10 Tips for Proper Business Telephone Etiquette

First impressions are said to be what people remember you by. This can be said about phone calls as well. Since callers are not able to see you face to face, they use your telephone speaking voice to form certain judgments and opinions about you. Not only do they hear what you are saying they judge the tone of how you are saying it too. To ensure people always have a great impression of you, Datavo has put together some tips to make your telephone speaking voice a winner.


1. Greet Clients Professionally - Always make sure to answer all calls professionally with a short greeting. Make sure to practice the greeting before answering the phone so that you make sure you sound clear and professional.

2. Answer Phone By Fourth Ring - Whether you are in the office or out, make sure you or your voicemail picks up by the fourth ring. It is very unprofessional for you line to just ring and ring.

3. Speak Clearly - Remember people are not able to see you and watch you lips as you talk when on the phone. Make sure that you enunciate properly while keeping a positive professional tone.

4. Be Prepared - Always have paper and pen ready to write down any information you need to remember about the call. Also, write down the person the name of the person whom you are speaking so that you can remember it and use it during the conversation. It makes the caller feel like you are listening.

5. No Eating or Drinking - Eating and drinking while on the phone with someone sounds very unprofessional. Only eat and drink when not making any calls, preferably on your break.

6. Stay Focused - Always pay attention to what you client is telling you. Don't let outside distractions get in your way. If someone approaches you while you are on the phone politely wave them away until you are finished with your current call.

7. Always Ask a Customer Before Placing Them on Hold - With phone systems these days once a caller gets to you they could have been on hold for a number of minutes and may not appreciate being placed on hold again. Once they are placed on hold try not to leave them for more than 30 seconds so they do not become upset and hang up.

8. Address All Callers Formally - When in doubt, always address people formally. Never call an unfamiliar person by their first name. Use Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss when your know their last name. If you do not know their last name Sir or Ma'am are sufficient.

9. Listen - Listen to what the caller is saying to you. Whether you are taking a message or fixing a problem. This will help you to understand their problem and find the best solution to what needs to done. A good habit to learn also, is to repeat the information back to the caller when taking a message down.

10. Remain Patient and Helpful - Always remain patient and helpful, even when dealing with irate customers. You want people to feel like you are emphatic to their issues and are willing to help them. If you are not able to calm the person down make sure to forward them to the proper person who can. Never respond back in a negative or angry way.