Hello , this is XX speaking Thank you for calling XXX . Jody speaking. How can I help you?

If you want to introduce yourself in either a fomal or informal conversation, you can use the following phrases: - Hey Paul. It's Jane calling. (informal) - Hello, this is Julie Madison calling. - Hi, it's John from the dentist's office here. - This is she.* - Speaking.* *The person answering says this if the caller does not recognise their voice. If you want to ask to speak with someone, u can use the following phrases: - Is Fred in? (informal) - Is Jane there, please? (informal) - Can I talk to your sister? (informal) - May I speak with Mr. Green, please? - Would the doctor be in/available? If you want to take a message for someone, you can use the following phrases: - John's not in. Who's this? (informal) - I'm sorry, Lisa's not here at the moment. Can I ask who's calling? - I'm afraid he's stepped out. Would you like to leave a message? - He's on lunch right now.Who's calling please? - He's busy right now. Can you call again later? - I'll let him know you called. - I'll make sure she gets the message. If you want to leave a message with someone, you can use the following phrases: - Yes, can you tell him his wife called, please. - No, that's okay, I'll call back later. - Yes, it's James from CompInc. here. When do you expect her back in the office? - Thanks, could you ask him to call Brian when he gets in? - Do you have a pen handy. I don't think he has my number. - Thanks. My number is 222-3456, extension 12.

Telephone calls - Common English phrases.

Answering the phone:Good morning/afternoon XYZ Ltd. How can I help you? Connecting a caller:I'll put you through now. One moment please.

Explaining there's a problem:I'm sorry, but the line's engaged at the moment. I'm sorry. There's no reply. I'm sorry, but he/she's out of the office at the moment. I'm afraid he/she's on the other line at the moment. Offering help:Would you like to hold? Is there anyone else who could help you? Can I take a message? Maybe I can help you? Offer a return call:Perhaps he/she can call you back? Could he/she call you back? Offering to take a message:Can I take a message for him/her? Would you like to leave a message? Asking for the caller's name and number:Could I have your name and number, please? Could you give me your name and number, please? Checking the information:Could you spell that, please? Can I just check that again, please? Could you repeat that, please?

When I receive a call do I have to say? Who is calling? or Who call? When I'm going to hang up the phone should I say? Thanks for called or Thanks for calling? When you answer a call and you want to know who is on the phone you should say "Who's calling, please?" When you hang up you should say "Thank you for calling." (Be sure it was them who called you though!) Here is a whole section on answering the phone.

Category: English on the phone

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If I receive a call from a stranger, and I am not the person he or she wants to call. I mean the person has called the wrong number. Then what should I say to tell them that they called the wrong number? At home: I think you have the wrong number. Goodbye. At work: I'm afraid you have the wrong number. This is (name of company). I wouldn't give out too much personal information if you are at home, but at work you should be more polite. Category: English on the phone

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top Can I say

1>may i know who is it speaking? You could say:"May I know who is speaking?" A native speaker would say:"May I ask who is speaking?" - Formal (business) "Who is speaking please?" - Informal Category: English on the phone

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What is the difference between "Call me in /after 15 minutes"? Call me in 15 minutes. = Call me 15 minutes later. (Thanks Sriva for pointing out my mistake.) Call me after 15 minutes. = Call me when 15 minutes has gone by. Category: English on the phone

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top I am a secretary in an office.

When I answer the phone, I am very stressed. So sometimes I can't hear clearly what the caller says. Or I forget how to anwer them. Because when I hear a foreign accent I am nervous. Can you give some suggestions? Thanks! Nerves are a terrible thing. I feel the same when I have to answer the phone in German! It's scary. However, it is part of your job and therefore you have to overcome your nervousness. First I would advise you to learn some stock phrases. Just learn them word for word until you feel comfortable with them. I have a list of English telephone phrases here. The best thing of course is practise. Ask your boss if he/she could allow you some intensive tuition, one on one is best and by intensive I mean an hour a day for a week, just practising making and receiving calls. I know not all companies are happy to spend the money needed, but it never hurts to ask. Even just buying a book on telephoning in English may help and could be used to benefit the whole company. I always advise companies to build a small library of English resources and if you need any help in what to buy I would be happy to give you some tips.

