Rules for communicating by phone. Example of a business conversation on the phone

How to speak on the phone correctly during business communication.

• Business communication cannot be imagined without telephone conversations. Partners, officials, clients clarify most of the issues using the phone. The same situation applies to business contacts.
• How can you use the capabilities of telephone communication effectively and competently, so that you don’t waste precious time in vain and increase your business contacts? Knowledge of telephone etiquette will help create the image of a person who knows the specifics of his work in a business environment.

Telephone etiquette or basic rules of behavior during telephone conversations: list

If your line of work calls on behalf of a company or organization that receives incoming calls or forwards customer calls to other persons, then you definitely need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules of telephone etiquette. This will help you establish yourself in a professional environment as a competent specialist, as well as among clients.

The norms of telephone etiquette dictate their terms to modern companies that systematically take care of their reputation. Knowing telephone etiquette is one of them.

Which of the company employees should know by heart and put into practice the rules of telephone etiquette:

• someone who receives incoming calls
• someone who, by occupation, calls on behalf of an organization
• who receives customer calls forwarded to him

What does it mean to adhere to the rules of telephone etiquette:

• When talking on the phone, it is important to maintain an even intonation of your own voice and not give free rein to your emotions. Since during a telephone conversation one of the three channels that allow people to communicate is activated (they include “body language,” intonation and words), the interlocutor, deprived of one of the channels, begins to perceive the meaning of the message in a somewhat abbreviated form.
• The meaning of what was said over the phone is conveyed as follows: the absence of “gesture language” leads to the fact that the remaining two channels (intonation and words) account for 100% of the meaning of what was said, more precisely, 86% is allocated to intonation, and only 14% to words.
• The interlocutor's voice conveys the emotional tone of the message. The interlocutor forms his own impression of who called him. Therefore, by communicating any information to your interlocutor over the phone, you can not only influence the initial perception of it, but you can also create the mood of your interlocutor.

• A smile during telephone conversations is also necessary. You should not think that, deprived of the opportunity to see you, the interlocutor will be able to pick up the confidential notes and positive attitude you need in the absence of a smile. Try to convey your enthusiasm through intonation.
• When talking on the phone, do not lie back on your chair, do not stretch your legs on the table. In a semi-lying or semi-sitting position, the angle of the diaphragm shifts, which changes the timbre of the voice. At the other end of the line they will definitely guess that at this moment you are lying down. The only thing you can convey to a client or employee of another organization with a phone call in this manner is your disinterest and complete indifference.
• When answering a phone call, do not forget to greet the caller. However, for different times of the day, use the appropriate greeting: “Good morning! Good afternoon Good evening!".
• By greeting the person who dialed your organization's phone number, you show how important this call is to you and that the conversation brings you joy, regardless of what information you hear. But even if your personal attitude towards the person from whom you need to find out some information over the phone has a negative connotation, then those on the other end of the line should not guess about it.

There is a category of people who, when picking up the phone, invariably and without any intonation say “Hello!”, “Yes!”, “Listen!”, “Company (name)!”, “At the machine!” You should not be like such “telephone dinosaurs”, because after such a “greeting” the caller is unlikely to express a desire to continue the conversation. Most likely, he will also dryly provide the necessary information and end the conversation.

A telephone conversation after the greeting includes the name of the organization. When receiving external calls, do not forget to fully name the company or institution where you work.

There are two options for official greetings, which are carried out over the telephone:

Option 1: with a minimal approach.

The person receiving the call greets the caller and names the organization. An example of such a greeting: “Good evening! Editorial board of the magazine "Rocket".

Option 2: with the maximum approach.

This option includes a greeting, the name of the organization, and the name of the person answering the call. An example of such a greeting: “Good morning! The editors of the magazine “Raketa”, Nadezhda Viktorovna is listening!”

Whichever option you like best, use it. Both options help make the person answering the phone seem professional. The caller will have the same opinion regarding the organization.

