home › Inheritance and donation › Basic rules of a business conversation on the phone. Telephone etiquette or basic rules of conduct during a telephone conversation: list, phrases. How to properly introduce yourself on the phone when making an outgoing call in a company, office, home call? How to answer correctly

Basic rules of a business conversation on the phone. Telephone etiquette or basic rules of conduct during a telephone conversation: list, phrases. How to properly introduce yourself on the phone when making an outgoing call in a company, office, home call? How to answer correctly

This is the fastest business contact and a special skill. It is impossible not to remember about the statements. 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, often do not have it, and reception secretaries, although answering phone calls is their primary responsibility. Recently, intra-company short-term courses on mastering the basics of working with office equipment have been widely practiced abroad, where Special attention given 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 does not allow you 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.).

Recording a conversation: if necessary, you need to prepare everything for recording information.

Behavior during a conversation: You should, after picking up the phone, 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.

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:

1. I only dial a phone number when I'm sure it's correct.
2. I carefully prepare for a business telephone conversation, trying to be as brief as possible.
3. Before especially responsible telephone conversations, I make the necessary notes on a piece of paper.
4. 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.
5. Having achieved a connection by phone with the right institution, I call myself and my company.
6. If I "got in the wrong place", please excuse me, and do not hang up silently.
7. I politely answer the wrong call: "You have the wrong number" and hang up.
8. Working on an important document, I turn off the phone or switch it to the secretary.
9. In business telephone conversations, I "keep myself in hand", even if before that I was annoyed with something.
10. As a response to a phone call, I give my last name.
11. During a long monologue of the interlocutor on the phone, from time to time I confirm my attention with brief remarks.
12. Concluding a business conversation on the phone, I thank the interlocutor and wish him success.
13. If a colleague who is asked on the phone is absent, I ask what to give him and leave a note on his desk.
14. If the phone rings during a conversation with a visitor, I usually ask to call back later.
15. In the presence of employees, I try to speak on the phone in an undertone. 16. If the interlocutor is hard to hear, please speak louder or call back.

The main mistakes when conducting a telephone conversation:

1) Do not pick up the phone immediately after the first call.
2) You scream into the phone, thinking that the interlocutor does not hear you well, generating noise with your own cry.
3) You say the traditional “hello”, which contains absolutely no information.
4) You are rude if the subscriber got to the wrong address.
5) You dial the number, although they called you and the connection was interrupted.
6) You are silent for a long time, giving the impression that you have been separated.
7) You talk about issues that are not subject to disclosure.
8) You occupy the phone for a long time, forgetting that others also need it.
9) You talk in such a way that you interfere with others
10) You use your office phone in working time for private conversations.
11) Having received an answer to your phone call, you ask “Who is at the phone?”.
12) Without introducing yourself, you say the name of the person you need.

Phone and time diary.

To speed up the preparation of one or more telephone conversations, you can use the plan of the day. Mark in it questions for clarification by phone, as well as, if necessary, their results:

1) Conversation
2) Partner
3) Theme, occasion
4) Phone number
5) Priority
6) Control over execution

Purpose of the call

1) Dial the subscriber's number only when the purpose of the conversation is clear:
2) Do I just want to keep in touch and exchange opinions with a colleague?
3) Do I want to remember something or make a new connection?
4) Do I want to receive information or pass it on?
5) Do I want to share an idea and ask for evaluation?
6) Do I want to convince the other of my intentions and get to know my projects better?
7) Find out the most best time for a call, so as not to tear the partner from business. Set this time at the end of a phone call or in person.
8) Give advance notice of your call. Many of your partners will be waiting for your call if you indicate in advance (by letter, telex, secretary) exact time. You will save them and your time and speed up the solution of the problem.
9) Prepare your calls in a businesslike and meaningful way.
10) Tune in to your partner and concentrate on carrying on the conversation.

One of the specific types of business conversation is a telephone conversation. Unlike a personal meeting, where the interlocutors see each other, and it is possible to obtain information about the response, both by verbal and non-verbal signs, by telephone such information can only be obtained through verbal and acoustic systems.

In general, the fundamental differences between a business conversation over the phone and a personal meeting are:

Limited accessibility feedback,

the presence of a high probability that the call will not be on time,

strict time limits

technical limitations and problems,

Impossibility of demonstration of illustrative materials,

Lack of a clear idea of the number of interlocutors, their status and roles.

