Business communication by phone: general rules and examples. Important business phone etiquette for outbound calls

This is the fastest business contact and a special skill. It is impossible not to recall a number of statements in the cart. Until the word is spoken, it is a prisoner of the one who was going to say it. When the word is spoken, the one who spoke it becomes its prisoner (Ancient wisdom); "I wrote a long letter because I didn't have time to write a short one" (Blaise Pascal).

The value of telephone communication cannot be overestimated, as this is the easiest way to establish contact; telexes, teletypes, faxes only supplement it. The ability of business people to conduct telephone communication affects their personal authority and the reputation of the company, organization they represent.

Most professionals in the business world do not have special training for telephone conversations and negotiations, and often reception secretaries do not have it, although answering the phone is their primary duty. Recently, intra-company short-term courses on mastering the basics of working with office equipment have been widely practiced abroad, where special attention is paid to telephones. Mastering the conversation on the phone is seen as an integral part of the formation of "white collars" of the new formation. It is estimated that each telephone conversation lasts an average of 3 to 5 minutes. Consequently, in total, for example, a leader loses about 2-2.5 hours a day for telephone communication, and sometimes from 3 to 4.5 hours. Phone calls disrupt normal work patterns, break up the work day into short periods of time on average 10-30 minutes (and sometimes 5-10 minutes), which makes it difficult to focus on problems and sometimes provokes stress. About 60% of conversations on the office phone occur in the first half of the day. In this regard, not only the ability to conduct a short conversation is required, but also to instantly reorganize, mobilely responding to different partners and different topics.

Let's try to sketch out a plan for a short telephone conversation. Let's assume that 3 minutes are allotted for the conversation;

1. Mutual introduction - 20±5 seconds;

2. introduction of the interlocutor to the course of the matter - 40 ± 5 seconds;

3. discussion of the situation, problems - 100±5 seconds;

4. final summary - 20±5 seconds.

The skill of a concise interview is acquired over time, as conversations are repeated in strict regulations.

Documentation: In addition to the plan, the participant in a telephone conversation must know what documents he will need for the conversation (client file, overview, prospectuses, report, acts, correspondence, etc.).

Conversation record: if necessary, prepare everything for recording information.

Behavior during a conversation: You should pick up the phone and introduce yourself. Speak into the phone, pronounce words clearly. Find out if the interlocutor has time to talk (if not, ask permission to call back, specifying when.

Set a positive tone. Try not to directly object to the interlocutor, listen to him without interrupting. Avoid monotony by periodically changing topics and intonation of the conversation. Avoid jargon and primitivism in speech. Use pause effectively. If the interlocutor does not understand something, you must patiently explain what was said. And at the end of the conversation clarify its (conversation) perspective.

IN AND. Benediktova in the book "On Business Ethics and Etiquette" gives a short list of what not to do and what to do at the moment when the phone rings in your office.

In addition, you can not turn the conversation into an interrogation, ask questions like "Who am I talking to?" or "What do you need?". You need to monitor your diction, do not pinch the microphone with your hand when you pass something from the conversation to those who are nearby - your partner talking to you on the phone can hear your comments. In the case of a complaint or complaint, do not tell the partner that it is not your fault, that you are not doing this and that you are not interested!

So, owning a culture of telephone conversation means the following:

• I only dial a phone number when I'm sure it's correct.
• I carefully prepare for a business phone call, trying to be as brief as possible.
• Before especially responsible telephone conversations, I make the necessary notes on a piece of paper.
• If there is a long conversation ahead, I ask the interlocutor if he has enough time and, if not, I transfer the conversation to another, agreed day and hour.
• Having achieved a telephone connection with the necessary institution, I name myself and my enterprise.
• If I "got in the wrong place", please excuse me, and do not hang up silently.
• I politely answer the wrong call: "You have the wrong number" and hang up.
• When working on an important document, I turn off the phone or switch it to the secretary.
• In business telephone conversations, I "keep myself in hand", even if before that I was annoyed with something.
• As a response to the phone call, I give my last name.
• During a long monologue of the interlocutor on the phone, from time to time I confirm my attention with brief remarks.
• Concluding a business conversation on the phone, I thank the interlocutor and wish him success.
• If the colleague being asked on the phone is not available, I ask what to give him and leave a note on his desk.
• If the phone rings while I'm talking to a visitor, I usually ask them to call back later.
• In the presence of employees, I try to speak on the phone in an undertone.
• If the interlocutor is hard to hear, please speak louder or call back.

