Unit 2

WUC 107/03
Workplace
Communication
Skills

Effective
Telephone
Skills
Unit Overview
In this unit, you will find
yourself dealing with a
familiar area which is
telephone skills.
Unit Objectives
By the end of Unit 2, you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate answering the telephone with
increased confidence and professionalism.
2. Express yourself in a courteous, polite and
friendly manner.
3. Show a positive workplace image.
4. Apply active listening skills to enhance
effective interpretation and evaluation
of telephone communication.
5. Solve issues related to difficult and
different customer behaviour.
2.1 First Impressions
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able
to:
1. Design and devise telephone calls
courteously to form good first
impressions.
2. Show a professional image through proper
handling of the telephone.
3. Prepare messages to ensure successful
communication.
4. Employ suitable questions to elicit
information from callers.
Introduction
It is understandable that a good
introduction can help a telephone
conversation between two strangers
work more effectively.
This section will provide you with
guidelines on the following areas:
1. Making calls.
2. Answering the telephone.
3. Taking and leaving messages.
4. Asking suitable questions on the
telephone.
Opening Warming
greeting up

Giving the
message

Closing Rounding
greeting up

Figure 2.1 Flow of telephone calls

Of course, these are only
suggestions. The suitability of
these expressions will depend on
the purpose of your call and the
caller with whom you are
speaking.
Making the call
Here are some guidelines for you if you
are making the call:

1. Introduce yourself in a polite and

friendly way.
When you sound friendly, you encourage
the other person to respond the
same way.
2. If you are calling a stranger, identify
yourself immediately.
If you are calling someone for the first time, it is
always helpful to provide your name, title and
what you would like to discuss.
Example :
Hello. I am Sheena Chooi from
Inventco Company. Im trying to get in
touch with .
3. If the receiver does not know you, be
prepared to explain how you
obtained the number.
Whenever possible, explain to the receiver how you
obtained his/her number. Was it through the classifieds
or a personal contact? The receiver has the right to
know how you obtained his/her number.
Example:

I am Gurmit Singh, the president of the Balik

Pulau Residents Club. My club treasurer gave me
your number and suggested .
4. Always try to put your receiver at ease.
Your introduction should say (either verbally or
nonverbally) Im so happy to be speaking to you.
Example:

Hi, Im Sandra Abdullah. Im Tan Sri Musas

secretary. I am so glad to finally be able to speak
with you. The reason for this call is .
5. Whenever possible, add to the
receivers picture of you.
Sometimes, you find yourself speaking to
someone who barely remembers you. So,
you may need to add more information to
assist your receiver in locating you in
his/her memory.
Example:

Hi, Im Shashi Menon from Cempaka

Accounting. I am calling you about .
If you are calling someone who does not know
you well, you may want to refer to the topic
you are calling to discuss.
Example:
I am Noor Ayu from Thumbs Up Bookstore. Do you
remember talking to me about ordering the new
book by Amy Tan at the recent conference on Asian
writers in Kuala Lumpur?

By providing this information about yourself, the

chances of the receiver recalling your meeting with
him/her are higher.
Answering the telephone
Most business professionals state that we
should give our telephone number or the
name of our company, or both.
Example:

1. Pasti Menang Trading, John Aru

speaking.
2. Pasti Boleh Sdn. Bhd. Accounts
Department, Jenny Lim speaking. How can
I help you?
Alternatively, you can give your name first if
you prefer:

Example:

Peter Wong speaking. This is the Customer

Service Department. How may I help you?

Remember you have the right to know who you

are talking to.
Examples of some ways of doing so

1. Could I have your name please?

2. To whom am I speaking with?

3. Can I know whos calling?

4. May I know whos speaking?

Activity 2.2
The objective of this activity is to present ways of getting through
to the person you wish to speak to and introducing yourself.

Situation

Steven Fernandez, the manager of a small company, is speaking

to the switchboard operator in a large office block which is
shared by many companies in Georgetown. He then speaks to
an administrative assistant in a company which provides service
offices.
Steven Fernandezs company is at present based in a
Georgetown suburb but would like to move to central
Georgetown in order to be better placed to take on more
business.
Your task
Imagine you are Steven Fernandez and write suitable statements
or questions to help you request for or provide information to
the people you speak with on the phone.
For example:
(To introduce yourself ) You: Hello, Im Steven Fernandez of
Clear Vision Sdn. Bhd.
1. (To request for the right person to speak with)
You: ________________________________________

2. (To reintroduce yourself to the person)

You: ________________________________________

3. (To explain your purpose of calling)

You: ________________________________________

4. (To request for information)

You: _______________________________________
Vocabulary 2.1
Decide which of these phrases fit best in the following sentences.
call back pick up cut off contact put down

check pass hold on hang up

1. The phones ringing. Why dont you _________________

the receiver?

2. Im afraid she isnt available at the moment. Can you _____

________ later?

3. Can you __________ their number in the directory, please?

4. Im afraid shes with a client. Shall I _________ you to her

assistant?
5. Hello? Are you still there? I think we were ____________
for a moment.

