who is calling
4. This is Roger Gold with Van and Lang.
5. Just a moment, please. Sorry, that line is busy. May I put you on hold
6. Of course.
7. Thank you.
8. I’m sorry. Mr. Lim is out for the day. May I take a message
9. No, I’ll call back tomorrow. Thanks, goodbye
10. You’re welcome. Goodbye.
Now let’s look at the parts of that call that are important. We won’t discuss all of the lines.
1. Answering a call
In many countries, there is a specific way to answer a private phone call. For example, in
English, we simply say “Hello” and wait for the caller to say something.
However, in the business world, we usually indentify ourselves or our company:
Good morning, this is Sharifa speaking.
Tamara speaking. May I help you
The New Year Tire Company. This is Jasmine. How may I direct your call
The phrase “How may I direct your call” tells you that Chang is a receptionist or operator and is
waiting for you to ask for someone specific.
2. Asking for Someone Specific
If you know whom you are calling:
May I speak to … [formal]
Can you connect me to Accounting
Is Mr. Sim in [informal]
Extension 562, please [normal in North America, but almost rude inmany cultures]
If you don’t know, you can say
I’m not sure. Whom should I speak to about ……
[using who would make it less formal]

3. Asking who is on the telephone
Who may say is calling [very formal: note the correct form is who not whom]
Can I ask who is calling, please
4. Identifying yourself
This is John Low with Quality News
Ivan Carter
5. Connecting
Not all phone calls wi use this part.
Just a moment please.
I’ll connect you now.
8. When someone is not available and taking messages
a. I'm afraid ... is not available at the moment
The line is busy...
Mr. Lim isn't in right now.
Mr. Zhang won’t be in today.
b. May I take a message
Shall I tell him or her you called
Exercise 1
Brainstorm with a partner five different types of phone calls you might have to make. For example,
you might need to set up an appointment, or you might want to apply for a job.
Exercise 2
Prepare notes to have ready for one of the types of phone calls you created in Exercise 1. What
will you need to have ready when you call (E.g., when would you be available for meeting if
you are setting up an appointment
Exercise 3
Do role plays of a phone call with the notes you created in Exercise 2.