Answer an incoming call after the 2nd or 3rd ring

• One of the main laws of business telephone communication is that you need to answer an incoming call after the 2nd or 3rd ring. “Telephone” personnel whose duties include answering telephone calls (telephone operators, company secretaries, hotline workers) learn this rule as the most important thing.
• Why is it not recommended to pick up the phone after the first call? Everything is explained very simply: the caller may think that the employee of the organization was bored before, not knowing what to do, while waiting for the next call. In the few seconds that you have before the second or third call, you will be distracted from what you were doing before and completely focus on the incoming call.
• Answering incoming calls after the 4th or even 5th call is not recommended for the simple reason that the caller may lose patience while waiting for an answer on the phone. In this short period of time, the caller will have time to form a “definite” opinion regarding the company’s interest in clients and the ability to quickly respond to their needs and problems.

Who should introduce themselves first over the phone?

• After dialing the phone number you need, do not repeat the mistakes of those who begin the conversation with the phrase: “You are being bothered by (name of organization)” or “You are being bothered about an issue.” This is how insecure people or those who want to appear polite start a telephone conversation. Why are these phrases unsuccessful? If you “disturb (bother)” the person on the other end of the line, then from the first minutes of the conversation he will develop a negative attitude towards the caller and the call itself.
• This will automatically cause a feeling of anxiety, and you are thereby giving yourself a reason to treat your call as unwanted, which only distracts you from important matters.
• Do not create uncomfortable moments for yourself and the interlocutor with phrases that sound like “I have to disturb you and disturb your comfort because I need to clarify some issues.”

What phrase to start a conversation with? Say hello and introduce yourself. For example, it might sound like this: “Good afternoon! Gennady Pavlovich is calling you from the printing house.”

Video: Business telephone etiquette

How to properly introduce yourself over the phone when making an outgoing call to a company, office, or home call?

• When making an outgoing call, be sure to ask if your interlocutor can talk to you. After all, he can have his own to-do list or plan meetings and meetings. Most likely, before picking up the phone he was busy with something and you tore him away from this activity. Keep this in mind when making a call to a mobile phone.
• After you've introduced yourself, don't immediately jump into the question that prompted you to call him. Find out whether the interlocutor has time to listen to you and only if the answer is positive, move on to business. This way you will show that you value his time and position yourself in the eyes of your interlocutor as a professional. This cannot but inspire respect for you and the organization you represent.

Option 1: First of all, introduce yourself. After this, ask the other person if he has time to listen to you, while stating the purpose of the call.

Option 2: Introduce yourself, state the purpose of the call, and only after that ask if the interlocutor will be able to devote time to you.

How to greet a client over the phone during a business conversation?

If you are not the initiator of the conversation:

• “Leonardo Art Center, good evening, administrator Olga, I’m listening to you.”
• If you think this phrase is too long, then you can limit yourself to an abbreviated greeting: “Leonardo Art Center, good evening!”
• Very often you can hear this greeting: “Hello!” However, it is permissible to say hello in this way during a personal meeting, but in business communication such free phrases are unacceptable.

If you are the initiator of the call:

Introduce yourself, name your organization or company and ask if your interlocutor has time to

Video: Correctly introduce yourself to the client over the phone

How to use the phone correctly: telephone etiquette phrases

The key to proper business communication over the phone is the following phrases:

• If it's not hard for you
• Thank you for your time
• Do you have time to wait for an answer? Will I need to contact Purchasing?
• I will clarify this information and call you back.
• Thank you for making time in your schedule for this conversation.
• Thank you for finding time for our conversation, despite your busy schedule.

The following questions will help you clarify the information:

• Can you hear me okay?
• Sorry, I didn't hear. Please repeat.

Phone etiquette phrases

How to end a business call correctly?

End the conversation with a standard question that requires a clear answer:

• So, have we agreed on this issue?
• May I take it that we have reached agreement on this issue?
• As I understand you (in this matter), we can count on your support?

How to answer phone calls correctly in the office and at home?

Video: How to answer a phone call?

» Business communication by phone

© Erin White

How to learn to communicate confidently on the phone
(And avoid annoying mistakes)

Most young professionals, when they arrive at their first job, discover how difficult it is to hide behind an office partition. Any mistake of the newcomer becomes known to others. The problem is not that he feels stupid after making a mistake, but that the nervousness caused by everyone's attention often leads to even more annoying mistakes.

