Telephone communication – representing the company Housekeeping

Telephone communication – representing the company

Housekeeping

• mobile phones
• break times
• toilets
• emergencies

Workshop overview

At this workshop the following will be addressed:

• answering incoming calls
• making outgoing calls
• using voice and paralanguage to make a good impression
• handling difficult callers
• managing stress associated with using the phone

Workshop expectations

What do you know about the topic?

What do you need to know?

What outcomes do you expect from this workshop?

Topic 1

Creating an outstanding image

How will you create the correct image?

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)

Providing service

Answering the phone is a customer service role.

Activity

Topic 2

Protocols

For many clients or customers the first, or even the only, contact they have with an organisation occurs over the telephone.

Receiving calls – answering protocols

Organisational protocols

‘Yep, Yep, whaddaya want?’

Verbal, vocal communication

Body language and facial expression 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

Courtesy

• excellence of manners or social conduct
• polite behaviour
• a respectful or considerate act or expression

Listening skills

Please listen carefully

Questioning

Listen actively, question effectively.

Transferring and escalating calls

I will transfer your call now.

Activity

Topic 3

Challenging calls

Not all customers are easy to deal with.

Handling challenging customers can be a difficult undertaking.

Handling challenging customers can be a difficult undertaking.

Complaints

Complaints are an organisation's lifeline.

Properly handled complaints will result in happy, supportive customers/ clients.

Assertive responses

Not all complaints will be resolvable and not all customer/ client expectations are reasonable.

Assertive – not aggressive or defensive – responses will lead to effective results.

Taking messages

Thankyou, I will make sure your message is passed on to the correct department.

Activity

Topic 4

Outbound calls

Speak clearly – be prepared

Erm, can I speak to… erm… - oh, what’s his name…….?

Tone

Research indicates that the following voice characteristics, (para-language), are commonly associated with the following feelings/ meanings:

Para-language	Probable feeling/ meaning
Monotonal speech	Boredom/ disinterest
Slow speed, low pitch	Depression, thoughtfulness
High voice, emphatic speech	Enthusiasm, excitement
Ascending tone	Astonishment, fear
Abrupt speech, loud tone	Defensiveness, stress
Terse speech, loud tone	Anger, fear
High pitch, drawn out speech	Disbelief

Make messages short and clear

‘Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much.’

(Robert Greenleaf)

Activity

Topic 5

Handling pressure

Strategies for managing work

Don’t let the pressure get to you. There are many things you can do to make your job easier and your time more productive.

Make better use of your time

Organise your work space

Stress

‘You wake up screaming and realise you have not fallen asleep yet.’

(Unknown)

Activity

Summary

Before leaving today please share:

• 1 thing you learned
• 1 new practice you will undertake at work
• 1 activity you enjoyed

Thankyou for your attendance and participation.