TELEPHONIC CONVERSATIONS

Steffi Fernandes (72)

Prerna Nahata (104)
Alka Yadav (144)
Hello..
Hi!!
Points to Remember
It is a substitute for face-to-face conversations. Therefore
we need to work at finding ways to compensate for what
we are missing out on:

O We cannot see what the other person is doing;

O We cannot see facial expressions, manners, reactions;

O We cannot lip-read what the other person is saying;

O We cannot use illustrations to help them understand

Starting the Conversation
Formal

O May/Could/Can I speak
to B, please? This is A
calling.
O Id like to speak to B,
please. This is A.
O This is A. Is B in, please?
Informal

O Is B there?
O B, please.

Putting Others on Hold
Formal:

O Would you mind holding a
minute while I try to find
B?
O Could you hold, please?
O Please hold a moment.
One
O Just a moment please.
Wait a Ill see if B is in.

Informal:

O Hang on. Ill get B.
O Just a sec.
How to Reply When Someone is Not
Available
O Im sorry, but B is not here right now. May I take a
message, or would you like to call back later?

busy have B return your call?
O B is occupied now. Would you like to leave a message ?
tied up call back later?

come to the phone
O Im afraid B cant speak to you at this time.
take the call

in a few minutes?
O Could you call back in a little while?
later?

Wrong Numbers
If youre the person who makes the phone call:
have
O Oh, Im sorry. I guess I have the wrong number.
must have
O Oh, I was trying to reach (give phone number).
O Is this (give phone number).
O Oh, Im sorry to disturb you. I dialed the wrong number.

If youre the person who answers the phone:

O Im sorry. You have the wrong number.
O Im sorry. Theres no one here by that name. I think you
dialed the wrong number.

Leaving a Message on Answering
Machine or Voice Mail

When theres no one to answer the telephone, you will need to
leave a message to make sure that the receiver has all the
information he/she needs.

O Your Name: Hello, this is Dev./Hello, My name is Dev Gupta.

O Time: It's ten in the morning./Its about noon.

O Reason for Calling: I'm phoning (calling/ringing) to find out if../
to see if../to let you know that../ to tell you that..

O Make a Request: Could you call (ring/telephone) me
back?/Would you mind..?

O Your telephone number: My number is../You can reach me at../
Call me at..

O Finish: Thanks a lot, bye./I'll talk to you later, bye.
Example of a message

Telephone:
(Ring.. Ring..) Hello, this is Dev. I'm afraid I'm not in at the
moment. Please leave a message after the beep..... (beep)

Rishi:
Hi Dev, this is Rishi. It's about noon and I'm calling to see if you
would like to go to the Mets game on Friday. Could you call me
back? You can reach me at 367-8925 until five this afternoon. I'll
talk to you later, bye.

Informal Conversation
Harsh: Hello,
Arya: Hey whats up?
Harsh: Not much. Im in the office right now but Ive got a few
minutes to kill before my boss gets back.
Arya: Cool. What are you up to this weekend?
Harsh: Not sure yet. Ive got no plans as of now but Im definitely
up for something.
Arya: How about a round of golf Saturday afternoon and then well
hit the town later.
Harsh: Sounds perfect. Oh no, thats right, I think I have some
kind of boring work function I have to go to.
Arya: That sucks, is there any way you can get out of it?
Harsh: Ill try to think of something.
Arya: You better. Its going to be a great afternoon.
Harsh: Ill see what I can do. Ill keep you posted.
Arya: Alright. Make sure you get back to me by Thursday.
Harsh: Will do.
Arya: Ok. Later
Harsh: Later
Formal Conversation
A: Good afternoon, Economic Development Department. This
is Rita. How may I help you?
B: Good afternoon. My name is Tanya. May I please speak
with Mrs. Flora Thomas?
A: Im sorry, Mrs. Thomas is in a meeting right now. May I
take a message?
B: Yes. Please tell her that Mr. Bob from the local Chamber of
Commerce called, and I would like to set up a meeting with
her at her earliest convenience.
A: And may I have your telephone number, please?
B: Of course. It is 022-414-5555.
A: Thank you. I will give her the message.
B: Thank you. Good-bye.
A: Good-bye.
Basic Rules for Answering the
Phone Professionally
1. The 4 answering courtesies:
O Greet the caller
O State your organisation (or department)
O Introduce yourself
O Offer your help

e.g. Good afternoon, Accounts, Harsh Sen speaking. How may I
help?

2. Show ENTHUSIASM. Help make the caller feel welcome
A tired voice lacking in enthusiasm is very unappealing and
reflects on the professionalism of your organisation.

3. Use friendly phrases
e.g. Thanks for calling. May I help you?

4. SMILE
as you pick up the receiver.



Closing the Business Conversation
1. Thank the caller.
2. Let the caller know you appreciate his/her business.
3. Provide assurance that any promises will be fulfilled.
4. Leave the caller with a positive feeling
5. Let the caller hang up first- This is simple courtesy, plus it gives
the caller a final chance to add something.

