by C. L. Easey

Created on: April 05, 2008

Sometimes it is hard to imagine that one person could make an entire company look bad because of poor telephone etiquette. That can be the outcome if telephone etiquette is not being practiced on a regular basis. When discussing telephone etiquette it is important to look at the presentation, attitude, and overall helpfulness being given to the customer. Having good telephone etiquette lets a customer know they are being treated right and there is a greater chance of them coming come back to do business again.

Presentation is an important factor when discussing telephone etiquette. If the presentation being given over the phone is not a professional one a poor message about the company is being sent to the customer. A customer on the phone expects a prompt, courteous and professional tone from whomever they speak with. If we take a step back and look at the type of presentation given when on the phone we can see if we are giving a professional presentation to customers. By doing this from time to time we can keep our presentation to the customer fresh and thus staying on top of the customer's needs.

Attitude is another factor that is important when discussing telephone etiquette. No one wants to speak with some one that seems to have a lax or bad attitude towards the job being performed. The tone of voice being used comes across to the customer who will form an opinion on the response they are being given during the conversation. This is crucial to a company because if a customer feels they received a negative response they may do business with someone else. If each customer is treated like they are the most important during every call there is a good chance they will go away with a positive experience.

Helpfulness can also be an important factor when discussing telephone etiquette. When we use the word helpfulness we can mean many things such as pleasant and courteous. Both of which can be observed during any type of conversation on the telephone. Helpfulness can also be seen by the way the customer is treated while waiting to resolve a problem. Even if a customer's problem cannot be resolved right away having a pleasant and courteous tone can help minimize the frustration. As long as the customer feels that they are being benefited in some way helpfulness is being achieved. Telephone etiquette can come in many forms and ways to achieve the desired result.

Companies rely on personnel to project good telephone etiquette when speaking with various types of customers. Without this company's face the prospect of losing business and having a tarnished reputation because of poor telephone etiquette. Customers perceptions of a company can be directly related to the telephone etiquette being practiced by an employee when communicating with a customer. Telephone etiquette is an important part of how a business operates. If telephone etiquette is not being practiced it looks bad on a company from a customer's perspective.

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