Professional Presence on the Phone

Within the first 5 seconds on the telephone, you and your employees establish your company’s image with clients and prospects. With each minute that passes in conversation, either strengthen a caller’s confidence… or weaken your professional integrity.

In short, you and your employees’ telephone skills can make or break your business.

1. When you’re on the phone with a client, you’re playing the roles of a good-will ambassador, problem solver, public relations representative, and more. Whether you are having a good day or a bad day, your telephone call is a performance that should leave your client feeling positive about you.

2. Put energy in your voice. A good trick to remember is that when you are sitting during a phone call, your diaphragm is compressed. When you stand up and move around, you breathe more freely. You have more energy, which will come across in your voice.

3. Smile when you speak. The person you speak to won't see the smile, but the warmth that comes from a smile will come across the phone line!

4. Monitor your voice quality. Do people often ask you to repeat what you just said? You may be mumbling or not enunciating clearly. A good telephone voice is clear and loud enough for people to hear, without sounding loud or shrill.

5. Prepare for your calls. Before an important call, plan what you will say, in writing if possible. This will lower your chances of getting sidetracked, or forgetting important items.

6. Stick to your point and keep it brief. Business people don’t have time for chatty conversations during the day. Monitor the voice of the person you are calling. If they sound hurried, get to the point, or ask when would be a good time to call back.

7. Have all the materials you need at hand. This includes a pen and paper, your calendar for setting appointments, and other information you have from previous contacts.

8. Don’t do other tasks when you’re on the phone. The person you’re talking to may hear you clicking on your keyboard if you’re multi-tasking during your conversation. Eating, drinking or chewing gum during a business conversation is unprofessional.

9. Take notes. During the call, write down the relevant points you discussed. This shows your efficiency and attention to detail, and helps avoid repeat phone calls for the same information.

10. Make clients feel valued. A prompt reply and the words "Thank you for calling" go a long way in making a client feel valued. When you hear the voice of someone you know, put a little extra energy and warmth in your voice.

11. Give each call your full attention. When you are on the phone and you receive another call, let voicemail answer it. Only if you are speaking to someone you know well, you can ask if they mind waiting momentarily while you check who is calling.

12. Closing the conversation is as important a part of your impression as beginning the conversation. End the conversation by summing up the call to make sure each of you understands the next step. Then say goodbye, and wait until the other person hangs up before you put down the receiver.

Remember that the big money isn’t as much in winning customers as in keeping customers. Each individual customer’s perception of your company will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.

Contributed by Ellen Reddick, Managing Partner at Impact Factory (www.impactfactoryutah.com)  

Consultant, writer, and former senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry. Managing partner of Impact Factory Utah a firm that provides strategic consulting, executive coaching, and speaking services to CEOs and management teams of small-to-mid-sized companies.  Broad base of experience in people management, sales, process improvement, customer service training, project management, mediation and facilitation.