It is not always possible to talk directly with a partner or client. Therefore, very often we have to turn to the phone. It is estimated that business people spend between 4 and 25 percent of their work time on the phone. Thanks to the telephone, the efficiency of solving a huge number of issues increases, there is no need to send letters, telegrams or go to another institution, enterprise or company. Telephone communication provides a continuous two-way exchange of information at any distance. Negotiations are carried out by telephone, orders are given, requests are made, consultations are given, inquiries are made, and often the first step to concluding an agreement is a telephone conversation.

To master the rules of effective telephone conversations, you must first understand the distinctive characteristics of this type of contact and take into account all the significant components of this typical communicative situation.

Communicative setting - arrange the interlocutor for further business contacts; receive, transmit reliable information without wasting time and money on business trips or correspondence.

Role settings. In a business conversation on the phone, the roles of the interlocutors are no different from those in direct contacts, however, the initiator of the conversation gets an additional advantage, as he thinks through his behavior in advance, choosing the moment convenient for him and the manner of conducting the conversation.

Non-verbal means of communication on the phone can be pauses (their duration), intonation (expressing enthusiasm, agreement, alertness, etc.), background noise, and in addition, the speed of picking up the phone (after a beep), parallel appeal to another interlocutor, etc. .d.

According to the “telephone etiquette” accepted in the business world, each of the speakers must, regardless of the course and end of the conversation, adhere to a certain set of etiquette and speech formulas for communicating on the phone (Table 3).

Table 3

Etiquette and speech formulas of communication

business communication

The ability to speak on the phone without wasting time and at the same time, solving all issues, involves the possession of a certain set of speech formulas.

There are expressions that should be avoided when talking on the phone so that your company is not misrepresented. These include, in particular:

• 1. "I don't know." No other answer can undermine the credibility of your firm so quickly and thoroughly. First of all, your job is to know -- that is why you are in your place. If you are not able to give an answer to your interlocutor, it is better to say: “Good question ... Let me clarify this for you.”
• 2. "We can't do it." If this is true, your potential client will turn to someone else, and it is very likely that his new conversation will turn out more successfully. Instead of saying no right off the bat, offer, for example, to wait until you see how you can be useful and try to find an alternative solution. It is recommended that you always focus on what you can do first, and not on the other way around.
• 3. "You must...". Serious mistake. Your client doesn't owe you anything. The wording should be much softer: "It makes sense to you ..." or "It would be best to ...".
• 4. "Wait a second, I'll be right back." Think about it, have you ever managed to manage your affairs in a second at least once in your life? Unlikely. Tell your interlocutor something more like the truth: “It will take me two or three minutes to find the information I need. Can you wait?"
• 5. "No" spoken at the beginning of a sentence, unwittingly leads to the fact that the path to a positive solution to the problem becomes more complicated. There are no universal recipes for how to get rid of “negative evasion”. Each phrase containing disagreement with the interlocutor should be carefully considered. For example, to reject a customer who is asking for a refund for a defective product, an explanation like: “We are unable to compensate you, but we are ready to replace your purchase” is suitable.

The ability to speak on the phone without wasting time and at the same time, solving all issues, requires the possession of a certain set of speech formulas.

Starting a conversation

Information reason:

You get a call from a company...

My last name... I would like...

Sales manager talking to you...

Request, request for information, desire for advice or support:

Are you worried...

Can I speak to...

I want to know...

Could you provide information...

