Twelve years ago, precisely in the month of February 2001, the first digital mobile license auction was organized in Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for General System for Mobile (GSM) communication telephony companies. It was a huge success and by August of the same year, roll out of services began. This milestone heralded what has become a telecom revolution in the country. It is in commemoration of this that I would like to discuss phone etiquette in the office environment. At the end of this discussion, it will surprise you to know that most of us lack the requisite skills  for using the phone. Here are some highlights on some telephone etiquettes that will help you improve not just your telephone skills, but also your telephone habits.

v  Always make sure to introduce yourself at the beginning of any call. For example, “hello/ good morning, sales/marketing department, Sandra speaking”. It is wrong to answer a phone by using words like “yeah” or “yes” or more commonly “who’s this?”.

v  Be conscious of the tone of your voice. Do not sound rude, aggressive, pushy or anxious, let the tone of your voice construe authority and confidence, always sit up while talking on the phone because when you slouch while talking on the phone, the person talking or listening to you can tell your sitting position.

v  Make only official calls in the office, keep your personal chit-chat out of the office environment, you don’t want to appear unserious and end up distracting your other colleagues.

v  No sleeping on the phone while making a call. No organization wants to waste resources, therefore make your calls precise, go straight to the point and end the call as soon as you’re done with the reason for calling. I know of a lady who lost her job because she was using the office telephone to make personal calls and long calls at that. It is due to this flippant misfeasance that most modern organizations have introduced technologies that detect and monitors telephone calls being made within the organization.

v  Do not allow interruptions to occur during conversations. The person on the telephone line with you takes precedence over someone who happens to walk into your office or walk by while you’re on the phone. If you have to interrupt, use words like “please hold” and “Thank you for holding the line”.

v  Cultivate a habit of always turning off your cell phone ringer when entering a meeting, restaurant, theatre, training class, office.

v  While talking on the phone, speak into the telephone receiver with an even and low tone of voice, especially when in the public. Stop all other activities while speaking on the phone (chewing, eating, working on the computer, reading, etc.), you may not realize it, but the other party on the line  can tell that you’re distracted; it just shows disrespect and lack of courtesy.

According to Robert Heller and Tim Hindle in their classic bestseller ‘Essential Manager’s Manual’

“many people tend to take their phone skills for granted. However, phone skills can be improved by know-how and practice. Telesales people who use the phone for “cold calls” to people they do not know are experts. Basic telesales tips include:

• Write down in advance what you want to cover and in what order;
• Speak slowly and pace yourself with the other person;
• Smile – a smiling face encourages a smiling voice and invites a positive response;
• If you say you’ll return a call, make sure you do;
• Keep a clock on your desk to monitor the time you spend on calls”.

In conclusion, as we celebrate 12 years of the GSM revolution, it will suffice to bear in mind that the telephone is a very powerful communication tool. Through telephone conversations so many multi-million dollar deals have been sealed, strangers have become friends and business associates, some discussions which would ordinarily not go well if presented face-to face have gone on smoothly just talking about it over the phone, so I implore you to imbibe the right telephone etiquettes in your corporate environment to achieve your desired goals.

Happy practising!

• Macford is a corporate etiquette cum protocol expert.

            Email: adakumacford@yahoo.com