Making sure you and your staff present a professional image on the telephone is hugely important. Once you have set up your new free 0844 business number from 08Direct.co.uk, your telephone manner could be the deciding factor on whether a potential customer chooses your company, or gets you that all important best price from a supplier.

The steps to take for the perfect telephone etiquette

Remember that the person on the other end of the phone can only hear your voice. This is the lasting impression they will take away from their communication with you. You need to ensure that you get you message across clearly and professionally. Be aware if you have a tendancy to shout, or speak fast, both of these will result in the caller becoming annoyed or confused.

Ensure that you always address the caller by his or her title. Refering to a person as ‘Mr’ or Mrs’ adds to the overall proffesional appearence. This is essential when communicating with an unfamiliar person.

It is very important to make sure that you listen to the caller. If your customer has a problem, take the time to fully understand what they are saying. A good tactic to use to make the caller feel respected is to repeat what they have said you, this always acts a great methond of ensuring you have understand the query.

In a busy office environment it is very easy to get distracted by colleagues. If you do get interrupted while you are talking with a customer, remind them you are talking to a customer and you will speak to them when you are finished.

To perfect your professional telephone manner be aware of your language and your surroundings. Always remember to not use slang words, unless you are familar with the caller. Finally always be aware of your surroundings, if you are in a noisy environment the chances are the caller can hear everything you can. It may be appropriate to end the call and request that you phone back and the earliest opportunity.