Have A Game Plan Before Making The Call
Answering phones all day is similar to the new phenomenon – Chatroulette: You never know what to expect, but one thing is for sure…always be prepared to encounter a dick.
(FYI: If you’ve never heard of Chatroulette, I’d vote against using your work computer)
Despite having a communication degree, I’ve never taken a class in phone etiquette. I joke about this, but based on daily interactions with clients and cold callers, this actually might be a crucial component to all future college curriculum. Humankind is slipping in basic communication skills with the onset of complex technologies.
Before we all turn into robots, here’s my five cents:
He has better phone etiquette than you do.
1. Know the system
Today I answered the phone as I always do with, “Good Afternoon”. Immediately the caller began vomiting. Verbal vomiting. It was as if this was the first operating call he had made after being stranded in a desert for 40 days and 40 nights of chilling with Jesus, and attempting to share the story from beginning to end.
If your personal back story lasts more than 15 seconds, you are already on my radar for “Freak Alert,” and will mostly be sent directly to voicemail. Thanks to the invention of Caller ID, I can monitor when these loonies try to disguise themselves.
Important people don’t just pitch “the next Facebook” business idea to the first line of corporate defense. They know (or their assistant knows) that it’s going to take a few people to get to the CEO.
Be calm, be cool, be collected, and mostly BE NORMAL.
2. Do thorough research
I’m shocked by the number of conversations like this:
Caller: “I don’t know who I’m supposed to talk to. I just need information because I want to work with you all.”
Me: “OK, well what department? Finance? Sales? International? Creative?”
Caller: “I don’t know.”
Me: “Okay. Well, have you been to our website?”
Caller: “No”
Callers, be smart. It takes an extra second to type something into Google to just do the basic research.
3. Say your entire name
When I ask you for your name, I’m not doing it to make you feel ego-less or to judge (well, sometimes). I do it because I will get yelled at if I try to pass along a call without screening it.
This will not work either: “It’s Chuck. She knows me.”
Lose the ‘tude and say your FULL name with confidence.
4. Be patient
I haven’t used the restroom in 4 hours, so you can at least hold for one minute while I try to connect your call. Remember that every employee does not have a GPS on them at all times, so sometimes I have attempt to locate them diddly-daddling around the office.
Footnote: Don’t try to call back and say you got disconnected when you are on hold. I know that trick. Also, don’t say it’s an “emergency”. I’ve learned that is rarely true.
5. Mind your “Ps” and “Qs”
I don’t care who you are, everyone has an extra millisecond to say, “Please” and “Thank You”.
However, know the limit. Don’t say, “Hi, how are you?” Through experience, I’ve learned that that 99.99% of the time, only sales people say that.*
*That might only apply in NYC. Stay warm and friendly you southerners!
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