Researchers say that a person makes a decision to continue the conversation in the first four seconds. But the opening phrase is usually neutral to the main subject of the conversation. First of all, the timbre of the voice, the intonation of confidence and friendliness, and the measured rhythm of speech will help you make a good impression right away. Next, you need to think over the main phrase that decides whether to continue the conversation; it must contain promise, intrigue, novelty of approach to the problem, etc.

Highlight of the conversation

Intriguing promise: benefit, profit, effect, free services, speed of execution:

We have an interesting offer for you...

We want to make you a mutually beneficial offer...

We would like to introduce you to our new system of discounts...

We have the opportunity to provide a number of services for free

We recently changed the delivery system of goods, so...

You cannot be sure that every telephone conversation will end with an immediate agreement. But if you are a polite person, do not cut off the conversation, do not grumble, do not brush off this interlocutor forever; who knows, maybe later you yourself will contact him.

Ending a call

Neutral:

Goodbye.

All the best. Thanks for the info.

Be healthy, all the best.

Looking forward to future contacts:

I am sure that our contacts will be productive.

I think we have found a common language.

I was glad to hear. I hope we will continue the conversation when we meet.

Thus, a telephone conversation as a type of business interaction, due to the lack of visual contact between the interlocutors, enhances the importance of oral-speech means. There are increasing requirements for preliminary thinking over the scheme and content of the conversation, possession of a certain set of speech formulas that allow you to win over the interlocutor, inspire confidence in your organization, and also tactfully regulate the duration of the conversation.

Introduction

In the absence of the opportunity to speak directly with a client or partner, it is often necessary to resort to talking on the phone. According to specialists' calculations, on average, 27% of working time is spent on business telephone conversations. Business telephone communication is used for negotiating, making a request, etc. Often, it is a telephone conversation that is the first step towards concluding a business contract, so it is necessary to know the culture of business communication over the phone and follow the rules of its conduct.

"The professional ability to conduct a business telephone conversation makes a favorable impression on the interlocutor and all those present, increases the reputation of the speaker, contributes to the success of his business, and allows you to solve the tasks." one

Compared with a business letter, a telephone conversation has an important advantage: it provides a continuous two-way exchange of information. However, it should be remembered that the use of the phone must be justified: the time spent on the call must correspond to the importance of the issue being resolved. It is advisable to streamline telephone conversations during the working day, as this will free up a significant part of the time for the main work.

A business telephone conversation should be preceded by careful preparation. In case of poor preparation, inability to highlight the main thing, competently, concisely and succinctly state one's thoughts, a significant loss of working time occurs. You should also learn to predict who and when can call you in order to properly prepare for the conversation.

Features of business telephone communication

"Telephone conversation is a contact in time, but distant communication in space." First of all, the specificity of telephone business communication is determined by the distance factor of communication. The interlocutors do not see each other, therefore intonation acts as the only paralinguistic factor here. The main redistribution of the informative load is carried out between the verbal and intonation levels. In other words, in business telephone communication, intonation is as important as the content of speech. The intonation pattern of the beginning and end of speech should be given special importance, since it helps to consolidate the entire spectrum of positive emotions: respect for the interlocutor, confidence in one's positions, optimism, etc. According to psychologists, if there are discrepancies between the content of speech and intonation, the interlocutor trusts the latter more.

The cost of a business telephone conversation and the impact of the cost of a minute on the features of its text organization is the next specific moment of this type of communication.

If the communication is ordinary intracity, then the time limit for a business telephone conversation is from 1 minute to 1 minute 15 seconds (if it is an informative conversation) or 3 minutes (if it is a conversation in order to solve a problem). In this case, the following compositional parts are distinguished. (Table 1)

