The Telephone Doctor, a U.S. customer service training company, recently carried out a survey of “What bugs you on the telephone?” The number one frustration for the American public was “being put on hold.” The only consolation here is that we’re not the only ones suffering.

That knowledge however, was not in the least bit comforting when a few weeks ago I was put on hold for twenty minutes! The only reason I stayed on the line was the lone human voice that I got through to, who told me that if I hung up, I’d lose my place in the line. I didn’t realize I was joining a queue when I picked up the phone. While waiting I had visions of myself turning gray and growing old. The truth is, like most people I don’t really mind waiting, for about 10 seconds, after that, automatically my legs begin to twitch and my fingers start to tap the desk. Test it. Put the phone to your ear and count slowly to ten. Seems interminable doesn’t it? Being placed on hold though, is just one area of possible dissatisfaction on the phone.

Invariably, the telephone is the first point of contact with a company. That first impression of your company is indelibly imprinted in the minds of potential customers every time someone picks up the phone. When answering the phone therefore, or even making phone calls, using the proper etiquette is a must in order to maintain a certain level of professionalism. Even if, or rather especially if you decide to install an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone system, the customer must be at the center of your decisions. This would go a long way in making interactions with your company a pleasant experience. When customer satisfaction is your focus, telephone etiquette training becomes key to your service quality drive.

The telephone, especially its mobile varieties, has become a pivotal part of our existence. Almost as a new appendage to our bodies, our business and personal lives surround the use of the phone. Having so evolved, it is a pity that telephone courtesies have lagged so far behind.

As a customer, when I make a phone call in the middle of a very hectic day, I want a quick, pleasant response. I want to be listened to and accurately transferred. I don’t expect to repeat my request four times to four different people. I don’t want abrupt, almost rude responses and especially if I’m calling from a cell phone, I don’t want to be kept waiting.

Sometimes though, the telephone experience can be quite amusing. Our Managing Director once called an office and was told that the person she requested was “on the other side”. She solemnly replied, “Oh, I didn’t know she had died.” Of course the person was in another area of the building. People sometimes forget that the caller may not know and cannot see the layout of their office.

Many companies have opted to install an IVR. I presume the purpose of these automated telephone systems is to make calling easier for the customer, not just the company. However, when you don’t know your party’s extension… listen to a long list of departments and their numbers, get impatient and press the wrong one or “zero for the operator”, then get transferred to someone’s voice mail and have to start all over again, the benefits to you the customer become questionable. The first message on your company’s IVR, should always be, “Press zero for the operator anytime during this message” and then ensure that a human operator answers.

With or without the IVR however, there are definite dos and don’ts of telephone use, here are some that absolutely must be included in your training:

Do:

• Answer promptly, before the third ring.
• State your office and your name in a pleasant tone of voice. You do hear a smile on the phone.
• Listen to your caller’s request before transferring.
• Ensure, when transferring, that the line is answered before hanging up. It is quite annoying to the caller to be transferred to an empty office.
• Ensure that you have transferred the caller accurately.
• Relate the caller’s request before hanging up.

Don’t:

• Answer the phone while chewing, gum or otherwise.
• Shout across the office without pressing the “Hold” button. As a matter of fact, don’t shout across the office.
• Place the caller on hold without first requesting if it is ok to do so and offering an alternative.
• Forget the caller on hold.

An internal Western Union memo of 1876 states, “This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." In 2005 the telephone is now of too great value as a means of communication to neglect etiquette training in its proper use.

Lorraine Villaroel is Marketing Manager, Quality Service of IBB Ltd.
Email her at quality@ibbglobal.com 
IBB is licensed by Leadership Management International and The Service Quality Institute for the Caribbean region