Failing that if you have made any e-pals ask them to meet you on Pal Talk or arrange an MSN meeting and practise the sorts of calls you have at work. This is called role-playing, you pretend to be you and your friend pretends to be a customer. Take a deep breath before answering the phone. Most importantly remember to be friendly, polite and charming to the people who call you. If you are struggling, apologise and tell them. Above all put your fear of talking English on the phone into perspective: it's not going to kill you. Category: English on the phone

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A caller wants to speak to my colleague who is seated a short distance away. Instead of calling the colleague over to me I want to take the cellphone over to him. How do I convey this to the caller ? Hmm - cellphone = mobile phone, honestly American English drives me nuts. I would say "I'll just pass you over to him/her." Category: English on the phone

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Can I say: 1>is it peter speaking? (i say this when i make a call and i donot know who is speaking at the other end i am asking him) You could say:- "Is that Peter?" More formally you could ask:- "Am I speaking to Mr Jones?" Category: English on the phone

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Am a house wife. I hesitate to go to english learning school.I want to improve my spoken english over phone. I want somebody would talk to me on phone for 15-30 minutes daily. please suggest me the site. You could try the following sites:- http://www.esljobfind.com/ http://www.gofluent.com/ I can't say whether they are any good or not. Category: English on the phone

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what sentence will be used when i msg to my boss, mr. harish called u somtime before It depends on how long ago Mr Harish called. I would say:- Mr Harish called you a while ago. = quite a long time earlier. or Mr Harish called earlier. = a while ago. or Mr Harish just called. = not long ago. Category: English on the phone

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Dear Ellie, How do you call a phone call that was just intended to disturb you? The person found out your phone number and call you in order to swear at you or play jokes on you. Thanks a lot for your help. We call it a nuisance call. When it's really nasty we call it a malicious call. In the UK they may be considered a criminal offence under Section 127 of the Telecommunications Act 2003. Category: English on the phone

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What sentence should I use when a caller asks me to tell my boss to return his call? I rewrote your question, I hope I understood it correctly. You could say:- "I'll give him your message." or you could simply say:- "Certainly." !Note - remember to make sure you have the correct phone number. "Could I just check your phone number?" Category: English on the phone

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Hi, i just want to know the website where i can chat on phone in english or where i can improve my speaking english Well I would say mine, but at the moment I'm a bit busy. I should be back talking online by October, so join the forum and I'll let you know exactly when. :-b PalTalk is a very good (mostly free) site for practising your spoken English and you may find some people willing to do role plays with you. There is a site that offers telephone teaching, but they're not free - http://www.englishcalling.com/home.html Good luck. :-) Category: English on the phone

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How can I answer a phone call? Is it only "Ken speaking" or can i say "Ken's speaking" or is "it's Ken's speaking" also correct? Thanks very much! You wouldn't say: "Ken's speaking" or is "it's Ken's speaking". If you are at home it's fine to say say "Hi, Ken speaking". Category: English on the phone

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What is the difference between "Call me in /after 15 minutes"? The answer given looks same, can you please explain eloborately. Let's say it's 8 o'clock now. Call me in 15 minutes, means you want the person to call you at 8.15 precisely. No sooner, no later. Call me after 15 minutes, means you want the person to call you some time after 8.15. So you could call them at 8.30. Category: English on the phone

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If I want to know what the calling is about, how should I ask other than "What is it regarding about?" "What is it regarding?" or "May I ask what you are calling about?" or "What does it concern, please?" Category: English on the phone

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i want to improve my english over telephone.Can u give the related links? I want to learn english as ESL.I think i've enough english grammer knowledge but i do hasitate while speaking. I would suggest you join Skype (skype.com). There are lots of English teachers offering their services. :) Category: English on the phone