When Nathan Ritchie started working as an analyst at a financial services company in Chicago several years ago, he was embarrassed to talk on the phone. Most of the colleagues sitting around his workplace were about 10 years older and could hear him. “If I made a mistake,” he notes, “I did it in front of everyone.” This is very intimidating for newcomers, says Brad Karsh, president of the consulting company JobBound. In college, they were often left to their own devices, but at work, all their shortcomings suddenly became the center of everyone's attention. The only remedy for possible mistakes is self-confidence. But it comes with time and experience, says Karsh.

He recommends first-timers arrive early and stay longer. This way, they can make calls when fewer or no colleagues are around. Even if the right person is not available, an early or late call will allow the newbie to make the most nerve-wracking part of the deal - the initial contact.

To relax and feel freer, Karsh recommends using a telephone headset. It helps free up your hands, and during a conversation makes it possible to gesticulate more freely, for example, imagining that the conversation is taking place face to face with the interlocutor, he says.

For the first time, it's a good idea to find a quiet place for the most anxiety-inducing conversations, says Pamela Gingold, president of CareerStart, a Northbrook, Ill.-based job placement organization for college students and graduates. A closed-door meeting room is ideal for this purpose, she adds. "Once you feel confident, you'll stop using it," she says. If you need to make a series of similar calls, start with the least important person, Gingold continues. “Make all the mistakes on him, and then you will have the opportunity to improve. By the time you get to the more important people, you will have rehearsed the conversation and can relax,” she says.

Richie has developed several of his own techniques for business communication over the phone. When he didn't know a term a caller was mentioning or couldn't remember the term for a phenomenon he was trying to describe, he used a dictionary of banking terms and entered it into a list attached next to his computer. Six months later he got a job at a bank. His duties, in particular, included calling companies to which the bank had given money and which were now in a difficult financial situation.

As part of his job, Richie had to speak in an aggressive tone and argue. “At first, I didn’t have the heart to argue with CFOs in front of my colleagues,” he says. Therefore, at first he called from a meeting room or from a free office. “This way, even if you have to take it back, at least you won't have to do it in front of everyone,” he says.

Since last June, 23-year-old Jennifer Veres has been working at the Center for Government and Public Affairs at Auburn University in Alabama. When she first started, she was worried about how her older colleagues felt about her way of talking on the phone. She was especially nervous when company executives walked around the office. One day, the head of the center approached her while she was checking addresses for sending out Christmas cards. “I was so nervous that I started stuttering, even though I usually spoke normally,” she recalls.

Now she makes sure to think through what she will say before dialing a number. This helps you set the right tone for the upcoming conversation. "I remember to give my full name and phone number and not just say, 'Hi, this is Jennifer, call me back,'" she says.

How to speak competently on the phone?

Alexander Vyazigin

The most difficult thing is to establish contact with a complete stranger who could become a potential partner or client. Psychologists call such a conversation a “cold call.” It can be initiated by both the head of the company and an ordinary manager. But, regardless of rank, any cold call initiator will solve similar problems. First, he will need to get through to the right person, and then, in an extremely short time, interest him with a clearly formulated proposal.

Before dialing a phone number, it is worth clarifying the name of the person you want to reach, especially if we are talking about the management of the company. The easiest option is to go online. Company websites often contain information about their top officials. It won’t hurt to stock up on industry directories for enterprises and organizations. They can be bought in bookstores.

But sometimes simple methods turn out to be ineffective. Directories quickly become outdated: the person you are interested in may change jobs, and without knowing it, you will be in trouble. In addition, before an important call, it doesn’t hurt to know more about the interlocutor than his last name, first name and patronymic. Therefore, the head of a small company that delivers lunches to offices, Alexander Gorchakov, for example, obtains the information he needs. He contacts the secretary or one of the managers of the company he is interested in and invites him to meet, offering a better paid job. During the meeting, the conversation is about the professional experience of the interlocutor and the terms of payment in the company where he works. And along the way, with the help of leading questions, Gorchakov finds out things that are important to him: what is the name of the head of the company, what is the length of the working day, is there a lunch break, where do the employees eat.

Once I even managed to find out from the talkative manager about the director’s gastronomic preferences. Thanks to this, I not only got through to the head of the company, but also managed to offer lunch options that immediately suited the client. As a result, we signed a contract for an annual service.

