Telephone and

Message Handling
Document Subject: Telephone and Message Handling

Document Classification: X

Document Reference: FOHSOP000X

No. of Pages in Document: 19 including cover page

Document Author: X

Document Owner: Front Office

Owner Signature: X

Authorised By: X

Dated: dd/mm/yyyy

Issue Status:

Version Date Summary of changes

V0001 dd/mm/yyyy New SOP Implementation

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Contents

Contents
Contents ..................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3
Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 3
Scope ......................................................................................................................... 3
Locations .................................................................................................................... 3
Core Principal ............................................................................................................. 4
1. Answering Calls...................................................................................................... 5
2. Managing Calls ...................................................................................................... 6
3. Placing a call on hold ............................................................................................. 7
4. Retrieving a call from hold ...................................................................................... 8
5. Transferring a call................................................................................................... 9
6. Use of Phonetic Alphabet ..................................................................................... 10
7. When you have trouble understanding someone ................................................. 11
8. When you do not know the answer ...................................................................... 12
9. Ending a call ......................................................................................................... 13
10. Taking a Message .............................................................................................. 14
11. Confidentiality and GDPR .................................................................................. 15
12. Telephone and Message Handling Do’s and Don’ts........................................... 16
13. Personal Calls .................................................................................................... 17
14. Exceptions .......................................................................................................... 18
Declaration ............................................................................................................... 18
Training Record Log ................................................................................................. 19

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Introduction
In today’s competitive world it is incredible important that we answer calls promptly
and professionally. Not answering calls may lead to lost business and any calls
answered in an unprofessional manner will negatively affect the fantastic reputation
(insert company name here) and its team members have built.

More importantly, it may also make the business the caller wants to speak to look
unprofessional. Remember, you are the face of each and every single company that
rents a space in our building.

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to:

 Ensure team members handle calls and messages in a professional manner

 Promote confidentiality and GDPR awareness
 Ensure we provide consistently high service at all our sites
 Serve as a training guide

Scope
All (insert company name here) employees.

Locations
All UK (insert company name here) locations

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Core Principal
Answering phone calls can be daunting, particularly if English is not your first
language. However, good preparation and practice is key in giving you the
confidence you need to establish trust from the very first moment you pick up the
phone.

The sound of your voice is important and can help you in giving the caller an
excellent first impression. No matter whether you are 100% confident or not, the tone
of your voice can make all the difference. Your voice must be energetic and positive.
Smiling goes a long way in helping you achieve this. The right intonation helps too.
Your voice should be as exciting as a roller coaster ride with lots of up’s and down’s.
Do not become monotonous as this signals boredom.

You must always remain professional and smile, particular when anyone in the lobby
may be able to see and/or hear you to certain extend.

This SOP does not cover the various different types of phone systems used at our
sites. For specific questions on your particular telephone system and its functionality,
please refer to the user manual that was provided with the system when it was
installed. If you cannot find the user manual get in touch with the maker or use the
internet to obtain a copy of the manual.

You should also ask your manager or a member of the Switchboard team to show
you the following functions:

 How to pick up a call

 How to place a call on hold
 How to retrieve a call from hold
 How to manage calls on hold or in a queue
 How to transfer a call (when a callers like to speak to someone else in the
building)
 How to divert incoming calls (when switchboard is on break for example)

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1. Answering Calls
Before you answer the phone make sure you are prepared. This includes physical
preparation as well as mental preparation.

 Have paper and pen at hand

 Know how to handle the phone system
 Know your site greeting
 Have your site extension list to hand for possible transfers
 Eliminated any possible distraction if possible
 Focus on the call once you answer

Calls must be answered with 3 rings. However, if a call cannot be answered within 3
rings you must thank the caller for holding the line.

We can expect to receive two types of phone calls, Internal and External. This can
usually be differentiated by the ringing sound or the ringing speed.

Internal calls are calls which are received from an office or an outlet within our
building. Internal calls must be answered using the following greeting:

“Good morning / good afternoon / good evening, this is ... (your name),
How may I assist you?”

External calls are calls which we receive from an outside location. External calls
must be answered using the following greeting:

“Good morning / afternoon / evening, thank you for calling "Site Name",
this is … (your name). How may I assist you?”

Depending on the time of day you may need to adjust your greeting in line with the
below specification:

Greeting to be used Time frame for greeting

Good morning From midnight until 12:00noon
Good afternoon From 12:00noon until 5:00pm
Good evening From 5:00pm until midnight

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2. Managing Calls
There may be times when you are busy with clients and guests in the building.
However, that does not excuse you from not answering the phone. If correctly
managed, you should be able to handle guests, clients and calls simultaneously.

It is essential that you become more efficient as you get busier. Keep phone calls as
short as possible without coming across rude or abrupt.