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When I formally talk to somebody I don't know on the phone, should I introduce myself by saying "My name is..." or "this is..."? Well I'd start with "Hello". :-) "My name is ..." is more formal. Category: English on the phone

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Hi! If we meet some new person in the real life we would say "nice to meet you Mr Sullivan!" or something like that. I would like to know if I ask somebody ON THE PHONE "May I know your name, mr?" or "What is your name please?" and the person on the other side tells me his name, then what is the appropriate phrase in BrE to tell him that I am happy to get acquainted with him or to know him? On the phone I would simply say, "It's nice to talk with you Mr Sullivan." Category: English on the phone

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when we want to introduce ourselves on the phone what should we say?and what is the differences between "This is Sally." and "I'm Sally." No difference in meaning, but it would be more usual on the phone to say, "This is Sally." You could also say, "Sally speaking", or more informally (when the person on the other end knows you, "Hi, it's Sally". You'd usually introduce yourself "I'm Sally" when you're face to face with someone. Category: English on the phone

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How to answer the telephone on behalf of someone else who does not want to be disturbed. http://www.learnenglish.de/telephone/phonephrases.htm Category: English on the phone

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If a person makes a call and ask, is someone available? is it correct to say he is not available, please take this number ---------------------- If a person makes a call and asks, "Is someone available?" Is it correct to say he is not available, please take this number? It would be more polite to say something like, "I'm sorry, he's not free at the moment, may I take a message?" Or if you want the person to contact him directly you could say; "I'm sorry he's not here at the moment, but you can reach him on this number ......" Category: English on the phone

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Is it correct to say, he is talking on another phone ---------------------- Is it correct to say, he is talking on another phone. Yes, but it would be more natural to say "He's on another call". There are more phone phrases here:http://www.learnenglish.de/telephone/phonephrases.htm Category: English on the phone

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on phone can we say ; you can replace the wrong number with the following number? ----------------- On the phone can we say ; you can replace the wrong number with the following number? You could say it, but it might confuse the caller. Just say, "Try calling this number: ... ... ...", or simply "This is the correct number ... ... ...". Category: English on the phone

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How to answer the phone when someone asks for someone which is unavailable? Please Help!! :) :) I will greatly appreciate it!! ----------------------- How to answer the phone when someone asks for someone who is unavailable? Please help. I will greatly appreciate it. It depends on why they're unavailable, but you could say:- I'm sorry, he / she is unavailable at the moment. or if you want to be specific:- I'm sorry, but he/she's out of the office at the moment. I'm afraid he/she's on the other line at the moment. I'm sorry, but he / she can't come to the phone at the moment. There are some morecommon phone phrases here. Category: English on the phone

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Is it wright to to use the word ,do me a call when you want someone to call you or when you want to call someone ? -------------------- Is it right to use the words, do me a call when you want someone to call you or when you want to call someone? If you want someone to call you you can say:- "Call me." or "Give me a ring." or "Phone me." When you want to call someone you could ask:- "May I call you?" or "Can I ring you?" Category: English on the phone

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1. What is the polite way to ask for someone on the phone? Your answer was: "May I please speak to____?" This is correct! 2 2. When you call your bank's customer service hotline, the customer service representative tells you that he will need to "transfer" your call. What does he mean? Your answer was: he is connecting you to someone else correct! 3 This is

3. When you make a phone call to one of your client's, his secretary tells you to "please hold". What does she mean? Your answer was: wait just a moment This is correct!