Table 1 - Compositional parts of a business telephone conversation

Since the cost of a long-distance telephone conversation is higher, its duration, as a rule, should not exceed 1-2 minutes, therefore, it is necessary to say only what is necessary to understand the issue and present information. Due to the strict time limit, the pace of speech is quite high. The same reason explains the difference between the presentation during a business telephone conversation and the presentation during a personal meeting: first you should name the company, then the position and surname of the caller. A rigid time limit explains the existence of stable speech formulas assigned to a particular situation and facilitating the choice of a verbal form of information transfer. So, when moving to introducing the interlocutor up to date, the following phrases are often used: "I must inform you (explain to you)", "I need to inform you (discuss with you)", "I call you on the recommendation (at the request)" and etc. In the absence of visual contact, it is necessary that reactive remarks ("Yes, yes," "Understood," "Good," "So-so") be more energetic, as they accompany the message. If necessary, they can be expanded into full-structure responses. Turning to the discussion of information, speakers often use paraphrasing techniques ("In other words, you think ...", "As I understand it, you say ...", etc.) and authorization ("According to our information ...", " According to my assumptions..." etc.) information.

In case of poor hearing or a large amount of information that is difficult to perceive, the interlocutors use replicas of a corrective nature ("I'm sorry, I didn't hear", "You didn't quite understand me", "Did you understand my message?", etc.).

The interlocutor, seeking to seize the initiative, uses regulatory remarks ("Sorry, I'll finish my thought", "Sorry, I have my own thoughts on this matter", etc.). It is necessary that these kinds of remarks follow reactive remarks or begin with the word "sorry" ("sorry"). The possibility of intrusion into someone else's speech is due to the time limit, however, due to the existence of good manners rules, in this case it is necessary to use etiquette vocabulary.

From the standpoint of the implementation of the speech plan, the resulting stage plays an important role. Unlike everyday communication, in a business conversation, the words of farewell are the final phrases that complete the topic of the conversation, as well as containing gratitude for the phone call, congratulations or wishes. It is necessary that the etiquette phrases accompanying the completion of a business telephone conversation are used adequately to the situation. So, for help, invitation, offer, provided information, you should thank, for anxiety, long conversation, unauthorized call - apologize. In the final stage of the conversation, the interlocutors can express hope for an early meeting, a favorable outcome of the case, a solution to the issue. Like the greeting formulas, the farewell formulas are varied. The most common farewell formulas are discussed in Table 2.

Table 2 - The most common farewell formulas

Successful negotiations directly affect the number of successful transactions and satisfied customers in offline and online business. After all, have you met such masters of telephone etiquette in business communication, who in a few seconds can win over a person and influence his decision, regardless of the distance?

Of course, such techniques should be constantly learned, but basic rules for conducting a business telephone conversation everyone who uses the phone for business needs to know.

Important business phone etiquette for outbound calls

• If you think you got the wrong number, don't ask stupid questions like "what's your number?" or “Is this such and such…?”. It is better to check the number yourself and call back.
• Don't forget to introduce yourself . For example, in response to a greeting on the other end of the wire, you should respond in the form of “welcome words, your company name, positions and last names. And only then move on to the purpose of the conversation.
• As for the purpose of the conversation, then it is advisable to plan it clearly in advance . You can use a graphical, textual or schematic conversation plan. You should see your tasks and during the conversation mark their completion, resolution or problems that have arisen, which is also important.
• Don't drag out the conversation. The average time should be no more than 3 minutes. If you can't meet this gap, you may have poorly thought out the conversation plan or the problem requires a personal meeting.
• Never make calls in the early morning, at lunchtime, or at the end of the work day.
• If your telephone business conversation is interrupted due to disconnection, you should call back because they called first.
• If your call was not previously scheduled, and you are calling with an unexpected question, then according to the rules of a business telephone conversation you need to ask if the partner has time to answer, and indicate the approximate time for the resolution of your issue. For example - "Hello, I'm such and such, I'm calling on such and such a question, it will take about ... minutes, do you have free time now?" If not, arrange another call or meeting.
• After the conversation, do not forget to thank for the call or new information. Such a simple feature of a business telephone conversation makes the conversation complete and suggests further cooperation.