When someone is in front of you

Ask “Would it be okay to quickly answer the phone?” Ideally make sure the client or
guest is busy at the same time e.g. if it is a check in, the visitor can start completing
the visitor book etc.
Answer the call as usual but avoid unnecessary chit chat. You may want to say “Mr
X, I am just with another client right now. Would it be okay if I took your number and
called you back in approximately 5 to 10 minutes?” Alternatively, if you can transfer
the call do so but make sure you follow our call transfer etiquette as outlined in this
SOP.

When you are on the phone and someone is approaching the desk

It may happen that you are already on the phone and a guest or client approaches
the desk. Never ignore a person instead actively acknowledge them by:

 Making eye contact

 Smile
 Mouth “I will be with you shortly”

If the call takes longer, you may want to ask the caller if they would be okay to hold
for a brief moment whilst you quickly serve someone at the desk. Alternatively, you
can ask again if it would be okay to take the callers details and call them back
shortly.

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3. Placing a call on hold
This is never our preferred choice. However, there may be times when you need to
place a caller on hold whilst you ascertain additional information or briefly deal with
someone else. If, for whatever reason, you cannot provide the caller with the
information they require you may place them on hold.

To place a caller on hold you must follow the steps below:

 Always ask for permission before placing a caller on hold

 Always wait for the response whether they are happy to hold or not
 Get back to the caller about every 60 seconds to confirm if they are still happy
to hold and offer other alternatives like taking a message or returning their call
later

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4. Retrieving a call from hold
Once on hold be sure to gather the information needed fast. When you are ready
retrieve the caller from hold by saying “Thank you for holding Mr X. I can now tell you
that….” Always thank a caller for holding. Alternatively you can say “Thank you for
your patience Mr X…”.

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5. Transferring a call
We all know how frustrating it can be to be transferred and having to explain yourself
over and over again. To avoid this and to continue to provide the excellent customer
service we promise our clients and guests you must always introduce the call to the
person you are transferring the call to.

Introduced Transfer

To introduce the call you need to obtain the following information from the caller:

 Full name of the caller

 Company they are calling from
 Reason for call

You will use this to introduce the call to the person they want to speak to. For
example, you want to transfer a call to accounts because the caller has an invoicing
issue. You can call accounts and say “Good afternoon X, I have Mr X on the line. He
is calling from BT and has an issue with the last invoice that we issued. Would it be
okay for me to transfer him over to you?”
The more detailed the information you provide to the potential call taker, the better
and the less the caller has to explain once they get transferred.

If the recipient does not want to take the call, retrieve the caller from hold and say
“Mr X, thank you for holding. X is unable to take your call at the moment, would you
like to leave a message?” If so, do take a message in line with our message handling
procedure as outlined in this SOP.

Blind Transfer

In some sites you may be allowed to do blind transfers but it is best to check this with
your management first. A blind transfer is a transfer where the caller is not
announced.

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6. Use of Phonetic Alphabet
Names and messages are not always easy to understand but it is vital that you
always take accurate details. The use of a phonetic alphabet may help. Please print
alphabet below, leave it next to each phone and use it when you need to spell
something out. If a caller uses their own, made up alphabet do not correct them and
do not force them to use the phonetic alphabet.

A: Alpha J: Juliet S: Sierra

B: Bravo K: Kilo T: Tango

C: Charlie L: Lima U: Uniform

D: Delta M: Mike V: Victor

E: Echo N: November W: Whiskey

F: Foxtrot O: Oscar X: X-Ray

G: Golf P: Papa Y: Yankee

H: Hotel Q: Quebec Z: Zulu

I: India R: Romeo

Here is what you can say when you want to make sure you have taken details
correctly:

“Mr X, can I just confirm your last name is spelled B for Bravo, R for Romeo, O for
Oscar, W for Whiskey and N for November?”

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7. When you have trouble understanding someone
There may be various reasons as to why you have trouble understanding someone
but based on the situation you may be able to say:

 “Mr X, I am very sorry, I can hardly hear you. Would you mind speaking a little
louder?”
 “Mr X, I am very sorry, the connection seems to be breaking up. Could I call
you back?”
 “Mr X, I am sorry, I do not speak Italian. Can I get my Italian speaking
colleague to give you a call back?”

If your phone displays phone numbers it is advisable to note numbers down at the
beginning of a call as a call connection can be interrupted and lost anytime.

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8. When you do not know the answer
It is okay not to always know the answer to everything. However, it is never good
enough to accept this as being “okay” and leave the caller hanging without an
answer. Make sure you use your initiative and offer to find out.

Never say “I don’t know” instead say “That is a very good question” and continue
with “Let me find out for you”. You could also say: “That is a very good question.
Allow me to transfer you to my colleague, James Smith. He is the most adequate
person to help assist you”.

Never make information up!