Through thorns - to the boss

Often an insurmountable wall between you and the recipient of your “interesting proposal” becomes a secretary who selflessly protects her boss from information garbage. A secretary with five years of experience, Ekaterina Vasilyeva, does not let a single “dubious” call pass by:

Like any large company, we are subject to an onslaught of offers that often have nothing to do with our business. It is not uncommon to encounter very assertive managers who seek to contact management directly to offer them, for example, the purchase of new pencils for the office. Naturally, at the best price. But already from the first phrase: “How can I contact your general director?” - I immediately recognize a person who does not know my boss. It is clear that the person who formulates the question this way does not know the name of the director. In this case, I politely clarify what issue my boss is being called about. And then I either refuse or connect my interlocutor with one of the managers.

According to Vitaly Mikheev, commercial director of the Cepheus company (office security), it is important to convince the secretary that the boss will be extremely grateful to her if she switches the call to him. To do this, Vitaly has several techniques:

I rarely call myself. This is most often done by my secretary. She contacts her colleague, the secretary of the company I am interested in, and says the following text: “Hello, I am the secretary of the Cepheus company. My manager wants to talk with your boss about installing a security system for your office.” Secretaries, as a rule, try to help each other and either immediately switch to their boss, or advise who is best to talk to about this issue.

If my secretary was unable to help me, I call myself,” Mikheev shares his experience. - For many young secretaries, a confident male voice is more convincing. Sometimes it is enough to say just one phrase: “The manager will thank you for connecting me with him,” and “smile with your lips”: smiles can also be heard on the phone. If the woman is older, you should not start flirting with her over the phone. In this case, I clearly say: “The offer is very profitable. We are a well-known company. How can I get an audience with your manager?” Thus, she begins to feel more important in her company. If the secretary does not react to this, he belongs to the category of very executive. Then the phrase is appropriate: “We are doing a common job. You do yours well. I would like to do my own no worse.” If this trick doesn’t work, monitor the secretary’s work schedule and try to avoid direct contact with her. Perhaps someone more accommodating will pick up the phone.

Sometimes it is possible to get to the manager "bypassing". Denis Kryuchkov, executive director of a company selling computers and office equipment, knows how to do this:

In small companies, the decision to replace or purchase expensive office equipment is made by the first persons, so I always try to get through to them. I call the company, introduce myself to the secretary as an applicant for a vacancy that was posted on the Internet, and ask to be transferred to the HR department. When I am connected to one of the department managers, I ask in a confident voice: “Am I talking to the CEO?” They answer me: “No.” I make an irritated remark: “The secretary has made a mistake again. Switch me to the general manager! I am the director of the Monitor company, Denis Kryuchkov.” Most often I get switched. There is another effective way. Please connect me with the sales department. Under the guise of a potential client, I meet the manager and find out the prices for the product or service that the company provides. A few days later I call him directly. I call him by name and ask to speak to the boss. The manager no longer remembers me, but takes his name as a sign that I am a regular client or partner of the company. He transfers me to his boss. Then there are regular sales.

My voice is my enemy

Telephone communication between two strangers is practically a conversation between two blind people building an image of each other based on their voices. The voice becomes the main weapon or “interference” in achieving the goal.

Sometimes, after you get to the right person, the almost established contact breaks down. The reason may be that the interlocutor incorrectly perceives the purely audio content of the conversation: volume, intonation, timbre. For example, a voice that is too high or low can be perceived as childish or rude.

A former actor and now the owner of several flower shops and stalls, Andrei Zabiyaka is fluent in this instrument. Depending on the situation, he can speak both confidently and obsequiously. He successfully uses telephone acting in communication with potential clients and inspection authorities.

The Stanislavsky system helps me: create the desired image, get used to it, and then call! First, decide who you will play, but don't stray too far from your usual self. For example, when communicating with a tax or fire department employee, you should not imagine yourself as an action hero - it is better to imagine yourself as a conscientious clerk who cares about every tiny detail of the conversation, advises Zabiyaka.

