Office Phone Etiquette

23Sep09

Today, even with the many different modes of communication, the telephone is still the prime method of communication between clients and businesses. So, naturally, answering the phone at work is one of the most important qualities of the workplace. I know firsthand the importance of a good receptionist, and I have seen many build lasting relationships with clients merely by pleasantly answering the phone. At my office we have developed a set of office phone etiquette rules that we thought would be useful to distribute to the receptionists to ensure they are handling each call professionally.

In general, it is a good idea for companies with a high volume of phone calls to develop uniform guidelines for office phone etiquette to ensure that the receptionist, or all receptionists, answers each phone call in the same pleasant, professional manner. The receptionist’s tone, vocabulary and mood can affect the clients general impression of the company, so developing guidelines and training each receptionist will help to eliminate candid or spontaneous talk that might reflect poorly on the company.

Office phone etiquette guidelines should include telephone greetings, proper ways to transfer a call, how to manage heavy incoming calls and answering machine messages. This list will provide ideas and suggestions for the development of custom company phone etiquette techniques. For information on specific phone etiquette guidelines and suggestions on how to create company specific guidelines, please visit the Total Corporate Solutions website at www.totalcorporatesolutions.com.