Business Phone Call Etiquette – Greeting Customers
Tips – Give a Good First Impression
Exhibiting excellent business phone call etiquette is extremely important in establishng a good first impression of your company. Answer the call promptly and enthusiastically, preferable within 3 rings. Don’t forget to smile before you answer the phone as this will be reflected in your tone of voice and will be great for maintaining a positive attitude, not only during the call, but through-out the whole day. Yes, customers can actually hear your smile because smiling helps your voice sound friendly, warm, and receptive.
Greet the Caller
Experts agree that the following initial greeting will make your customers feel welcome and appreciated:
- Greet the caller in a friendly and enthusiastic manner such as “Good morning or good afternoon”.
- State your company name. For example, “This is Office Skills Training”.
- Introduce yourself to the caller. For example “Sue Bunting speaking”.
- Offer your help. For example, “how may I help you?”
Example” “Good morning. This is Office Skills Training, Sue Bunting speaking. How may I help you?”
Ways to Properly Address the Caller
How you address the caller may be determined by the type of business or industry you work for. For example, if you work for a university or doctors office, your callers may wish to be addressed by their professional titles such as Dr. Baker or Professor Jones. If you work for a product catalog company however, your callers may wish to be addressed by their first name.
It may be appropriate to address callers as an adult male or female such as Ms. or Mr. The following are accepted ways to address a caller in the United States:
- Sir (adult male)
- Ma’am (adult female – mostly used in North American)
- Madam (adult female)
- Mr + last name (any man)
- Mrs + last name (a married woman who uses her husband’s last name)
- Ms + last name (a married or unmarried woman; used in business)
- Miss + last name (an unmarried woman)
- Dr + last name (some doctors go by Dr + first name)
- Professor + last name (in a university setting)
