MBA - MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION (MC)
TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
It is difficult to find a home but impossible to find a business organization without a telephone. It has become a part of our life in the modern world. The majority of our communication in English is over the telephone. Although today its use is being replaced by other forms of communication (such as email), phone use is one of the most common means by which to materialize both internal and external communications. In business, especially in international trade, it is possible to have a contact for years without ever seeing the people with whom we are dealing. It is through the telephone that we project an impression of ourselves and the company we represent. So, it is extremely important that we master the skills necessary to communicate well over the telephone.
Hence it is important how subtle difference in the impression we create. Not being aware of these differences can result in our seeming rude for arrogant, unsophisticated or not service minded. It can take no more than saying "I want" instead of "I would like to" to create a bad impression. In addition, there is the cultural element that must be understood in order to communicate effectively, especially with native English speakers.
First, we must be aware of a standard form that English telephone conversations often have. Second, we should be aware of two extremely important cultural values that must be expressed: politeness and service mindedness.
The telephone – a communication tool
‘To effectively communicate, we must realise that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.’
(Anthony Robbins)
Body language and facial expressions cannot be seen during normal phone conversations.
Diction
- spoken clarity
- the clarity with which somebody pronounces words when speaking
- choice of words to fit their context
- a way of speaking, assessed in terms of prevailing pronunciation and elocution standards
ANSWERING A BUSINESS TELEPHONE CALL
Seven Steps
Given below is a list of seven steps that we must use to answer the telephone in a business setting:
1. Greeting
Hello.
Good morning.
Good afternoon.
The greeting is optional and would mainly be used by switchboard operators (for example, Good morning, Modern Industries). However, it is appropriate if we are sure the call is coming from outside the company.
2. Identification
Accounting, Archana speaking.
3. Offer of Help
May I help you?
How may I help you?
This is also optional but recommended when dealing with customers. Thus, if we work in customer service, customer relations, or sales offering help would be appropriate.
4. Exchange of Information
This is the aim of the telephone conversation in which information is exchanged, requests are made, meetings are arranged, and so on. It is here that we can show our sophistication by being informative, polite, and service-minded.
5. Confirmation of Massage
If the caller has made a request, if a meeting date has been set, or if something has been decided we must repeat it to be sure that both parties have understood the same thing or that the request is clear. This will help avoid misunderstanding. Confirmation of message is expected as part of a conversation by English speaking people, and it makes our telephone manners seem more sophisticated.
6. Confirmation of Action
We confirm that we will do what is requested or what has been decided. If time permits we should follow this up by confirming our intended action in writing.
7. Closing
"Goodbye" is standard closing, but we can make a good final impression in this call by adding something polite or service-minded, such as "If you have any other questions don't hesitate to call” or "Thank you for calling. I'm looking forward to our meeting."
TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE
As we can see, it takes so little to make a good impression, but it makes all the difference in the world. So let us look at some standard phrases that will help.
“Be Polite”
Adding *Please" always creates a polite tone, especially along with the conditional "could" and "would". Let us compare "would you please repeat that" with "what"? or "I would like to speak to..” or "I want to speak to .. or "I would appreciate your writing to me" with "write to me..." In each case, the first form is polite and the second is blunt. Also, let us not forget “Thank you” and "Please". These phrases add another polite dimension. "Convenient" is another word that adds politeness and consideration to our conversation. For example, when planning a meeting we might say, "What is a convenient time for you?" or "Is that convenient for you?" The key is remembering how we would want to be treated on the telephone and using our own expectations as our guidelines.
"Be Service - Minded"
This is another watchword that will create a food impression. One tip is that if a caller has a problem, let us know that it is our goal to solve it. For example, a positive response might be, "Yes, I understand the problem. Let me investigate a couple of possibilities and I'll get back to you. Let us compare such a response with "I really do not know what we can do about that." If we do not have an immediate answer, let us not just give up. Let us make an investigation, and see if we can find an answer. Finally. let us always stress that we will get to the caller soon. And let us do it.
"Be Informative"
Let us not force people to ask questions. We should be forthcoming. If we do get a question we should give a complete answer. Let us try to imagine what information the caller would want if help or she knew it was available. For example, let's say that a customer calls to ask about material on an information system, and there is a new system just out on the market. We should say "Are you aware that we just put system seven on the market? and then go into a brief description of its advantages. We can close by saying. "T II send you brochures on both systems so that you can choose which is the best for you." Or let's say someone calls for our office mate, who is in a meeting. We can answer, "Mr John is in a meeting," or "Mr Ramesh is in a meeting. I expect him back at two o'clock. Would you like to leave a message?" As we can realize the latter response is much more professional.
Post a Comment