Business Calls

Although email and instant messaging are quickly becoming standard forms of office communication, the telephone still plays an important role in business. Just like a face-to-face meeting, telephone conversations are expected to and should follow certain rules of etiquette to help make the experience pleasant and productive for all those involved. It's easy to forgo manners when talking over the phone. Distractions abound, from impromptu meetings or email notifications blinking on your computer screen. Remember that a conversation over the phone carries just as much weight as a face-to-face meeting, as it is a great opportunity to communicate in real time.

A lot of people find it difficult to make phone calls in a foreign language – and that's understandable. Perhaps the most significant difference about being on the telephone is that you are cut off from your normal sources of feedback. In a face-to-face situation, you can rely on a number of visual cues to gauge the other person’s reaction to your message, but these aren’t available to you over the phone. You can't see the person you are talking to, their voice might be unclear, and you might find it difficult to find the right words.

Most business people, unless they feel very confident, prepare for an important phone call in a foreign language in advance. And during the call they are making notes while they are talking to help them to remember what was said. Although it`s quick and convenient to phone someone to give them information or to ask questions, the disadvantage is that there is nothing in writing to help you to remember what was said. It`s essential to make notes and often when an agreement is reached on the phone, one of the speakers will send a fax or e-mail to confirm the main points that were made. As it`s so easy to be misunderstood when talking on the phone it`s a good idea to repeat any important information (especially numbers and names) back to the other person to make sure you`ve got it right. Always make sure you know the name of the person you are talking to. If necessary, ask them to spell it out to you, so that you can make sure you`ve got it right – and try to use their name during the call. And make sure they know your name, too. It`s important to sound interested, helpful and alert when answering the phone. You may have to make or receive calls to or from regular customers and prospective customers, so a good telephone manner not only makes an impression in business, but it also helps to make money.

If you get shunted to a receptionist and he or she asks why you are calling, give a concise but informative statement that can be easily relayed. Do not, however, assume that your message will be communicated; when you speak directly with the person you are trying to call, repeat your message in your own words. Don't be insulted if you're asked to leave a message or call back later - previous engagements do take priority.

One thing you can do to improve your telephone skills is to learn some of the multi-word verbs that are commonly used in telephone conversations. Most of them are featured in this module. Hold on means 'wait' – and hang on means 'wait' too. Be careful not to confuse hang on with hang up! Hang up means 'finish the call by breaking the connection' – in other words: 'put the phone down.' Another phrasal verb with the same meaning as hang up is ring off. The opposite of hang up / ring off is ring up – if you ring somebody up, you make a phone call. And if you pick up the phone, (or pick the phone up) you answer a call when the phone rings.

If you are talking to a receptionist, secretary or switchboard operator, they may ask you to hang on while they put you through – put through means to connect your call to another telephone. With this verb, the object (you, me, him, her etc.) goes in the middle of the verb: put you through. But if you can't get through to (contact on the phone) the person you want to talk to, you might be able to leave a message asking them to call you back. Call back means to return a phone call – and if you use an object (you, me, him, her etc.), it goes in the middle of the verb: call you back. Another thing to think about when talking on the telephone is formality. It's important to use the right level of formality – if you are too formal, people might find it difficult to feel comfortable when they talk to you. On the other hand, if you are too informal, people might think you are rude!

Generally speaking, if you are talking to someone in a business context, you should use could, can, may or would when you make a request: 'Could I speak to Jason Roberts, please?' 'Can I take a message?' 'Would next Wednesday be okay?'. You should also use please and thank you or thanks very much whenever you ask for, or receive, help or information. It's important to show politeness by using words like would, could, please, thank you etc. But it's also okay to use some of the features of informal/spoken English - short forms, phrasal verbs and words like okay and bye - in other words - everyday English! So phrases like “I'm off to a conference..., no problem, bye!” and “hang on a moment and I'll put you through” are perfectly acceptable, as long as the overall tone of the conversation is polite.