4. You meet your friend for lunch one day. She tells you that every time she calls your phone she gets a "busy signal". What does she mean? Your answer was: you are always on the phone when she calls correct! This is

5. At work, the receptionist asks if you would like to "take a call".

What does she mean? Your answer was: you have a message This is incorrect! The correct answer is: you have a phone call 6 6. One day you receive a phone call at home. The person on the phone asks if you will accept a "collect call". What is a "collect call"? Your answer was: a phone survey This is incorrect! The correct answer is: a phone call for which you accept the charges 7 7. Your co-worker tells you that he likes to make "long-distance" phone calls from work. What does he like to do from work? Your answer was: make expensive calls to outside the local area is correct! 8 8. You hear on the news that a new law is going to punish "telemarketers". What are "telemarketers"? Your answer was: people who try to sell things over the phone correct! 9 9. Your friend tells you to call his "cell" to make plans for the evening. What does he want you to do? Your answer was: call his mobile phone 10 This is correct! This is This

10. At the end of a phone conversation you should _____ the phone. Your answer was: "hang up" This is correct!

EO: They say that a dog is a man's best friend. In Britain, some people spend as muchmoney on their pets as others spen d on their children I know. They buy presents forthem. They take pictures with them! They say that a dog is a man's best friend. In Britain, some people spend as much money on their pets as others spend on their children I know... They buy presents for them. They take pictures with them! LEO: In my job, I meet a lot of 'interesting'' people, and their pets. Wow! Look at your hair! In my job, I meet a lot of 'interesting' people, and their pets... Wow! Look at your hair! MRS.JAMES: Yeah, you like it? It's as white as Coco's now .... Coco loves mommy's hair. Yes shedoes! Mommy's as beautiful as C oco now. Mommy loves her Coco .... They did her hairand nails yesterday. Yeah, you like it? It's as white as Coco's now ... Coco loves mommy's hair. Yes she does! Mommy's as beautiful as Coco now. Mommy loves her Coco ... They did her hair and nails yesterday. MRS.JAMES: Isn't she beautiful? Isn't she beautiful? LEO: As beautiful as a princess .... Whoa, Miles. Long time no see, boy! As beautiful as a princess ... Whoa, Miles. Long time no see, boy! MR. BRADY:

He's almost as big as me. We're both on a diet. I'm as hungry as a bear. Now we go forlong walks. Right, Miles. He's almost as big as me. We're both on a diet. I'm as hungry as a bear. Now we go for long walks. Right, Miles. LEO: See you later. See you later.

Do you know how to make and receive telephone calls in English? Talking on the phone is more difficult than speaking face-to-face, so improve your telephone tactics with these useful expressions.

Who's calling please? This is a polite way to ask the name of the caller. I'd like to speak to... Use this phrase to give the name of the person you want to speak to. Speaking If you say "I'd like to speak to Shirley" and she is the one who answered the phone, she would reply"Speaking!", meaning This is Shirley speaking'. I'm sorry, the line's busy. This means that the person is talking to someone else and the line is occupied. Would you mind holding? If the line is busy, you should ask if the caller is willing to wait for a few moments. Would you like to leave a message? If the person you wish to speak to is unavailable, the person answering the phone can offer to take a message (write down the message) for the caller. Could you spell your name please? When taking a message, you should check that the name is spelled correctly. Extension number You can use the extension number to get through to individuals within a company. I'll put you through to his office.

Another way to say this is I'll connect your call. Sorry, you've dialed the wrong number. You might hear this if you make a mistake and get through to the wrong person. Introductions Start any telephone conversation by introducing yourself: "Hello, this is Peter Jones. If you answer the phone and the caller fails to identify himself, you can say: "May I ask who's calling, please?" Asking for someone / Making a request If you're calling to talk to a specific person, then phrase your request as a polite question, e.g. "May I speak to Rachel Smith, please?" When you have an extension number but no name you can say:"Could I have extension number 635?" But if you're calling with a specific purpose, then a statement works best: "Im calling to make a reservation." Holding and transferring "Please hold" is telephone language for "just a moment". When you need to be transferred (connected) to another extension you'll often hear: "Connecting your call..." or "Please hold, I'll transfer you.". If you call a business at a busy time, you might hear only a brief, "Hello, please hold!" before the operator switches over to another line. Leaving a message When the person you're calling isn't available, be prepared to leave a message. You might use voicemail (a digital voice recording system) or an answering machine (a machine that records messages onto a tape). If you're talking to an operator, they'll ask: "Would you like to leave a message?" Or you can say, "May I leave a message?" Be sure to leave your phone number if you want the person to return your call. This is called a call back number. Asking the speaker to slow down If you're not sure you'll understand everything in English, be honest. Tell the speaker immediately: "My English isn't very strong, could you please speak slowly?" Most people will appreciate your honesty and will be happy to oblige. Write it down If you're nervous about telephoning in English, it's helpful to prepare a script. Write out a brief outline of what you need to say. You can use it to organize your thoughts beforehand and as a reference if you get confused during the call. Remember your manners It's very important to sound polite on the telephone. Use phrases like