In this regard, business telephone conversations are not applicable for telephone conversations or discussion of serious issues. It is most expedient to use telephone conversations for the rapid exchange of information (briefly inform about changes, clarify the address, etc.), confirm previously reached agreements, and agree on a personal meeting.

By virtue of technical features transmission of information and the psychological characteristics of its perception by a person, it is necessary to observe a number of general rules:

· logic and structure of speech. Because when making a phone call, it is impossible to determine what the interlocutor is busy with and how ready he is to perceive information, it is necessary to clearly understand what and why will be said;

· conciseness. To facilitate perception and memorization, information should be as structured and concise as possible. The abundance of pauses, introductory and emotional expressions, excessive politeness (“Be kind, ask, please, if it’s not difficult for you ...”) drags out the conversation, which definitely causes a negative reaction of the interlocutor;

· speech literacy. Due to the lack of other sources of information about the interlocutor and the subject of the conversation, the person concentrates as much as possible on the words of the partner, his pronunciation and intonation, so the presence of any speech errors(misuse of words, stresses, etc.) becomes extremely noticeable;

· emotional coloring of speech. In addition to speech errors, the voice on the phone also gives out the emotional mood of the interlocutors.

Structurally, a business conversation on the phone includes three stages: preparation, conducting a conversation and fixing the result.

On the preparatory stage it is necessary to analyze whether there is really a strong need for a conversation, what is the purpose of the conversation, what kind of information should be obtained and whether it can be obtained in another way, for example, in a personal meeting. It must be remembered that a telephone call is primarily used in cases of high urgency, when it is necessary to receive an answer immediately, including for coordination of actions. For matters that are not very important or urgent, a more appropriate method of communication is a letter or a personal meeting.

At the preparation stage it is necessary:

collect information about the interlocutor ( convenient time call, area of interest and authority),

determine the purpose and tactics of the conversation, prepare its plan,

prepare an approximate list of questions for discussion, as well as questions that the interlocutor can ask and possible answers to them,

collect the necessary information about the subject of discussion,

prepare documents and details that may be necessary, as well as notebook and calendar.

The average duration of a conversation is between 3 and 10 minutes. A longer conversation can adversely affect the result due to a number of psychological and physiological characteristics. It is difficult for a person to perceive exclusively verbal information for a long time, regardless of the degree of interest in the subject in such a situation, the interlocutor's attention after the first 10 - 15 minutes begins to decrease significantly, as a result, information transmitted at 20 - 30 minutes may not be perceived at all. In addition, it must be taken into account that physiological and technical factors, such as the unnatural posture of a person holding a telephone handset, the presence of distractions and signal interference, can also affect perception. Therefore, a longer conversation should be excluded by breaking it into several calls or transferring it to the format of a personal meeting.

Business communication is characterized by a high level of standardization, therefore, most of the time spent talking on the phone falls on etiquette vocabulary and formulaic phrases. During a three-minute conversation, on average, the time is distributed as follows:

· 40-45 seconds - introductory information (greeting, introduction (if the interlocutors are already familiar) voicing the essence of the issue, introduction);

20-25 seconds - mutual introduction (in case the interlocutors were not familiar before);

100-105 seconds - discussion of the subject of the conversation;

· 20-25 seconds - the end of the conversation.

At the stage of introductory information, the interlocutor is greeted with the phrase " Good morning/good afternoon/good evening” depending on the time of day or the universal “Hello”.

Since it is likely that the person is busy and the call is not on time, it is necessary to clarify whether it is convenient to speak to the interlocutor. Depending on the situation, the interlocutor may ask to wait on the line or call back.

If a person is busy or talking on another phone, waiting on the line may be delayed, therefore, it would be most correct to clarify a more convenient call time. If the interlocutor reports that he has little time and is interested in the reason for the call, voicing all the planned questions will be a manifestation of tactlessness. Necessary briefly state the reason for the call and reschedule the conversation for a more convenient time.

The interests of the case require the maintenance of benevolent relations between partners, therefore it is necessary to minimize the use of categorical expressions such as “I don’t know this”, “We are not interested in this”, etc. Regardless of the situation, it is necessary to strive to provide assistance and make it clear to the interlocutor that the subscriber is ready to do everything in his power to find any acceptable solution. So, instead of the phrase “I don’t know this,” it is necessary to redirect the person to a more competent specialist in the matter under consideration, or take time to clarify the information (for example, with the wording “Unfortunately, now I do not have enough information, but I will try to clarify this issue and contact you ... (specific time after which a person should expect an answer)"). At the same time, it is important to remember that despite the absence of physical and visual contact, the interaction cannot be limited only to the assurance of further actions, but also the actions themselves with any significant result.