Telephone etiquette rules for incoming calls

• Answer the phone call within 3 rings - so says the etiquette of a business telephone conversation.
• All materials must be at hand , and before you should lie the general plan of the conversation with foreseen deviations. This will help to avoid unnecessary stress in the workplace and increase your competence in the eyes of customers and superiors.
• Avoid parallel communication . If you receive multiple calls, take them one at a time. Believe me, you will save your time and show interest in the other person's offer.
• If the interlocutor expresses a negative opinion about your company, product or work - try to understand and take some responsibility for yourself. This will increase the trust on the part of the partner and possibly return your client.
• Use an auto-responder for non-business hours or with a large flow of calls. In the message, write down useful information for all clients, as well as the possibility of a call back at a convenient working time.

The main mistakes of a telephone business conversation - how to avoid them?

• Incorrect diction or careless pronunciation makes understanding between two people difficult. Business telephone etiquette involves competent, legible and unhurried speech.
• extraneous noise may be unpleasant to the interlocutor, who finds it difficult to imagine not only you, but also the environment. In this case, he may think about the lack of confidentiality of information, inattention to his problem, or negative feedback about your company from competitors. It is not necessary to portray "ebricious activity" - a rather attentive and respectful attitude to the partner's questions.
• Excessive emotionality speaks of your unprofessionalism, and your mood may be misunderstood on the other end of the line. It is enough to answer with a slight enthusiasm in your voice, preferably with a smile. Be sure to let us know that you are listening carefully using "I understand, yes, great, I agree." If you do not understand, ask again “Did I understand you correctly?”, repeating the words of the client. The basic rule of telephone etiquette is calmness and a sincere desire to help in the answering voice.

Communication on the phone is a conversation between two blind people who, by voice, build an image of the interlocutor in their head. Who is calling? Who is calling? Is it possible for your interlocutor to talk? What if you pulled a person out of the shower? What do you think the director's reaction to such a call would be.

The main thing at the beginning of a conversation is to create a trusting relationship, and then conduct a conversation in accordance with the purpose for which you are calling. To do this, observe the following rules of communication by telephone.

Rule 1: PLAN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS

Before starting a conversation, think carefully about:

• convenient time for the call and its duration;
• clearly define the purpose of your call;
• make a plan for the conversation.

Consider answers to the following questions:

• What are you going to tell about yourself and the company you work for?
• What questions are you going to ask the interlocutor to find out his needs and create the necessary motivation for a further meeting?
• What objections might there be, and what are your possible answers?
• How are you going to end the conversation and set up a meeting?

Rule 2. PICK UP ON THE 3RD SIGNAL (in the event that you are called).

Telephone business etiquette normalizes communication with a client. By observing business etiquette, the client judges the corporate culture of the company. Pick up the phone on the 3rd call: on the first call - put things off, on the second - tune in, on the third - smile and pick up the phone. If you do not pick up the phone for too long, this indicates a low corporate culture of the company.

Don't fuss. A lot of people immediately pick up the phone. Any person needs at least a few seconds to concentrate and tune in to a conversation.

Rule 3. WHEN TALKING ON THE PHONE, BE SURE TO SMILE.

Remember, when you smile, your voice becomes more pleasant. So smile more often. Some telephone pros place a mirror in front of them so they can see their facial expressions while they are talking. All this allows you to control the presence of a smile on your face.

Rule 4. GREET THE SPEAKER.

Greet the interlocutor as kindly and energetically as possible. Think of several ways to say hello. Let you have different options for people of different genders and ages. It is better to start a conversation with a client with the words “Good afternoon (morning, evening)”. They are more lively and inviting than just "hello." Remember that on the other end of the wire, someone also wants to be respected, understood, and maybe at that moment they were helped ...

By the content of the first words and the sound of your voice, the client determines your professionalism, chooses the style of communication with you. Your voice is clothing, hair color, temperament and facial expression. Remember that during a telephone conversation you will not be able to accompany words with facial expressions and gestures. Here, first of all, the sound of your voice is important, the ability to correctly express your thoughts and, of course, as an indispensable condition, respect for the interlocutor.

Rule 6. CALL YOURSELF BY NAME.