If you're looking for a challenging situation to practice your English, just pick up the telephone. Not being able to see the person you're talking to and the body language they're using can make chatting on the phone one of the most difficult forms of communication. Never fear, though! We've compiled some tips to guide you through an average telephone conversation in English.

Greetings Every phone call should begin with a polite greeting such as, Hi, how've you been? or Nice to hear from you. Even if you're calling a business contact for a specific purpose, it'd be rude to jump right into business without a little small talk at the beginning. Getting to the point There always comes the point, however, where you want to move on from friendly banter and get down to business. For this situation, use the phrase I'm just calling to ... to transition to the topic at hand. For example, I'm just calling to see if you'd like to set up a meeting. If the situation is reversed, however, and you are waiting to find out why someone called you, you can guide the conversation by saying, So what can I do for you? Interrupting without insult If you happen to be speaking with a very talkative person, it may be difficult to get a word in edgewise or contribute to the conversation. If someone is going on and on, and you'd like to interrupt, be sure to do it politely. For example, begin with I would like to say something here, if I may or Allow me to make a point. Or, you could just ask: May I interrupt you for a second? Confirming Action If you're making plans on the phone, be sure to confirm the details toward the end of the call. Begin with phrases like Please let me confirm... and So, let me make sure I've got things straight... and follow up with the details as you understand them. Closing the call Sometimes this can be the trickiest part of the conversation! It may be the time to offer some good wishes, such as good luck on that interview or hope you feel better soon if it's appropriate. Additionally, you may want to confirm any plans you've made: I'll see you on Friday, then. Sometimes it's easiest to just say you enjoyed speaking to the other person. Also, keep in mind that strategically saying the word well at the beginning of a sentence can indicate that you are ready to end the conversation: Well John, it's been a pleasure talking to you.