The telephone is currently the most popular means of communication. It helps to reduce the time interval required to resolve various issues and save financial resources for trips to other cities and countries. Modern business is greatly simplified by telephone conversations, which eliminate the need for lengthy written correspondence in business style, business trips for long distance. In addition, the telephone provides the possibility of remote negotiations, presentation of significant issues and inquiries.

The success of any enterprise directly depends on the correctness of telephone conversations., after all, it is enough to make one call to create a general impression about the company. If this impression turns out to be negative, it will be impossible to correct the situation. Therefore, it is important to know what constitutes competent business communication on the phone.

What it is?

Business communication is the fulfillment of professional tasks or the establishment of business relationships. Business phone calls are specific process which should be carefully prepared.

Before making a phone call, there are some basic things to be clear about.

Is this call really necessary?
Is it important to know the partner's answer?
Is it possible to meet in person?

Having found out that a telephone conversation is inevitable, you need to tune in to it in advance and remember the rules, the observance of which will help you conduct telephone conversations at a high professional level.

Features and standards

The rules of telephone communication are quite simple and include the following steps:

greetings;
performance;
clarification of the availability of free time for the interlocutor;
description of the essence of the problem in a short form;
questions and answers to them;
end of conversation.

The culture of telephone conversations is one of the important components of business communication. The specificity of telephone communication is determined by the factor of remote communication and the use of only one information channel in the work - auditory. Therefore, compliance ethical standards regulating telephone communication is an important factor determining the effectiveness of the enterprise and the development of relationships with partners.

Business telephone etiquette for outgoing calls includes several rules.

Before dialing, you need to check that the phone number is correct. If you make a mistake, don't ask too many questions. It is necessary to apologize to the subscriber, and after the end of the call, clarify the number again and call back.
Presentation is a must. After a greeting from the interlocutor, you need to answer using greeting words, the name of the enterprise, the position and surname of the employee making the call.
It is recommended that you first draw up a plan that reveals the goal (in the form of a graph / diagram or in text form). It is necessary to have a description of the tasks before your eyes so that you can record their implementation during a telephone conversation. Also, do not forget to note the problems that have formed on the way to achieving a particular goal.

3-5 minutes is the average time allotted for a business conversation. If the specified interval was not enough, a reasonable solution would be to schedule a personal meeting.
You should not disturb people with calls early in the morning, during a lunch break, or after the end of the working day.
In case of a spontaneous call that was not agreed with the partner in advance, prerequisite is to clarify the availability of free time for the interlocutor and indicate the approximate time required to resolve the issue of the caller. If the interlocutor is busy at the time of the call, you can specify another time or make an appointment.
Concluding the conversation, it is necessary to thank the interlocutor for the time spent or the information received.

When a telephone conversation is interrupted, the person who initiated the call should call back.

Telephone etiquette for incoming calls also includes several important points.

Calls must be answered no later than the third ring.
When making a response, it is required to name the name or organization. AT big company It is customary to name not a company, but a department.
A call made by mistake should be answered politely, clarifying the situation.
The materials used for work should be in sight, and the conversation plan should be in front of your eyes.
Multiple simultaneous connections should be avoided. Calls should be taken in turn.
When answering a call made to criticize a product / service or the work of the enterprise as a whole, you must try to understand the state of the interlocutor and take some responsibility on yourself.
Outside of business hours, it is recommended to turn on the answering machine. The message should contain up-to-date information that will be useful to all customers.
If the person being asked is not available, you should offer your assistance in passing the information to him.

It is possible to single out the general principles for the implementation of business communication by telephone.

You need to prepare in advance for phone conversations with clients by making a plan with goals, main points, the structure of the upcoming conversation, and ways to resolve problems that may arise during the conversation.
You need to pick up the phone with your left hand (left-handers - right) after the first or second signal.
It is necessary to take into account information related to the subject of the conversation.
The speech of the subscriber should be smooth and restrained. It is necessary to listen carefully to the partner and not interrupt him during the conversation. It is recommended to reinforce your own participation in the conversation with small remarks.
The duration of a telephone conversation should not exceed four to five minutes.

