Telephone Etiquette

Helpful Documents

Telephone Etiquette Skills
Phone Etiquette
Telephone Etiquette

Suggestions from various BYU-Idaho employees:

• Identify who you are at the beginning of the conversation.
• Use good telephone etiquette with people on campus as well as off campus.
• Don't interrupt people when they are speaking. Let them finish their sentence or idea.
• If you are not able to speak with the person you called, don't pry. For example, it would be inappropriate to say "Oh, is John off today?"
• Always identify yourself when you answer the phone and when you call someone -- by university department and by your name. (Remember that not everyone has caller ID, and those who do sometimes still don't know who you are.)
• Pick up the phone with a smile. Be happy!
• Put some personality into answering the phone; PLEASE, no monotone or acting as though you are bored.
• If you don't know the answer to the caller's question, acknowledge it. Don't make up something or try to sound like you do know the answer.
• Try to help the person calling by looking up a phone number, transferring the call to the RIGHT person, or find out the correct information, versus telling them they have the wrong number or transferring them to anyone just to get rid of them.
• Please treat the caller with respect and courtesy.
• Please treat the person you call with respect and courtesy.
• Never hang up on someone because you are finished with the conversation.
• Apologize if you dialed a wrong number and be understanding if they dialed you incorrectly.
• Don't convey an "I'm an important person" attitude. We are all important people.
• Use respectful and considerate words and phrases, such as:

"I'm sorry."
"Thank you."
"Please."
"May I take a message?"
"Would you like to leave your number?"
"May I put you on hold?"
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting."
"He's away from his desk. May I have him return your call?"

• Don't use words and phrases such as:

"Huh?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know where he is."
"She's at lunch. Call back later."
"He's not here."
"I don't know where he is or when he'll be back."

• When you receive a transfer call say: "This is (your name). May I help you?" (No need to reintroduce the university.)
• After asking a caller to hold for the person they are calling for, be sure to say “You’re welcome” after their customary “Thank you.” It shows that you are truly listening to them and not in “receptionist mode.”
  
• I think it is really important to be sure and tell the person on the other end what you are going to do, such as: "If you’ll hang on just a minute, I’ll see if I can find an answer," or "I’m going to transfer you to another area." (then give them the number where you are transferring them in case the call is disconnected in the transfer.)
• Always remember that what the person is asking is extremely important to them (although it may not seem important to you), so treat them as if they are the only person you have to deal with.
• Remember that the phone is not more important than the person standing in front of you; so forward your phone to someone else in the office if you have an in-person customer, or at least acknowledge the person and let them know that you will be with them as soon as possible.
• Ask people if it is okay to put them on hold. Their time is valuable too and maybe they would rather leave a message.
• Ask for permission to transfer a person to a voice messaging system. Some people don't like to talk to machines. They would rather leave a message or call back.
• Repeat telephone numbers to make sure you have copied them correctly.
• Take the person’s name and number and call them back if you think it could take longer than a minute or two to research the answer or find the right person to handle the call.
• As a general rule, you should not transfer a call and hang up before making sure someone is on the other end to handle the call.
• Always be aware of your tone of voice at all times. Be cheerful without being fake, gushy, or silly. Speak clearly, and if you are wearing a headset, make sure the microphone is directly in front of your mouth.
• Do not be speaking to someone else when you pick up the phone.
• If you need to find some information or ask a question to someone in your office, put the person on the phone on hold instead of just setting the phone down.
• If you put someone on hold, do not leave them there for longer than 60 seconds without giving them more information or asking if they are willing to continue holding.
• Don’t sound impatient.
• Try to be as helpful as you possibly can. Put yourself in the caller’s position.
• Don't interrupt others who are talking on the phone. If it becomes necessary to interrupt a call, simply hand the person who is speaking on the phone a handwritten note.
• Always end your conversation by saying "good-bye." Not "bye, bye" or "see ya." Good-bye is a formal ending and very professional.
• Always repeat a person's name and phone number before hanging up. Then the person has a chance to correct any mistakes. Remember too that it is important to obtain needed information by asking polite questions, such as: "Could you spell that for me?" or "Would you mind repeating that for me?" When you use words or commands such as "spell that for me," or "say it again," it puts the other person in a defensive mood.
• No matter how rude the person is on the other end of the line, we need to remember that we are representing BYU-Idaho and have to do our best to be "polite" and "helpful."
• Whenever I answer the phone I try to put myself in the other person's shoes. How would I like to be treated?
• If a person is getting upset I always try to remember that it's probably not me that they are mad at.

 

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