Be a Professional on the Phone

When your phone rings, you should look at it as an opportunity to promote your process serving business and interact with clients. Your phone is your main source of communication with your clients, and many times how a client will make their first impression of you. Dont lose business because of poor phone skills. When you are answering the phone, there are many things to take into consideration: 1. Quite simply, answer your phone. This may sound like common sense, but one of the most frequent complaints we hear from people using the ServeNow.com directory is that process servers arent answering their phones during business hours. If you are out serving papers most of the day, have your calls forwarded to your cell phone so you can answer them or consider hiring a secretary to answer calls while you are out of the office. Try to answer the phone by the 3rd ring. Everyone is busy these days and answering the telephone promptly shows the person on the other end that you respect their time. 2. Answer Professionally. Instead of answering your phone, Hello, say something along the lines of, ABC Process Service, this is Katie. How may I help you? Answering the phone this way only takes three seconds longer but allows the caller to learn three important things: who you are, where you work, and that you want to help them. As discussed in an earlier ServeReport article, this is another way of competing on value instead of price. 3. Pay attention while youre on the phone, and resist the urge to multitask. Keep a notepad by the phone to jot down notes. Actively listen. While it may be tempting to finish the task you were in the middle of when the phone rang, dont. The person on the other end of the phone can tell if you sound distracted. If you are driving to serve papers, pull over and take the call. It is safer for everyone on the road and allows you to give the caller your full attention. 4. Be pleasant. An easy trick to sound pleasant over the phone is to smile while you are talking. You can hear the smile over the phone. Dont believe it? Leave yourself two messages one when you are smiling and one when you are not then listen to the results. The call when you were smiling will sound generally more pleasant. 5. Speak slowly and clearly. While you may be familiar with certain terms involving service of process, if you are working with an individual who has never had papers served he or she may have questions about the process. By speaking slowly and clearly, you give the person one the other end a chance to ask questions and be reassured that you are the best service provider. 6. Extend phone etiquette to making calls. We understand that you cannot answer every single call, no matter how hard you try. If you do miss a call, return the missed call promptly. If the caller left a message, be sure to listen to the message so you know who called and why they called. ServeNow.com Brand Manager Mike MacDonald highlights the importance of this, saying, Dont call back the numbers missed on your call log and say, somebody just called me from this number. This may be a law firm with 30 paralegals, all of them making calls out of that office throughout the day. When someone else answers who did not place the call to you this just begins an awkward conversation of who are you and why did you call me? between you both. 7. Be courteous. If you tell someone you will return their call at a certain time, be sure to call them back when you say you will. No one likes to be kept waiting by the phone, and if a client cant rely on you to return a phone call, they may have second thoughts when choosing who to trust to serve important documents.

The biggest trick to good phone etiquette is to treat phone conversations as if they were happening face to face. By being polite and friendly over the phone, people will be more likely to remember the pleasant experience they had working with your company. By answering your phone professionally and courteously, you can grow your business and retain repeat clients.

Steps
1. 1
Answer the phone in as few rings as possible. No one likes to be forced to wait. Ads by Google Telephone Voice Recording Records all phone calls. Improves customer service. www.cogentph.com

2. 2

Get ready to write!

Prepare yourself with a pen and paper while taking a call so that you can note down the information of the customer.

3. 3
Identify yourself and the company you work for (if at work) as soon as you answer. For example, say "Thank you for calling wikiHow, this is John speaking." Likewise you ask the caller who they are and where they are calling from if they don't offer those details to you, especially if your company has a strict policy on receiving unsolicited calls. Taking control of the call from the beginning will let the caller know your a professional: For example:

4. 4
"Good morning wikiHow, John speaking". Caller: "Can I speak to Bill?" Respondent: "Who's calling Please?" Caller: "Tom". Respondent: "Where are you calling from?" Caller: "England". Respondent: "and the company name?" Caller: "oh it's a personal call". Respondent: "Is Bill expecting your call?". Caller: "No". Respondent: "OK let me try his line for you"...

5. 5
By taking control of the call and asking 'the right' questions you have gathered as much information as possible before transfering a call and hopefuly illiminated the chance of an unsolicited call be put through but also you are able to supply 'Bill' with the information he needs before accepting the call. Avoid opening your questions with "can I" or "would you mind if I" if you open with these you risk loosing control of the call the caller could easily say "yes I do mind" or "no you can't" so just ask direct questions be polite and remeber you are within your rights to ask questions, if the caller gets irritated just explain: "thank you for your understanding I am sure you can appreciate we/I deal with a large number of calls by asking you these questions I can ensure your call is directed swiftly and correctly to the right person or department, thank you".

6. 6
Always assume someone from your organization is listening in on the conversation. Organizations adding this ability in will usually announce it AFTER they have installed and used it.

7. 7
Always ask before putting someone on hold, and wait for a reply.

8. 8
Check that the intended recipient is happy to take the call. If somebody asks if they can speak to someone specific, tell the caller that you will "try their line" before putting them on hold and checking that the recipient is a) available and b) ready to speak to them.

9. 9
Use correct grammar. Always remember to say "Jane and I" for your subject, and reserve "Jane and me" when you are the direct object (i.e. "Jane and I went to the store" vs. "He talked to Jane and

me"). Do not leave the word "at" dangling at the end of a sentence. Ex.: "I do not know where it is at."

