The subtleties of business phone communication

The art of business communication is an important aspect of negotiating and for many years does not lose its relevance. The intensity of business communications by telephone is increasing from year to year. And with the development of mobile communications is becoming one of the main ways of communication. To make telephone skills, it is important to know the intricacies and rules of business communication.

Phone in the modern world plays an important role, because with it, we communicate with family, friends, colleagues, management and business partners.

So, during a conversation with a certain circle of people, a person uses the appropriate method of communication and, for example, will never conduct a dialogue with his boss, as with a close friend. In this situation, a more formal type of communication is used.

Employees who conduct sociological surveys of the population, receive calls from customers or negotiate by phone should also use business etiquette. Often, successful telephone calls become the key to a good business relationship. And even the image of the company can entirely depend on the ability of employees to conduct competent dialogues over the phone.

Currently, most calls are made through mobile devices. Using this communication tool, you must follow some rules.

• Always turn off the phone or set it to vibration mode at a business meeting with a client, in a movie theater, at a seminar.
• A mobile device is more susceptible to sound than a landline phone. Therefore, in a situation where, being in a public place, it is necessary to conduct a personal conversation without outside interference, you can just speak quietly, and the interlocutor will definitely hear you.

• Do not place a loud call on the telephone. It can scare others.
• Try to speak briefly. In the presence of third parties, the conversation should not last longer than 30 seconds, otherwise there is a risk of looking impolite in front of a person. If there are good reasons for a telephone conversation, for example, a relative's illness or a major transaction, then you should notify those present about the situation.
• Avoid phone conversations during a business lunch. If there is an urgent need to answer the call, then you should leave the table and talk in a less crowded place.

Ethical standards in telephone communication are important for effective company operations. The culture of telephone conversations is a special kind of business communication. Knowing the rules of etiquette will help strengthen business relationships and increase the profitability of the organization.

• It is necessary to greet the person with whom the telephone conversation will be. Most suitable for this are phrases related to the time of day ("Good morning", "Good afternoon" or "Good evening").
• During an official telephone conversation, it is important to monitor your own intonation. In order not to push away the interlocutor, you need to speak politely and calmly, avoiding unnecessary emotions.

• After the greeting, it is recommended that you introduce yourself and give your name, position and organization.
• If you call a person, you should always clarify whether it is convenient for him to talk at the moment.
• According to ethical standards, you need to pick up the phone after the second or third call.
• During the conversation, do not smoke, eat food or drinks.
• If the calling subscriber is interested in another employee of the organization, then the conversation must be redirected to him or enable the standby function.
• In a situation where you made a mistake with the number, you must, without asking too many questions, apologize to the interlocutor and immediately say goodbye.
• Never call early in the morning, during the lunch break or before the end of the working day.
• The secretary or assistant can make or answer calls instead of the manager.

• You can only call a partner or client on a personal number provided that he himself has given you his contacts. But on weekends and holidays, such calls are prohibited.
• There are times when a conversation is interrupted due to poor communication. In this situation, the one who called first should call back.
• Do not drag out the conversation. A long conversation can bore the interlocutor and cause indignation. If communication was delayed, but the purpose of the conversation was not achieved, then you can call the client back the next day or arrange a personal meeting.
• After the end of the conversation, it is recommended to thank the interlocutor and politely say goodbye to him, after asking if he had any questions. This simple action will complete the conversation and encourage further collaboration.

You should carefully prepare for a telephone conversation and perform a series of specific actions. Let's consider the main points in more detail.

• Calling the interlocutor is only after a clear conversation plan has been drawn up. In order to exclude minor details, you can make graphical or schematic sketches.
• Write down the important questions that you will need to remember to ask in the negotiation process.
• Prepare documents that may be needed in the process of communication (correspondence, reports, contracts).

• Ask your interlocutor in advance for a convenient amount of time to make a call.
• To record the information received, prepare a notebook or diary.
• Find out the general list of people who will participate in the conversation, to contact them by name and patronymic.
• Before dialing a number, try to tune in a positive mood, then your emotional state, of course, should cause the interlocutor to be located.
• When making a telephone conversation, consider the security of communications in the office, because valuable information can fall into the hands of competitors.

There are also points that should be excluded and not allowed in the upcoming telephone conversation.

• No need to discuss business matters with an unfamiliar or casual person. It is better to make an appointment.
• It is not recommended to require a decision from a person who does not have the authority to do this or who thinks otherwise. On the phone, he can give consent, although he will be an opponent of this decision.
• It is not worth voicing your requests if you are not sure that the person you are talking to agrees with you and wants to help.

The role of the telephone in business communication is twofold. Very often he distracts from urgent tasks performed during the day, but at the same time speeds up the solution of many tasks. That is why it is necessary to learn the principles of telephone conversations, which contribute to its more efficient use.

It is very important to have a business communication technique for employees whose work is specific in telephone conversations with potential customers. Many companies try from the first words to establish contact with the caller to make him a real customer.

Firms compete using different ways to attract customers. An important stage in the promotion of services is telephone sales, and therefore, managers must correctly and tactfully conduct dialogues with customers, otherwise profitable contracts will go to competitors.

The tips below will help you succeed in your business phone conversation.

• It is recommended to make calls to the person who has provided you with any useful service. Words of gratitude are very important for future cooperation.
• Always smile while conducting a conversation. The subscriber will certainly feel your smile and optimism.
• In the negotiation process, try to predict the course of thoughts of the interlocutor.
• Never use profanity or colloquial vocabulary. This is contrary to the culture of communication.
• Use expressions and terms that the caller understands.
• Do not cover the handset while talking in parallel with someone. Thus, disrespect for the interlocutor is manifested.
• Explain your position with confidence and accuracy, because accuracy is the politeness of kings.

• Negotiations are important to conduct quickly, answering the questions asked without delays and confusing proposals. A pause can only be justified if the specialist is looking for documentation necessary for negotiations. If the pause is prolonged, then the person has every right to interrupt communication.
• In moments of telephone, real or virtual communication, you must be extremely polite. Shouting and talking in a raised voice is considered a violation of ethics.
• Say goodbye to the interlocutor correctly, since the skillful completion of the conversation is no less significant than the main part of the dialogue. You can enable the other person to hang up first. This will end the conversation in a friendly wave.

Of course, for successful communication on the phone you need to have a good diction.Use the lessons from the next video to make your speech expressive and your voice enjoyable.