Entire contents Copyright © 2001 
by June Campbell

June's writing has appeared in several international print publications. You can visit her site for biz articles, a free gift, books at low Canadian prices, online sales of proposal and business plan templates and much more.

Are you losing potential customers because of poor telephone communications? The lowly telephone is an indispensable item of business equipment. Still, if improperly used, this necessary item can cause client dissatisfaction or loss of customers. Keep these tips in mind to use your telephone to the best advantage:


1. Properly used, contemporary telephone technology can create the image of a large business operation. BUT if you don't know how to use the technology properly, you will create instead the illusion of incompetence. Learn how to transfer calls, put people on hold and how to perform other telephone functions. If necessary, make notes to help you remember little-used procedures.


2. Consider using earphones instead of speakerphones. Speakerphones subject the caller to an annoying echo that makes it difficult to hear clearly.


3. Ask a caller's permission before putting them on hold. Studies indicate that callers become annoyed after being on hold for 17 seconds. Reduce annoyance by asking permission, explaining why they are being put on hold and by giving an estimated time that will elapse before you return.


4. Answer the phone with your business name and your own name. For example, "Hello. Jones Catering. This is Sandra Jones." If answering a call that has been transferred to you, answer with your name. 
Mistakes in transferring calls occur often enough that callers have little faith that the person saying "Hello" is really you.


5. Ensure that no more than four rings elapse before the call is directed to voice mail. If the phone is to be answered in person, try to answer in two rings. Avoid leaving a phone ringing indefinitely without answering.
If switchboard operators leave their post for even a short time, ensure that incoming calls are switched to voice mail.


6. Customers arriving in person have priority over telephone customers. When talking to a customer in person, allow voice mail to pick up the phone call, or ask someone else to answer.
When a customer arrives while you are talking on the phone, ask to place the caller on hold, then address the walk-in customer.


7. If you are using an 800 number, find out precisely what areas or countries can reach you by using that number. Post that information on your web site or wherever the number is advertised. Ensure that your representatives don't respond to email messages with an invitation to call an 800 number that the customer cannot use.


8. Give a thought to time zones before phoning a customer or potential customer. If you're on the East Coast of North America, that 9:00 AM phone call you place to a customer on the West Coast will wake them up at 5:00 AM. Or, if it's a B2B call, your 11:00 AM telephone appointment won't work unless you both understand the time zones involved. If you don't recognize the area code that you are calling, your local phone book will usually offer that information. Still don't
know what time zone your caller is in? Check the World Time Server at http://www.worldtimeserver.com/


9. Be aware that coffee drinking, gum chewing and cigarette smoking are clearly audible over the telephone. Instruct personnel to avoid these activities while talking on the phone.


10. If working from home, your business phone must be answered in a professional manner. Many telephone companies offer a service that in my area, is called Smart Ring. You pay for only one phone line, but you have two different numbers -- each with a distinctive ring so you always know whether it is a business call or a personal call.
Ensure that your telecom will allow you to use Smart Ring for business purposes. Mind does.

"How-to" Booklets, Guides, Templates, & eBooks - Business proposals - Business plans - Joint Venture Contracts... More! Visit (http://www.nightcats.com) to Claim Your FREE GIFT! .  

A dozen more articles from June Campbell are available:

1. Tips for Writing a Business Proposal. Eleven tips for making your proposals effective. 900 words.

2. To Your Credit. A business consultant (and former credit manager) offers tips for developing a credit policy that will help protect you from business losses. 500 words. 

3. Ten Tips for Building an E-commerce Web Site. Ten elements of site design that will encourage your customers to stay and shop. 400 words.


4. Don't Gimme No Solutions. Humorous "rant" about marketing jargon that confuses rather than communicates. 900 words.  

5. Avoiding Wired Mistakes. Four mistakes to avoid if the Internet plays a role in your marketing plan. 585 words. 

6. Using Email in your Business. Do you really need a web site to do
business online? Several business women discuss the role that email plays in their day to day business undertakings. 685 words.

7. The Psychology of Color in Marketing Materials. An overview of how color affects mood and behavior, with implications for the design of brochures, websites and other marketing materials. 360 words.

8. Your E-Sig: A Great Promotional Opportunity. How to write an email
signature that will do double duty as an ad for your business. 500 words.

9. Ten Questions to Ask Before You Purchase Disability Insurance. Covers the key qualities of a good policy. 460 words. 

10. Just Say No to Marketing Scams. 600 words. Offers advice on how to identify marketing scams when you see one. Written in a humorous vein.


11. NetPosts. How to make a post card from your Home Page. 565 words.

12. Contracts Demystified. Clarifying the language of a business contract. 552 words.

May 30 2000

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