In the event of a discussion, it is necessary to take the emerging emotions under control. Despite the injustice of the statements and the increased tone on the part of the partner, one should be patient and try to calmly resolve the dispute that has arisen.
Throughout the conversation, you need to monitor intonation and tone of voice.
It is unacceptable to interrupt the conversation while answering other phone calls. In extreme cases, it is necessary to apologize to the subscriber for having to interrupt communication, and only after that answer the second call.
Be sure to have paper and a pen on the table so that you can write down the necessary information in time.
The caller can end the conversation. If you need to end the conversation in the next few minutes, then end it politely. It is necessary to apologize to the interlocutor and say goodbye, first thanking for the attention paid.

After the end of a business conversation, some time should be devoted to analyzing its style and content, identifying mistakes made in the conversation.

Stages

As already noted, business communication by phone does not require a lot of time. According to the rules, such a telephone conversation can last no more than 4-5 minutes. This is the optimal period of time to resolve all issues.

In the course of business communication on a business phone, it is necessary to follow the sequence of stages that make up the structure of the call.

Greeting with special phrases corresponding to the time of day during which the call is made.
Message to the virtual interlocutor of the name and position of the employee making the call, as well as the name of his organization.
Notification of the interlocutor's free time.
Concise presentation of basic information. At this stage, it is required to indicate the essence of the problem in one or two phrases.
Questions and answers to them. It is necessary to show interest in the questions of the interlocutor. Answers to them must be clear and provide reliable information. If the employee who answered the call is not competent in the matter at hand, you should invite someone to the phone who can give an accurate answer.
End of conversation. A telephone conversation is terminated by its initiator. This can also be done by a senior in position, age and a woman.

The phrases that complete the conversation are words of gratitude for the call and a wish of good luck.

To improve the efficiency of a conversation on a mobile phone, you should follow the general recommendations:

pre-prepare the necessary correspondence;
positively tune in to the conversation;
express thoughts clearly, while maintaining calm;
fix meaningful words;
avoid monotony by changing the pace of the conversation;
make pauses at the right moments of the conversation;
reproduce information to be memorized;
do not use harsh expressions;
when receiving a refusal, one should remain friendly and show respect for the interlocutor.

Dialogue Examples

The following examples of telephone conversations will help you understand the essence of business communication. Dialogues clearly show how to talk to a customer or business partner on the phone in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Phone conversation example #1.

Hotel manager - Good morning! Progress Hotel, Reservation Department, Olga, I'm listening to you.
Guest - Hello! This is Maria Ivanova, a representative of the Skazka company. I would like to make changes to my booking.
A - Yes, of course. What would you like to change?
D - Is it possible to change the dates of arrival and departure?
A - Yes, of course.
D - The period of residence will not be from September 1 to September 7, but from September 3 to 10.
A - Okay, the reservation has been changed. We are waiting for you in our hotel on September 3.
G - Thank you very much. Goodbye!
A - All the best to you. Goodbye!

Example of telephone dialogue No. 2.

Secretary - Hello. Holiday company.
Partner - Good afternoon. This is Petrova Elena, a representative of the creative team "Flight of Fantasy". May I speak to your director?
S - Unfortunately, he is not in the office right now - he is at a meeting. May I help you? Can you give him something?
P - Yes, tell me, please, when will he be there?
S - He will return only by three o'clock in the afternoon.
P - Thank you, I'll call you back then. Goodbye!
S - Goodbye!

Ethics not only controls the business relations of partners in business and establishes connections with competitors, but is also a means of properly organizing a telephone conversation. Compliance with the rules of business communication by telephone, which involves a thorough study of each item, ensures an effective result and long-term partnerships.

Nowadays, it is simply impossible to do without a phone. We are all accustomed to this common means of communication as something ordinary. Many students now have a personal mobile phone.

But does every student know that there is telephone etiquette?

Remember the basic rules of communication on the phone:

You can’t make a phone call and say to the one who picked up the phone in the tone of the order: “Misha!” First, you first need to say hello and introduce yourself. Secondly, do not forget: you expect that you will be rendered a service - they will call your friend to the phone. So it's a good idea to ask for it. And be sure to thank for the answer, even if your friend was not at home, and say goodbye.

You can’t start a telephone conversation with the question: “Who is this?” No one is obliged to introduce themselves to you - it is you who call and disturb people.

. "Hello" is a special telephone word. You can also use a short "yes" or "listening" instead. The manner of talking on the phone always carries important information about a person and is part of his image.