However, don't overplay it. Your voice should still sound official. This will emphasize that you are “working at a good pace.” In order for you to be “heard” at the other end of the line, the pace at which you speak is also important. Many people are in too much of a hurry during a conversation. As a result, the interlocutor simply cannot keep up with their thoughts. The optimal rate of telephone conversation is 120-150 words per minute. Try timing a minute on a stopwatch and reading any text out loud. If you're off-pace, read it differently.

When you start to fit into this interval, fix the pace in memory and continue in the same spirit.

Often it is not possible to control the timbre and tempo of your voice due to anxiety. Moreover, this problem is faced not only by lower-level managers, but also by company leaders.

The owner of the small security company Zaslon, Dmitry Dichev, often has to call his potential clients with an offer for office security or cargo escort.

At the other end of the line they don’t know that I’m intelligent, well dressed and drive a decent car,” says Dichev. - I often start to worry. I think this is why I am sometimes "screened out", mistaking my uncertain voice for incompetence.

You can overcome anxiety before an important telephone conversation with the help of so-called “psycho-gymnastics”. It includes several simple exercises.

Relax your lips and face, take a comfortable position. Look at something on your desktop and concentrate your attention on it. Even out your breathing and breathe from the bottom of your belly, concentrating on the feeling of warmth in your solar plexus. You can slightly close your eyes for a while and watch your breathing. After some time it will level itself out. Then, to perk yourself up, get up and walk around your office. Do some physical exercise. Now you can make an important call.

During the conversation, it will be useful to sometimes move, gesticulate, setting the desired pace and intonation of voice. But do not take a fighting pose and do not make too sharp, chopping gestures. Remember: your gestures on the phone are “audible”.

Important details - Ask how busy your interlocutor is. If it is difficult for him to talk to you at the moment, find out what time it will be convenient for him to call back. - Find out whether you can be heard well at the other end of the line, whether you speak too quickly. - Clarify how it is more convenient to call your interlocutor - by name or by first name and patronymic. - Be sure to introduce yourself first and briefly state the essence of the matter. Do not forget to ask how interesting the topic of conversation is for the interlocutor. - Express a positive attitude towards the interlocutor’s objection. This can be done with the phrases “I understand you” or “I share your point of view.” - If you name specific numbers, for example, the cost of a product or service, check whether your interlocutor writes them down or remembers them. This will shake him up if he isn't listening carefully. - Before hanging up, summarize the conversation: repeat once again what you agreed on. - Agree in advance about the day and time of the next call.

Bibliography

To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://megarost.ru/

Ten ideas

In this article..

What are telephone conversations for?
-How to get the most out of them

Since when communicating on the phone you cannot see your interlocutor, you do not see his non-verbal behavior, which is possible in a personal meeting. The body language of the other communicator could help to better understand and connect with him in the process of listening and communicating messages. The information in this article will be useful in resolving such discrepancies; It also provides ideas and tips on how you can get the most out of your phone conversations.

Every time you call someone on the phone or answer someone's phone, speak as if you are smiling, i.e. be lively, energetic, and let your voice show it. By starting a telephone conversation in a pleasant voice, you set a positive tone of communication and create a calm and friendly atmosphere.

Learn to say hello

If you have to answer phone calls, we recommend that you master the following scheme.
1. After picking up the phone, say “Good morning”, “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” according to the time of day.
2. Name your organization so that the caller can make sure that he is not mistaken.
3. State your first (last) name and position.
4. Offer to help, for example: “How can I help you?”
In steps 2 and 3 of this process, you provide information. Steps 1 and 4 make phone conversations polite and pleasant. If the nature of your job does not allow you to use all four stages of greeting, at least use two of them: one in which you provide information, and the other in which you establish a friendly tone of conversation. Starting phone conversations this way gives them a professional and positive tone.

Refer clients to the right people

The most unpleasant thing for a client is to hear after his long explanations that he has come to the wrong address. To avoid such situations, proceed as follows.
1. Listen carefully to quickly understand why they called you.
2. Before the interlocutor goes into lengthy explanations, briefly repeat what you heard.
If necessary, briefly explain to the caller that another staff member can help and provide that staff member's name and telephone number.
3. If the telephone system allows call forwarding, transfer the caller to another employee and briefly explain to the latter who is calling and why.

This will help the employee prepare for the conversation, and the caller will make sure that the right person will listen to him.