State your first and last name clearly. Then name the company you represent. ("My name is ... The Three Whales Company"). Here are options that can be called extremely harmful and unsuccessful: “Guess who is calling you”, “Don't you recognize me?”. These questions create psychological discomfort for the other person. Put yourself in the client's shoes and you will feel annoyed. Do not be surprised if the client resists your offers after such a greeting. An unsuccessful idea can be attributed to the turnover "You are worried about ...". After this phrase, the person on the other end of the wire begins to worry. Try not to think about the lame monkey. Is it possible? The “not” particle is erased, and the second part of the phrase is perceived. You also become the culprit of this "anxiety".

Rule 7. LEARN THE NAME OF THE SPEAKER.

To do this, use the phrase "My name is ... Sorryand how can I contact you. But do not rush to recognize the name of the client. It is better to do this after the buyer adapts to the situation. In the future, when communicating, periodically call the client by name. To pronounce a name means to show respect for a person. You should not pronounce it in a tongue twister, it is better with feeling and at the same pace as the conversation is going on. If the client has an unusual or interesting name, comment on it in a positive way (Tell the person that he has an interesting name, most will like it).

The following options can be called unsuccessful: “Who am I talking to?”, “Who is this?”, “Who is at the device?”. And do not try to guess: “Is this Ira? Not? Tatyana Lvovna? Not? And who then? Or even worse: “Where did I go?”. To which there is a standard response, said in an annoyed voice: “Where are you calling?”.

You can come up with many different options, such as "Can I talk to Alexander Sergeevich?".
If you've forgotten the name of the last person you spoke to, it's best to ask, "Could you remind me of your name?"

Rule 8. FIND OUT: CAN YOU TALK TO.

It is very important! It is possible that at this very moment your client is busy with a responsible and important business for him. Or your conversation at the moment is inappropriate for some other reason. Use the phrase "Are you (or better to call the interlocutor by name) convenient to talk now?". Remember, if you break this rule, you can lose a client forever. Your transaction failed. Call the right customers at the right time with the right offers. Business calls are best made at the beginning or end of the working day.

Speak the first phrases slowly, calmly and clearly, do not pour a waterfall of information on the interlocutor - give him time to tune in to the conversation. Highlight especially significant words with your voice, change intonation. Use short messages: i.e. one sentence, one thought. Your voice, if possible, should be deep and “velvet”, however, observe the measure, do not overact. You can also adjust to the volume, rhythm, and tempo of the client's speech. The interlocutor will be pleased with this correspondence. The sound of your voice is determined by your posture, facial expression, posture. Tune in to the conversation – literally and figuratively. Speech is not just the movement of lips and tongue. The organs involved are the lungs, diaphragm, larynx, vocal cords, mouth, tongue and lips. Of course, a cigarette in the mouth, chewing gum, lollipop, coffee during a conversation, noise in the room, music - destroy the rapport of telephone conversations.

Rule 10. FOLLOW THE PLAN.

You have a purpose for the conversation and a prepared plan. Do not try to solve all problems at once over the phone. Especially avoid talking about the price of your products, money matters are best resolved at a meeting. Prepare the necessary materials, a pen, a blank sheet of paper. Be specific and talk about the main thing. Listen carefully to the interlocutor. Ask the client questions, directing the conversation in the direction you want. Remember, your main goal is to arrange a meeting when you can discuss the details and sign the contract. To do this, you must create good motivation in the client.

Rule 11: USE ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES

They demonstrate your interest and involvement. “So…”, “Understood…”, etc. Control the conversation time. Don't let the client get sidetracked. Answer most questions with questions and lead the other person to the meeting.

Rule 12. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

When arranging a meeting, make sure that your interlocutor understands you correctly and writes down the day and hour of the meeting. Ask the interlocutor whether it is convenient for you to call him back the day before to make sure that the meeting will take place? All of these activities are useful so that your client can plan their time and adequately prepare for the meeting. When inviting the interlocutor to your office, name the exact address and tell in detail how you can get to you. Use the standard phrase: " Do you have a pencil handy, please write down how it would be most convenient for you to get to us"

Rule 13. THANK YOU FOR THE CALL.