It's better to ask for help or clarification when you're having a telephone conversation, than to pretend you understand something that you didn't. It's perfectly acceptable to use phrases like 'Could you repeat that, please?' 'Could you speak a little more slowly, please?' and 'would you mind spelling that for me please?' Using phrases like these will help make sure that you have a successful phone call, and may save you from lots of problems later on. You could always say that the line's very bad today if you can't hear very well. And it's also a good idea to practise words, phrases and vocabulary before you make the call!

You should identify yourself and your company when receiving an incoming call. While it's not impolite to say, "Off the Wall Productions, Mary Robert speaking," it might be easier on the listener to say, "Thank you for calling Off the Wall Productions. This is Mary Robert. How may I help you?" Variations on this theme can convey your greeting quite effectively. If you work at a large corporation with many departments, it may also help to include your department or section name, "This is Mary Robert, accounts receivable. How may I help you?"

Exercises

I. Imagine you are calling a company and want to speak to someone who works there. Which of the phrases below could be yours and which of them could be said by someone answering your call? Fill in the chart below:

How can I help?

Can I speak to ….please?

Please hold on.

I`ll just put you through.

Who`s calling, please?

I`ll see if he`s in.

Just a second.

Who shall I say is calling?

Hang on a moment.

I`ve got …on the phone for you.

II. Now read two sample phone calls and pay attention to all the useful phrases:

(1)

Michelle: Hello, you've reached the marketing department, Michelle speaking. How can I help?

Man: Yes can I speak to Rosalind Wilson, please?

Michelle: Who’s calling please?

Man: It’sRichard Davies here

Michelle: Certainly. Please hang on and I’ll put you through.

Man: Thank you.

(2)

Michelle: Hello, marketing, Michelle speaking. How can I help?

Man: Could I speak to Jason Roberts please?

Michelle: Certainly. Who shall I say is calling?

Male: My name’sMike Andrews.

Michelle: Just a second - I’ll see if he’s in. Hello, Jason, I’ve got Mike Andrews on the phone for you... OK - I’ll put him through. Hang on a moment, I’m just putting you through.

III. You are Marie Spencer and you work in the finance department for a major corporation. The telephone rings... How would you answer the phone? There are three options for you to choose from:

a) Hello?

b) Hello, can I help you?

c) Hello, Finance Department, Marie speaking.

IV. You are Marie Spencer and you work in the finance department of the *U.S. Big-D Construction Corporation. Imagine that Mr. John Gordon, Finance Director of the London *Patterson Construction is calling. He wants to make an appointment with Mr.Weston, the head of finance department of your company who is away for a conference in Paris at the moment. Mr. Weston went there three days ago and he will return on Friday next week. Which of the phrases below could be yours and which of them could be said by Mr. John Gordon? Fill in the chart below.

I`m afraid Mr….won`t be back till next Friday.

Hello. My name is ….. Could I contact …please?

I`m afraid ….is not available. He is ….

Could you take a message, please?

I`m sorry. Mr Weston isn`t available today. Three days ago he went to Paris to a conference and hasn`t returned yet.

Would you tell him I called up?

I`m coming to..on …. I`like to make an appointment with Mr…. Will he be able to see me about 11.00 on Monday next week?

Will you hold on a moment, please? I`ll just ask his secretary if he`s returned.

Could you ask him to call me up as soon as he returns, please?

Hello. My name is …..May I have a word with…please?

Would you like to leave a message?

I`ll ask Mr…. to call you back as soon as he can.

V. Reconstruct the whole telephone conversation between Marie Spencer and John Gordon using appropriate phrases.

VI. Imagine that Mr.Weston, Marie`s boss, has returned to London. Mary has to report to him about the phone call from John Gordon. How would she do it? Before you start fulfilling the task, revise the following rules:

Indirect Speech (also referred to as 'Reported Speech') refers to a sentence reporting what someone said. It is almost always used in spoken English. If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause will be in a past form which is known in English grammar as Sequence of Tenses. This form is usually one step back into the past from the original. It is also important to change time words (signifiers) when referring to present, past or future time to match the moment of speaking. For example, she said, "I want to bring my children tomorrow." This sentence is turned into the following: She said she wanted to bring her children the next day. Study the examples:

Text B

Date: 2016-01-20; view: 578; Нарушение авторских прав