Politely ask the caller to wait

Even if you receive a lot of calls, follow our three rules and politely ask callers to wait.

1. Ask the caller to wait and briefly explain why.
2. Obtain the caller's consent and disconnect him for a while.
3. Returning to the waiting interlocutor, say: “Thank you for waiting.”

If you keep the caller waiting, the wait time should not exceed one minute. If you understand that you will need more time to clarify information or provide some other assistance, tell the caller so. Let the caller choose what is more convenient for him: wait a little longer or call back later when you have a ready answer.

Be patient

In any telephone conversation, it happens that you and the interlocutor on the other end of the line start talking at the same time.

If you strive for normal two-way communication, you must be patient and wait until the other person has fully expressed himself before speaking. You can start by rephrasing what you heard to make sure you get the idea being expressed. It is always better to let the person speak than to interrupt him without allowing him to finish his thought.

Match the tone of your interlocutor

When talking on the phone, you do not see the facial expressions and gestures of the interlocutor and because of this you understand him less well. As I discussed in Chapter 4, the nonverbal component (body language and tone of voice) conveys much of the emotional meaning of a message. If you don't see nonverbal actions, focus on what you hear—the words and tone. Here it is especially necessary to use active listening tools such as paraphrase, reflection of feelings and clarification method.

Report time limit

What to do if you receive a phone call during a meeting or while leaving for home?

Tell your interlocutor directly and politely about this. Ask him to call back and tell him when is the best time to do so, or tell him how much time you have to keep your conversation short and to the point. Often, communicating a time limit will encourage the caller to get straight to the point.

By the way, if you receive a phone call during a personal meeting, do not pick up the phone. Have the caller leave a message on your answering machine. If you have not warned in advance that you are expecting an important call, then do not interrupt your conversation, respect your interlocutor.

End the conversation correctly

Completion of a telephone conversation represents a confirmation of the agreements that were reached and the obligations assumed by both parties. Sometimes it also involves formulating next steps and figuring out who will initiate the next telephone contact and when. A clear and concise conclusion confirms that you and your interlocutor have the same understanding of the situation and recognize that the time spent on the phone conversation was not wasted. Once you have achieved this, you can say goodbye to each other.

Leave Important Messages

In today's business world, answering machine messages have become commonplace: sometimes it seems that you are communicating more often with the answering machine than with the owner directly. If you want to say something to a person, it is better to leave a message on an answering machine rather than passing the message through a third party.

On your answering machine, leave messages as brief as possible, briefly explain what you're calling about, say your name and phone number slowly and clearly, and then, if you really need it, ask the person to call you back. (Be sure to say this; don’t hope that he will figure out to call you back.) Even if you are sure that the person remembers your number, repeat it anyway. If you can only be reached during certain hours, leave relevant information about the best time to call. I hope these tips will teach you how to talk on the phone and spend effective communication over the phone.

Copyright © 2013 Byankin Alexey

Business telephone etiquette

Business phone etiquette makes life a lot easier. Today there are many companies. Some companies go bankrupt not because their business is going wrong, but because their employees do not know the rules for telephone conversations with clients. Today I would like to tell you about how to conduct business negotiations correctly. If you want to avoid clients turning away from you, learn business telephone etiquette. This will help you look professional in the eyes of your partners.

1. Watch your intonation. During communication, people convey information to each other using three methods: “body language” (55%), intonation (38%) and words (7%). When communicating on the phone, we try to convey to the interlocutor the meaning of our messages using intonation and words .
Intonation - 86%;
Words - 14%.
Your intonation and voice help your interlocutor understand what kind of person you are. When communicating on the phone, you should not lounge on a chair and put your feet on the table. If a person is lying down or half-sitting, the timbre of his voice changes, this happens because the angle of his diaphragm changes. Therefore, a person, even without seeing you, knows that you are lying down.

2. Be sure to greet the caller. If you greet the caller, it lets him know that his call is important to you. When answering a call, you should not say: Hello, I’m listening, and so on.

3. Always try to introduce yourself over the phone. After the greeting, be sure to introduce yourself and say the name of the company. When receiving external calls, two methods are used, the so-called “minimum” and “maximum”: “Minimum” method: Greeting + name of the organization. “maximum”: “minimum” + the name of the person who answered the phone.