You should not call the phone often and at a late time, even if you disturb a person very close to you.

Never address a stranger on the phone with “you”, even if it seemed to you that the child answered - your impression may be erroneous.

Do not be afraid of the answering machine - formulate your message clearly and concisely. Give your name and a phone number where you can be called back.

Do not leave an invitation on the answering machine - such an invitation is considered impolite. Be sure to call your friend and invite him personally.

You should not thank you over the phone for a gift or an important service. This must be done in person. It is also not recommended to express condolences over the phone.

Excessive politeness is inappropriate when referring to the operator help desk- here we need clear information from both sides. But in this case, you can not do without the words thank you and please.

Phone hooliganism is unacceptable. For false calls and telephone hooliganism, violators will face heavy fines.

To discuss some important matter that will require a lot of time, arrange with a friend about your call in advance.

You can not talk long and loudly on a mobile phone in public places.

Mobile phones must be turned off in the theatre, library, museum, excursions, concerts.

The culture of telephone communication has long been part of business etiquette. It characterizes a person no less than clothes and manners. Before you pick up the phone, think about what information you want to receive or send. This is best done in the form of a memo - a list of questions for conversation. If it is assumed that during a conversation it may be necessary to refer to any documents or facts, they should be pre-selected and systematized on your desk. Choose the time to call, because you do not know what situation you will interrupt and whether your interlocutor will be able to treat you with due responsiveness.

Respect confidentiality. If you are talking on the phone from a room where other employees work, you should not make them partners in the conversation; and if you yourself were an unwitting witness to a conversation that, in your opinion, a colleague would like to conduct without witnesses, find an excuse to leave the room, even if the conversation between you was interrupted by this phone call. In a common working room, you should talk on the phone in a low voice and briefly. It is recommended to avoid talking on the phone:

– any issues with people with whom you have not previously had contact or with whom you have not developed a personal relationship;
- questions on which it is possible to assume the opposite opinion of the interlocutor;
– acute or delicate issues concerning the interlocutor himself or the company he represents, as well as personal problems;
– controversial issues of relationships, coordination and subordination of activities between you or the organizations you represent;
– questions relating to third parties or organizations whose representatives may be in the room of your interlocutor at the time of your call.

Negative responses to requests should also be avoided by telephone. In the work of foreign firms, mandatory written confirmation of the very fact of negotiations and the agreements reached is practiced, especially if the negotiations took place over the phone. Such a document does not have to be large in volume. It records the issues discussed, agreements reached and unresolved problems. The document is signed by the head or the person who spoke on the phone, and addressed to the head of the other party or the interlocutor on the phone in compliance with the "canonical" forms of politeness.

It is believed that the simplest business communication- telephone conversation. In fact, this is far from the case. A phone call should be subject to the same brevity requirements as business correspondence and faxing.

The caller is always introduced first. If the subscriber you wanted to contact is not in place, then it is not necessary to introduce yourself. It will be enough to say hello and ask to invite the person you are interested in to the phone. If he is not there, find out when he will be there, or ask him to pass something to him and hang up. No need to hold the phone for a long time if no one answers at the other end. You should not ask who you are talking to, you can only clarify whether you dialed the number correctly and whether you got through to where you wanted.

It is permissible to instruct an employee or secretary to get through to the person you are interested in.

If your colleague is asked to answer the phone, then it is impossible to find out who is asking him.

If you make a mistake with the number, then the next time you dial it, immediately check whether this is the number that you need.

In the event that you are very busy, then it is better to turn off the phone or ask the secretary to answer the phone.

The caller ends the call.

There are several generally accepted rules for telephone conversations:

- if the conversation is interrupted, then the one on whose initiative the conversation took place should call back;
– should be as brief and to the point as possible;
- you can not speak too loudly into the phone, avoiding at the same time too quiet speech;
– if you call someone and your call is not answered, do not hang up until you hear 4-6 long beeps: it may take some time for your interlocutor to answer the phone;
- think at least a few times before calling at odd hours - too early in the morning or late in the evening. As a rule, you should not call before 8 am and after 11 pm;
- you can not call a number that has become known to you home phone your partner, unless he himself gave this number to you and did not tell him that he can call home. Business calls to home numbers on weekends and holidays should be avoided.

It often happens that a phone call caught you during an important conversation or meeting. In such cases, it is best to ask the interlocutor to leave his phone number and promise to call him back later. It's best to include a possible time for a call back (but don't forget to keep your promise).