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9. Ending a call
Before you end the call always check if there is anything else you can do? If the
answer is no, go ahead and end the call as follows:

 Thank the caller for contacting us: “Thank you for your call”
 Wish a pleasant farewell: Have a lovely day.
 Wait for the caller to hang up

You may also use the opportunity to remind a caller of something that they need to
bear in mind e.g. “Thank you for your call and allow me to remind you that ……….. “.
Here you can mention an upcoming event, road works, closing periods or anything
else that they need to consider if they are planning to visit a client in your building.

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10. Taking a Message
If you can’t get hold of the person the caller is looking for say “I am sorry, I am
unable to get hold of…..at the moment. May I take a message?

Do not say:

 Say he/she hasn’t come in yet

 he/she hasn’t come back from lunch yet
 he/she is in the toilet

Callers usually do not want or need to know the reason. It could also give them the
wrong impression.

At times it may be necessary to take a message or caller details and pass them on.
When taking a message it is important that you take:

 Full name of caller

 What company they are calling from
 Position of the caller within the company
 Contact number and email of the caller
 Message itself
 Date & time of the call
 Your details

Ideally use pre-formatted note pads which will help you to obtain all relevant
information. Alternatively, if you are an experienced touch typer, and messages are
delivered by email, you may directly type into the email.

Always repeat the message back to the caller and make sure details are taken
correctly. Be careful and discrete as there is a potential of others overhearing you.

Once message was taken email it immediately to the recipient. Make sure not to
accidently selecting the wrong recipient as this may breach confidentiality and GDPR
regulation.

Golden rules for message handling

 Always take a message word by word (verbatim) as spoken to you by the

caller
 Always treat messages confidentially and do not share them with anyone
 Always read the message back if given over the phone
 All deliver the message immediately and ideally in the format of an email

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11. Confidentiality and GDPR
The law requires us to treat personal details with the utmost confidentiality and not
doing so can lead to the offender being fined and/or jailed. GDPR is the legislation
we must follow at all times. GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation.

To be GDPR compliant in regards to handling calls and messages you must:

 Never disclose personal data such as email, names, phone numbers etc. to
someone unauthorised
 Leave confidential information such as messages or faxes face up on your
desk
 Leave confidential information on your desk whilst away from it
 Share any personal details with friends and family
 Repeat details back so loud that everyone in the lobby can hear you
 Send details to the wrong recipient

Remember, confidentiality can be breached accidentally but the law does not make a
difference to that affect and fines as well as imprisonment are not lowered just
because of it.

For further details on GDPR and Confidentiality, please also read SOP X.

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12. Telephone and Message Handling Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s

 Answer the telephone promptly within 3 rings

 Use the appropriate greeting
 Always have pen and paper on hand
 Listen carefully. Pay close attention to details given by the caller
 Make the caller feel that they have your undivided attention
 Acknowledge occasionally what he or she is saying
 Use the name of the caller twice, once established
 If you have to place a caller on hold on, explain why and ask for permission
 If you have to transfer the call, explain why and make sure that the caller is
properly introduced to the next person taking over
 If you say you will call back, give a time frame and ideally call back as soon as
possible
 Use the phonetic alphabet to spell out words
 Repeat details taken but ensure you comply with GDPR and maintain
confidentiality
 Close conversation politely
 Check if you can help with anything else
 Always thank the caller for calling
 Let the caller hang up first
 If you do not know information offer to find out
 Do what you say you are going to do e.g. call back in the time you said you
would

Don’ts

 Never ignore calls

 Never silence your phone(s) completely
 Let the telephone ring more than 4 times
 Answer the phone in an unprofessional manner such as “Yes”, “Hello” etc.
 Not being prepared to take notes
 Put a call on hold whilst you finish a private call or text message
 Use your personal phone at work
 Place a call on hold just saying “Hold on” without explaining what you are
going to do and why.
 Leave a caller on hold indefinitely or for far longer than needed
 Say you cannot help and without the intention of wanting to find out
 Say he/she hasn’t come in yet, he/she hasn’t come back from lunch yet or
he/she is in the toilet
 Hang up without proper closure to the conversation
 Hang up without thanking the caller
 Have no energy or enthusiasm in your voice
 Keep talking to someone else at the same time
 Eating or chewing something

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13. Personal Calls
Receiving and/or making personal calls is strictly forbidden. In case you are
expecting or need to make a personal emergency call, please obtain managerial
consent first. This is ideally in written form and accepted methods of communication
are email, voice mail message and/or email.

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14. Exceptions
There are no exceptions.

Declaration
The aforementioned procedures are to be followed at all times with the utmost
strictness. Not following the procedures will damage company reputation and may
put client and guest personal details at risk. Any team member found not to be
following aforementioned procedure will face disciplinary action.

This standard operating procedure is in accordance to the organization's mission

statement and has been reviewed and approved as outlined at the beginning of this
document.

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Training Record Log
I understand the Standard Operating Procedures for “Telephone & Message
Handling” and will comply with it at all times:

Trainee Name Trainee Signature Trainer Signature Date

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