10.

10

That old adage, "the customer is always right" holds some truth - however not all the time. The one thing you can count on, though, is that you will never win an argument with a customer. When the customer is wrong, gently explain the correct "truth", in a positive manner. If the customer gets upset and his tone changes to one of annoyance or anger, do not mirror him. Maintain your pleasant tone! "Reflect" his or her feelings back, so that s/he feels you have really heard the complaint; saying things like, "I can hear how frustrating this is for you, and I'm so sorry for that" can go a long way toward soothing an irritated client. If the customer is not satisfied, ask what he or she would like done. Consider it and accept it or tell the customer why you cannot accept. Offer alternatives, if possible.

11.
Try to solve the problem within the call time .

11

12.

12

Phone conversation lacks the obvious input of body language; the recipient on the other end will receive your true intentions through the actual tone of voice you use during the call. Your tone will say more than the actual words that come out of your mouth. Having said this, smile when you speak on the phone! This point of smiling really hit home with the senior management of a call center, and they placed little mirrors at each of the Agent's stations that said: "What you see is what they hear."

13.

13

Use the caller's name, whenever possible. It shows that you are a good listener and adds a personal touch "I'm sorry John, but Mark isn't available at the moment. Can I help you with anything or take a message?"

14.

14

When calling another person, identify yourself first. For example, say "This is Mary Hunter calling for Louis Meyer, please."

15.

15

Remember to close your conversation with a professional closing. End your conversations with a sincere "Good-day", or "Thank you".

10 top tips for answering telephone calls professionally

Web enquiries, emails, social media and live chat facilities all have their place, but the telephone is still the preferred communication tool of choice for many when it comes to business. With this in mind, heres our tips on getting call answering right first time The first one is probably the most obvious but answer the call quickly. Nothing says unprofessional like leaving a caller hanging on a ringing line. They have made the move to call your business over the others listed on Google (and probably cost you a click in the process!) so reward them by answering their call quickly. Answering the phone with a smile on your face might sound cheesy but it really works. It doesnt matter if you are having a bad day, are half way through a complicated spreadsheet or half way out of the door on the way home. Your caller takes priority. Warm and enthusiastic is suddenly the order of the day. Always mention your company name in your greeting. It confirms where the caller is ringing without them having to check and sets the tone for a professional conversation. Speak clearly and use professional language enunciate every word and avoid using cheers, uh-huh, mate ,yeah etc. You are speaking to a business contact not your drinking pal. Keep it friendly but business-like. When taking a message check the information you are noting. Re-confirm any spellings that you are unsure of back to the caller. I can almost guarantee any subsequent emails to Katy will put you on the back foot if you put Dear Katie. If you are taking down email addresses or telephone numbers always read these back. You dont want a red hot business lead in your hand that you cant get back to. Learn the phonetic alphabet and use it when you are confirming spellings back. Its not difficult to pick up and N for November sounds so much better than So thats N for Noddy? Even if you have no idea what they are talking aboutremain positive and professional by using let me find that out for you and come back to you rather than I dont know as it shows interest and a willingness to help. If possible give the caller an idea when they can expect a call back. If your colleague is in a meeting or out of the office for the afternoon explain it may be the following day that they get a response and check if someone else can help them. Your poor colleague may well get a frosty

reception if they call back a day later and from the way you took the message the caller had expected a quicker response. If you have to put people on hold make sure you go back to update them every few seconds or so and remember to keep offering to have them called back Be aware your out of hours callers are just as importantas those who call within office hours. You may well receive calls in the evening and over the weekend particularly if your callers are consumers. Have a professional call answering service in place for these people your next big sale could come through when your office is closed. Dont put them off by letting the phone ring or using an impersonal answerphone. A new customer will almost certainly call the next business in your industry that bothers to pick up.