If you have visitors, and you need to call, then you should ask them for forgiveness, and try to make the call as short as possible.

It happens that you are visiting and you need to call. This can be done only by first asking permission from the owners.

The mobile phone has firmly entered the life of businessmen, financiers, journalists and people of many other professions. At the same time, in no case should he interfere with others. Almost every such phone has the ability to adjust the volume and tone of the call so that it is almost inaudible to anyone but you.

But it also happens that you are waiting for a call and the cell phone signal caught you during a conversation, lunch with a business partner or negotiations. In this case, you should definitely apologize, and minimize the conversation itself. The same applies to the situation if you need to make an urgent call. If possible, it is better to step aside.

Your interlocutor may be on the road, driving a car, and by distracting the driver, you can endanger him. Therefore, be brief and postpone discussion of the details until another time.

Telephone conversations are conducted in a polite and independent manner.

In your practice, it also probably happens when personal acquaintance with some clients occurs only through certain period? How many of your business contacts begin with a phone call? A telephone conversation is often referred to as communication outside of body language. However this definition not entirely accurate. For your interlocutor on the other end of the wire can determine your position by your voice.

Yes, in call-centers for control over facial expressions at each workplace there is a mirror, and employees call Centers wear business attire to radiate proper competence over the phone. Thus, accepting complaints, they act adequately even in delicate and unpleasant situations and are not influenced by outsiders, because they feel confident in their own "skin".

Smile while talking on the phone, this will give your voice the proper friendliness. Don't build too long sentences. It is difficult to follow more than ten words on the phone. Be careful that your expressions are coherent.

On the phone, give great importance your voice and how you express what you want to say. Before you answer the phone, think of a thought that occupied you. Complete the sentence you wrote to the end, and only then pick up the phone. In your thoughts, you should be completely and completely occupied with the client. The conversation always takes place on two different levels. 20% of a conversation is on a business level and 80% on an emotional level. Thus, the main part of communication is conducted on an emotional level. In conflicts, the area of emotions is central. To act confidently at this level is the task of a professional. The ability to concentrate on the speech of the interlocutor and enter into his position is very important. If the other sees that he is understood, he will allow himself to be carried away to the required level. For someone who accepts complaints, this means restraining their emotions and communicating in a solution-oriented way.

Avoid hackneyed phrases. Formulate active statements, by doing this you offer solutions, and do not create problems. And smile - you can hear it! Address the interlocutor by name. This promotes rapprochement and creates an atmosphere of trust.

A telephone conversation should take place in the following order: greeting, company name, first name, last name. At this time, the recipient will already tune in to your voice, and thus, at the end, he will hear the most important thing, namely your name. So he will be able to address you by name. Additions like "How can I help you?" are usually redundant. This applies to activities call-centers and in a normal business conversation on the phone has no place.

If you call someone, say hello and state your first and last name. By giving the name of the addressee, you will provide yourself with an additional bonus: "Good afternoon, Mrs. Mustermann, it is Max Müller who is bothering you. I represent XV and have the following business with you." Thus, it is more convenient for your interlocutor to get used to your voice. Be sure to prepare for the conversation. Even if the answering machine turns on, do not rush to hang up. Formulate your questions in advance. And in any case, think about what you want to achieve from your interlocutor.

The most effective techniques are as follows.

isolation technique. Here the person and the circumstances of the case are separated. I am no longer responsible as a person. The references "I" - "you" are not used. Invalid option: "I am unable to meet the deadlines you set." It is necessary to say: "It is unrealistic to perform in this time frame."
Compaction technique. There are times when the interlocutor still insists on his own and does not accept the information received. If there is no way to show that the question is really understood, repeat your statement: "I understand that the matter is urgent, but there is no way to carry it out." "No, we don't have free days this week." "You really can't?" "No, unfortunately it won't." In this situation, it is very important to use the voice adequately. Give your voice a firmness. You will achieve this through a serious facial expression. As a result of compaction, there may be a clear "no".
Silence technique. Pause briefly after your statement. This will give your opponent time to come to terms with the situation. If he continues to insist on his desire, just be silent.

It may happen that your interlocutor, in the heat of indignation, becomes personal. Then it is very important not to go beyond politeness.

Example."You're getting personal. I don't think you're doing it on purpose." If the interlocutor does not react to this and the conversation proceeds in the same direction, tell him in a calm and businesslike tone: "I'm very sorry, but the conversation cannot continue in this plane."

