Important Telephone Skills

Telephone Skills

We use the telephone at home and at our work place. Anybody and everybody can make a call and receie a call. But, that isn’t all. Receiving a call is not just about picking up the receiver and yelling a ‘hello” and doing something else and talking to the caller. Definitely not while at work. So, here are some tips on how to receive and make calls.

Telephone tips

1. Treat the call as if it were a meeting.

2. Decide what you’ll do if someone answers other than the person you’re calling. Would you prefer to leave a message, go to voice mail, or call back later?

3. If you’re on duty and know that someone would call you at that time, be at your desk at the appointed time.

4. Learn the names of the people who answer the phones at the numbers you call most frequently. Speak pleasantly to them, and if you talk to them very, wish them on occasions like a New Year or Diwali.

Do’s and Don’ts


1. Don’t type or shuffle papers while you’re on the phone – it suggests that you’re not listening to the caller.

2. If you have to put the phone down, do it gently.

3. Do not eat anything while talking.

4. If you have to sneeze or cough, turn your head and cover your mouth – and the receiver.

5. Speak directly into the receiver – don’t bury it in your shoulder or neck.

6. If you dial the wrong number, explain yourself and verity the phone number so you don’t repeat the call. Don’t hang up; that’s just rude.

7. Cut down on the background noise when taking or making a call. Radios, televisions, and even computer bleeps can be distracting over the phone.

Taking messages

1. Note down the time and date the call came in.

2. Verify the caller’s name, company name, and phone number.

3. Put your initials besides the message, so that, if the person who received the message has any questions, he or she can contact you.

4. Try to get a short statement about the caller’s purpose and put that down along with the message.

Note: When someone is in the bathroom, having bath – the speaker can say “he is in the bath” or “he is having his bath. Can I ask him to call you back”. If at work, the boss in the toilet, the person who picks up the phone must say “he is in the cloak room. Can you hold on” or “he is in the wash room. Would you mind holding on or can I ask him to call back”.