When a client, customer, or potential business partner calls your office, you need to make sure that the person taking the call follows proper phone etiquette to avoid making a bad impression about your company. Premier Call Answering Service provider TAB Answer Network shares a few notes on proper business phone etiquette below.
Phone Etiquette for Business/Office Calls
Calls made to your office could mean a customer wants to talk to someone regarding their concern or a potential client wants to know more about your business before hiring your services. Sometimes, these calls could also mean confirmation from vendors or suppliers, requests for a meeting from a potential business partner, or a follow-up on a service you recently provided. Whatever these calls may be, they should be always be answered in a professional manner, whether by an in-house receptionist or a professional Call Answering Service.
Here are a few things to remember about answering business calls:
Calls should be answered promptly
The last thing you want is to make a caller wait as they could already be annoyed by the time their call is taken. Make sure that incoming calls are answered within three rings, at most. If there are too many incoming calls at the moment, make sure to have a message played that will inform the callers they are on queue.
Use formal language
Business calls require you to maintain a certain level of professionalism, so answering calls with just a casual “Hello,” and then waiting for the caller to say why they’re calling simply won’t do. After you’ve said your greeting, immediately follow this up with an introduction of yourself and then a mention of the office or company name.
Avoid using slang words and abbreviations (BRB, AFK, etc.), and maintain a formal tone of voice.
Pay attention
Listen attentively. Pay attention to what the caller is saying. If it’s a customer sharing their concern about a product or service, take notes so you can relay the concern as accurately as possible. You also must maintain a certain decorum, particularly when the caller is angry or upset. Do not engage in a heated debate. Maintain your professionalism and remain polite and sympathetic.
TAB Answer Network Call Answering Service
TAB Answer Network’s Call Answering Service agents are professionally trained in business phone manners and etiquette. If you would like to learn more about our answering service, please feel free to give us a call at (800) 880-4324. You may also leave us a message here. We’d be glad to hear from you.