4. You try to answer calls after the 3rd ring. If you pick up the phone after the first call, the person who called may think that you have nothing to do. If the phone rings more than 4 times, then the caller will begin to get nervous.

5. When calling, do not say “You’re worried about...” or “You’re worried about...”. Just say: “Good morning, Marina from Ogonyok magazine is calling you.”

6. After calling, ask if the person has time to listen to you. After introducing yourself, do not immediately start talking about business; first, find out if the interlocutor has time to talk with you. There are two ways to use these tips:

Introduce yourself + ask about free time + say the purpose of the call.
Introduce yourself + say the purpose of the call + ask about free time.

7. Try to get to the most important thing as quickly as possible. Introduce yourself and ask for time to talk, don’t waste time with meaningless questions like: So, how do you like the weather?
When communicating on the phone, busy clients don't like to deviate from the topic. Of course, there is a slight exception to this rule if you have developed a good relationship over the years of working together.

8. Using the “hold” function. This feature allows you to retain the client if necessary. This function is created in order to: print the required document; call the right person to the phone; or ask a colleague for help. If you want to put a person on hold, ask if the other person has time to wait a little, and be sure to explain the reason for the wait. For example: “Can you wait to help me contact accounting?” After resolving the issue, thank the person who was waiting. If you know you'll have to wait a long time, then you shouldn't put the person on hold. Apologize and say that you will call back after solving his problem.

9. If they ask a person who is not at work right now, do not hang up immediately. If the right person is not available, offer your help. If the person does not agree to your offer, then ask to leave a message. For example, like this: What should I tell my colleague? This is called telephone ethics.

10. At the end of the dialogue, say goodbye to your interlocutor. Before you say goodbye to a person, ask: “Can I help you with anything else?”, and only after receiving a negative answer, say goodbye.

11. Try to adapt to the speed of speech of the interlocutor. Don't think that the faster you speak, the faster your interlocutor will mark you. On the contrary, if they cannot keep up with your speech, people will miss your train of thought and become completely confused. Try to vary the speed of your speech.

12. Telephone etiquette is advised. When communicating on the phone, do not be distracted: do not drink, do not eat, and do not smoke. This is very audible over the phone and very annoying.

13. You should not apologize to your interlocutor for wasting his time. This advice also applies to business meetings. If you think that you have distracted your interlocutor from important matters, then do not tell him about it out loud. Just say, “Sorry, our conversation has gone on a bit, I probably took up a lot of your time.” Instead of apologizing, simply thank the other person. It sounds something like this: I understand how busy you are, thank you for the time spent on our conversation.

14. Telephone ethics recommends caution against using a speakerphone. Do not use speakerphone unless absolutely necessary and without warning the interlocutor. If a client hears you using a speakerphone without his consent, he may become wary. Moreover, he can draw certain conclusions. That person has more important things to do besides communicating with me, or most likely someone is eavesdropping on us.

15. Communication with secretaries. If in the course of your work you communicate with secretaries. You must listen to their opinion.

Here are some rules for telephone conversations with secretaries. Don't consider yourself above them. Don't insult or humiliate them. As a rule, these people have great power over some decisions of their superiors. Secretaries can become either your allies or enemies, it all depends on you. If they wish, they can present information from you as just another trick of an obsessive idiot. They are able to make sure that your mail never reaches the director of the enterprise. Using the etiquette of a business conversation on the phone, when communicating with a secretary, you get a faithful assistant. Try to build friendly relations with the secretary.

Here's everything you need to know about business telephone etiquette.

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Business, success, motivation. Smart magazine.