If all else fails and he is still irritable and aggressive, you can go to the very least and cut off communication: "That's where I end the conversation." But only after you have made every effort to resolve the issue and demonstrated in every possible way that you understand the situation of the interlocutor.

You need to remain calm and confident.

In general, conversations of a problematic nature contain aspects of psychology that should be taken into account.

A positive tone of voice takes center stage. It is when receiving complaints that a pleasant-sounding, attentive and calm voice plays an important role.
During stressful conversations, whether it's complaining or talking on the phone, it's best to get up and pace back and forth. This will give your voice more volume and expression, and you will sound more confident.
Remain calm and listen carefully. So you can influence the course of the conversation. It is also necessary to avoid clarifying the circumstances and challenging the allegations. While your interlocutor communicates on an emotional level, it is impossible to reasonably argue. In this case, the conversation will only escalate.
Only after your interlocutor has calmed down, start a conversation focused on solving the problem.

There are additional rules for using a mobile phone in the workplace.

If during a meeting or meeting you must leave your mobile phone on because you are expecting an important call, let everyone in attendance know. Set the alarm to silent mode, and leave the room for a telephone conversation. Do not put your phone on the table, but leave a hundred in your trouser or breast pocket.
Choose a decent ringtone.
Dictate the announcement on your message box personally.
If they call you at the wrong time, do not press reset, but pick up the phone and say that you will call the subscriber later.
Business meetings are held between 8.00 and 18.00 regardless of the industry. The time from 22.00 to 8.00 is strictly not recommended.
Anti-AON - not serious. You may get the impression that you are hiding something.

It is impossible to imagine business life without a telephone. On the one hand, it reduces distances and saves time. On the other hand, it will create a big load. The phone constantly rings, and work stops during calls. After receiving the twentieth call, which is not for you, it is very difficult to remain polite and accommodating.

Spread out Required documents in due course, figure out who you should be talking to. Put down a pencil and paper to write down the necessary information, and mentally tune in to the conversation. If you have reached your interlocutor:

- greet him with the words: "Good afternoon! My surname ...";
- speak clearly and understandably;
- follow a positive attitude;
– quickly jump to the reason for your call;
- at the end of the conversation, summarize and repeat the most important points again so that there are no misunderstandings;
- in conclusion, kindly say goodbye, thank you for the conversation and wish you a pleasant day.

Horst Hanisch suggests that if you are participating in a meeting, so as not to disturb anyone, you can take advantage of the opportunities that a mobile phone provides you:

- turn off the bell and turn on the light or vibration signal;
- leave the room while talking on the phone (if you must take the call);
– turn on the voicemail mode so that you can leave a message .

You should not speak louder than usual, you can even speak quieter (if extraneous noise is not very strong), because the microphones mobile phones very sensitive.

By e-mail you can quickly write transmittal letter and attach to it the minutes of the last meeting. Observe following rules to organize communication e-mail

– divide the entire message flow into personal and service messages according to e-mail to when you have a few days

you are absent due to illness, your colleague did not have to search for office messages among your personal messages for a long time;

– reduce the flow of information, send messages to e-mail only to those affected by your information. If you receive messages on e-mail, who are not related to you, inform the sender about it (so that your address is removed from his database);
- always indicate the subject of the letter as accurately as possible;
– because messages sent by e-mail it is impossible to return (even if this function exists), you must first think, then write, read, think again and only then send;
- your texts should be short, but not so that the messages become a mystery;
- maintain a kind tone; always formulate an appeal at the beginning, and hello at the end;
- follow existing writing standards.

If you would like to send a message to e-mail and quite a large application, first make a request when you can send it. This way, your recipient can avoid overloading the computer to download a large text snippet to their desktop.

On the Internet, as a supplement to letters, a pictorial language has come into use, which is quite easy to understand, since it consists only of characters that can be found on the keyboard. In table. 2.4 shows the most important of them (you can also show your imagination).

Table 2.4

Symbols in text messages

Signs of happiness and joy
	Happy
	Very happy
	Extremely happy
	Broad smile
:"-) or:.-)	I cry with joy
	Wink with one eye
	I wink familiarly, "it was just a joke"
A sign of tenderness

Signs of disappointment and skepticism
	I am disappointed

	Be quiet! Don't tell anyone!
	Skeptical: "Of course"