Some courteous closing statement examples:

"Thank you for calling. We appreciate your business
"Thanks for your order.
"Feel free to call us anytime.
"I'm glad we were able to help.
"Goodbye and thanks for calling.
"I enjoyed talking with you.
"If you have any additional questions please call me."

Telephonic Conversation With a
Client- Some Tips
: Preparation Time:
Before making an important call, take a few moments to prepare.
Know the reason for your call, and prepare any questions or
information you need. It helps to write notes on a paper, so you
don't get sidetracked during the conversation.

> Take Notes:
During the call, write down the relevant points you discussed. This
shows your efficiency and attention to detail, and helps avoid
repeat phone calls for the same information.

Energize your voice:
A good trick is to stand up when you talk. When you sit during a
phone call, your diaphragm is compressed. When you stand up
and move around, you breathe more freely. You have more
energy, which will come across in your voice.

Smile:
The person you speak to won't see the smile, but the warmth that
comes from a smile will come across the phone line!

e Avoid disturbances:
If you are calling from home, make your calls away from
distracting noises such as the washing machine or TV. And don't
eat, chew gum or drink during a business conversation. People
can hear more than you think.

Phone Interviews
Phone Interviews have become a common tool for judging the
suitability of job applicants and screening out those who do not
match the job requirements. Hence, as a job seeker, you must not
take the phone interview lightly which is the first phase of the
interviewing process.

Just as you would prepare yourself for the face-to-face interview,
you should also devote sometime for planning and preparing for
the phone interview.

Time & Concentration
Keep enough time aside for the phone interview and make
arrangements so that you will not be interrupted through the
course of the telephonic interview. Be completely focused.

> Preparation
Keep a pen and paper handy to jot down important information
that you may have access to during the phone interview. If you
had applied for this position through a newspaper ad, keep the ad
cutting in front of you along with a copy of your current resume.

Demeanor
From the moment you take the call and till the time you end the
call, remember that you are being screened. Hence, you must put
every effort into conversing and communicating well with the
interviewer. You should sound interested, excited and involved.

Listening Skills
This requires very good listening skills. Don't speak out of turn
and especially while the interviewer is talking. Listen well to the
interviewer and then answer questions clearly and confidently.

? Seek Information
The phone interview is often used as a means to analyze and
judge the suitability of the candidate as well as know more about
them. It also provides the candidate an opportunity to understand
what the job entails. Hence, you must also ask questions tat will
help you to know more about the prospective job as well as the
Co, its policies and your ability to meet these requirements.

Some Tips on Telephonic Interviews
(Video)
A Poor Phone Interview (Video)
What to say when:
You can't hear someone -
O "I'm sorry, could you speak up, please?"
O "I'm sorry, I can't hear you very well.
O "I'm sorry, the line's bad - could you repeat what you just
said?

You don't understand what someone says -
O "I'm sorry, I didn't get that. Could you say it again,
please?"
O "I'm afraid I don't follow you. Could you repeat it,
please?"
O "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand. Would you mind
explaining it again, please?"

What to say when:
You want to correct what the other person has said -

O "Actually, it's 16, not 60." (Stress the two words where
there is confusion - in this example the 16 and the 60.)
O "I'm sorry, but I think there's been a misunderstanding.
The payment's due next week, not next month."
O "I'm sorry, but that's not quite right.." (When you refer
back to what someone has just said. You then go on to say
what IS right.)

Checking that you understand something -

O "So if I understand you correctly"
O "When you say do you mean?"
Telephone Etiquettes
O Short and Sweet :
By keeping your initial telephone conversation brief, you will give
the person impression that you are busy and in demand. Also if you
are ending the conversation it will keep you in the position to
control others.

O Leave them High:
People usually remember what you say last. So, its important to
prepare well for ending the conversation, making an effort to leave
a positive note.

O Add Purpose:
Dont just call to chitchat. Remember the rule Short and Sweet.
Ready with a purpose to your call. This plan will serve you as a back
up weapon.

O Stick to the point while leaving message:
Dont give irrelevant information in message.
O Be Positive:
Complaints are a real turn off. Once in while is OK. You can avoid
looking needy by keeping your emotional baggage to yourself at
the beginning. Make an effort to keep all the conversations
positive.

O Leave a message only on second call:
You should avoid leaving a message on the first call. Upon second
call leave a message and dont call again until they get back to
you.

O Time your call Well:
Phone calls during working hours are complete NO. Set up a time
in evening or free time to have a discussion. To plan a meet
inform them on weekdays. Avoid making calls on weekends.
Some Dos and Donts
- Make use of phrases such as "May I help You", "You are
welcome", and "Thank You", etc.

- Always speak clearly so that the other person can
understand what you are saying.

- Always adopt a pleasant tone of voice and be attentive.

- When placing a call on hold, inform the caller of the same.

Never slam the phone Put the receiver down gently.

Avoid using slang.

Don't interrupt the caller when speaking.


.Thank You.