The Ruby Receptionists phone answering team is dedicated to improving the way we do and say things. We’ve found that a few positive changes in vocabulary can dramatically shift our callers’ moods. A masterful receptionist can make a caller’s day by staying professional and cheerful, no matter what. Here are a few specific ways you can improve your phone skills and show callers you care:

Find an alternative to “What?.” The tone you set in a phone conversation is just as important as the content of it. On its own, a simple “What?” can sound very blunt. Add some padding to your questions. Try an alternative, such as “May I ask who’s calling?”

Work may into your vocabulary. This is another way of padding questions to make them seem more friendly and professional.

Instead of saying,

“What’s your telephone number?”

“Who is this?”

“What company are you from?”, or

“Can you leave a message?”

Try these:

“May I have your telephone number?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“May I ask what company you’re with?”

“May I take a message?”

The second group of responses set a much more polite, professional tone.

Pause politely.When you need a second, take an extra moment or two to politely tell your caller. If you need a moment to get more information, you should prepare the caller in the proper way. Use an alternative to “Just a sec,” even for a brief pause. A phrase like, “One moment, please,” has a more professional ring to it. If the pause is going to be more than brief, make note of the next tip:

Ask to put them on hold, rather than telling them. There are better ways to let a caller know you’re putting them on hold than a brief “Hold, please.” Though you may have added a please onto the end, asking to put them on hold is a far better alternative. Also, remember to thank the caller when you resume the conversation. A “Thank you for you patience” when you pick the call back up goes a long way. A final note from our live virtual receptionist team: If the caller doesn’t want you to put them on hold, don’t do it. Allow the caller to stay on the line as you perform your task.

Finally, keep in mind that it’s not always best to answer your own phone. Many of our clients have found that their callers feel flustered when the owner, president, or other high-ranking employee answers the phone. In addition, answering your own phone can cause callers to question your reputability. Finally, answering your own phones takes a lot of time that you could be using to grow your business more effectively. A virtual receptionist service is a great solution to all of these challenges.

Have any helpful telephone etiquette tips of your own? Please comment and share them with us!