Ending your work day correctly is the key to success What successful people do in the last 10 minutes of their work day: You may spend the last 10 minutes of your work day staring at the clock, counting the seconds until you are free. Or maybe you're immersed in work until the very last minute, and then you grab your things and leave without saying goodbye to anyone. If any of these scenarios sound familiar to you, it may be time to reconsider your end-of-the-day traditions. Michael Kerr, international business expert and author of No More Serious! Let's add a little humor to work "(You Can"t Be Serious! Putting Humor to Work), says: “It is very important how you end the work day. It can determine your mood for the rest of the day; it can affect your personal life, general feeling of happiness, quality of sleep, and also sets the tone for the next day." Lynn Taylor, an American workplace expert, wrote the book "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Deal with a Capricious Boss and Thrive at Work" (Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant : How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job) She says the most successful people usually create an action plan to deal with current problems that may interfere with their focus on the next morning's events - both planned and unexpected. To-Do Lists Taylor mentions that successful professionals always keep an eye on their to-do lists, which are constantly updated, she adds, “However, in the last 10 minutes, they also check to see how much of the day's tasks have been completed. These people adjust their final to-do list accordingly, rather than abruptly leaving work and expecting to remember all the details the next morning.” 2. They Organize Your Desk and Computer Projects take much longer if you're disorganized. Taylor says, “Desktop and computer chaos makes it difficult to think clearly and prioritize effectively; it also makes it difficult to find important documents. Keep your digital and paper documents organized so you can find them quickly when you need them.” 3. They review the amount of work completed Taylor believes: you need to not only concentrate on what has not yet been done, but also look back at the work already completed. Kerr agrees: “Even one minute of reviewing the work completed can provide insight into progress, and on a particularly difficult and overloaded day, it can remind you that much more has been accomplished than it seems. Psychological research shows that even a short review of completed work is a great way to boost your mood.” 4. They review the day. Successful people think not only about the projects they were involved in during the day, but also try to understand why something went according to plan or vice versa. Taylor says, “Skilled professionals know that if they don’t learn, they don’t grow.” 5. They reduce the volume of “urgent” conversations You are on call all day, but letters and calls come in a continuous stream - right up to the last minutes of the working day. Taylor notes, “This is where time management skills come in—successful people can decide what needs immediate attention and what can wait.” Try to postpone long conversations on important issues until the most productive time - that is, until the morning. Taylor advises: “Think about whether you can postpone discussion of important issues until a specific time the next day. Otherwise, the matter may drag on until late, you and your interlocutors will run out of energy and time will be running out. This delay will also give time to think about the matter better.” 6. They Stay Focused Taylor explains: “Typically, in the evening, people are less alert and have a harder time concentrating.” Try to stay focused and not get carried away with other things at the very end of the day. 7. They define tasks for the next day Successful people make a list of what will be ready by the morning and define the main tasks for the next day. Taylor advises: "You may have a couple of things that are your main focus, but it's best to write them down so you have a base to start with the next morning." Kerr adds, “The more thoughts you can get down on paper, the more likely you are to be able to focus on life outside of work with a clear head and ready to start the next day.” 8. They tell you if they can be reached before the next morning. The most successful people analyze how free they will be and whether they can be contacted if necessary, and then tell those who might need it. Kerr says: “Do you go into ‘total darkness’ and completely lose contact with the office? Or do you make some exceptions? It depends on the situation, and there is no one right answer. The most important question to ask yourself is: “How willing am I to be available outside of work hours without it interfering with my rest?” 9. They analyze the next day’s schedule There is nothing worse than starting the work day with news that In five minutes you have an important meeting. Kerr states, “Successful people know how to create a schedule and plan for the next day and - more importantly - imagine how that day will turn out.” This allows you to start work with more confidence and less stress. 10. They express gratitude for the support provided. Good teams are built on the basis of gratitude and recognition. Kerr says, "The habit of thanking someone at the end of the day is an incredibly effective way to improve your own mood and end your and everyone else's day on a good note." 11. They wish their colleagues a nice evening A friendly “have a nice evening” is very underrated - and requires very little effort. Taylor says, “It reminds your boss and employees that you are a real person, not just a colleague.” Moreover, in this way you focus the attention of your colleagues and management on the fact that you left. 12. They leave on a positive note Before you leave, lift your spirits with a smile, Taylor recommends. “This will prepare you to say goodbye to your colleagues on a good note.” Successful leaders leave a positive impression at the end of the day that lasts until the next morning. 13. They Still Leave Successful people overcome the temptation to stay longer. They know how important it is to maintain a work-life balance, so they try to leave the office not too late. Taylor says, “Staying at work unnecessarily reduces the level of performance you will need tomorrow.”