6. Mr. Gan never seems to be in his office. Ive been trying to

__________ him all day.

7. Could you _______________ for a moment? Ill just find

out for you.

8. If the operator says, Thank you so much for calling and plays
me that awful electronic music again, Ill ______________.

9. If you get a wrong number, its polite to say Im sorry,

Ive dialed the wrong number before you ______________
the phone.

Now, refer to your workbook and work on the exercises on pages

13 15. Check your answers with the answer key on page 186
of your workbook.
 Addressing the caller
Rules about how to address callers can be confusing to many because of the
many options. Here are seven basic ways to help you address a calling party:

Mr. Miss First Name Sir Mrs. Ms. Maam

Here are some simple easy-to-remember rules:
1. When addressing a male, you are always correct to use Mr. or Sir.

2. Addressing a woman can be more confusing. The use of Mrs. or

Miss is common and generally accepted. However, these days,
some women prefer Ms. when addressed in writing, as this title does
not specify their marital status. If you are uncertain, simply ask the
caller for her preference. For example: Shall I address you as Miss
or Mrs.?
3. Sometimes when you ask for the correct form of address, the caller
will suggest the use of a first name. The use of the callers first name is
then acceptable. The use of a first name may be accepted (but not
always) when:
a. You have established good rapport over a period of time.

b. You have been called by your first name.

c. You know the caller and know that the person is comfortable with
a first-name basis.
Asking questions
Often, you are required to ask questions to get information you need. There are
two types of questions that can be used and each has a particular purpose.
They are called open-ended questions and close-ended questions.

Open-ended questions can be used when you want the caller to explain or
discuss something.

Close-ended questions should be used when all you need is a yesor

no response

For example: If you ask a caller Did you receive your package?, the
answer will either be a yes or no. However if you want the caller to
discuss the particulars of the package, you could ask an open-ended
question like this, What was the condition of the package when it
arrived? This way when the caller answers, an explanation is required.
Open-ended questions are likely to include the
words:
How, Why, When, Who, What and Where.
Examples:
How often does this problem occur?
Who is responsible for billing?
When is the meeting going to be held?
Close-ended questions usually begin with words
like:
Did, Can, Have, Do, Is, Will and Would.
Examples:
Did you enjoy using the product?
Have you received the refund?
May I do that for you?
Activity 2.3
1. Circle the words that are normally used at the
beginning of close-ended questions.

why where did who when is

What how do would will can
2. Circle the words that are usually used at the
beginning of open-ended questions.

why where did who when is

what how do would will can
3. Write two questions (one close-ended and
one open-ended) that you may ask customers to
determine their level of satisfaction with your
service.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________
4. Write an open-ended question that asks
about the weather.
Then, write a close-ended question about the
weather.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________
 Managing telephone messages
One easy method of determining message priority is quickly comparing one
message with another. For example: Is message #1 more or less important
than message #2?

Next, compare message #1 with message #3 and decide if it is more or less

important.

By continuing the process, the correct decisions will be reached. Do bear in

mind though that we do not always come across messages that contain
complete statements which indicate their priorities. In such cases, we will
just have to rely on our ability to detect their priorities by judging the tone of
voice of the caller " serious, casual or jovial.
Activity 2.4
Let us see how well we can prioritise our messages. As we are
sometimes too busy to attend to all the messages we find on our
work desk, being able to determine which message demands our
immediate attention is important. Imagine finding yourself with
four messages on your desk after returning from a meeting at
work.
These are the messages you found:

MEMO 1 MEMO 2 MEMO 3 MEMO 4

Customer Your Customer
Customer
John San Joyce
called
friend Roy
Rukusamy called.
twice. Maya
called. She has
He says called. an
He has
its order to
questions.
urgent. place.
How would you prioritise these messages?
Write the sequence of the messages that you
intend to attend to:
1. ______________
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. ______________
Activity 2.5
Read the following telephone conversation between Jeffry and
Gavuri. Imagine that you are Jeffry. Fill in the message pad
provided based on the conversation.
Gavuri: Sorry, Ms. Sarah is not in the office right now. Would
you like me to take a message?

Jeffry: OK. My name is Jeffry and Im Sarahs husband. Please

ask her to call me using my office number at 04-8868896
extension 199.

Gavuri: Hold on a moment. I need to write this down. Right, can

you please repeat the number?

Jeffry: My office number is 04-8868896. Extension 199.

Gavuri: Let me repeat that back. Its 04-8868896 and extension
199.
Jeffry: Youve got it!
Gavuri: Ill tell her right away as soon as she gets back to the office.
Jeffry: Thanks. And please tell her that I dont have my mobile
phone with me. Left it at home.
Gavuri: Sure, no problem.
Jeffry: Thank you.
MESSAGE PAD
Message for: Date:
Taken by: Time:
Callers name:
Callers message:
Action required:
Vocabulary 2.2
Choose the correct option from the words in
italics.
1. Can I have connection/extension 3136,
please?
2. The line is busy/occupied.
3. May I ask whos talking/calling?
4. Im putting you through/across.
5. Do you want to hold/wait?
6. Its Lillian me/speaking.
7. Here is/This is Encik Ghani.
8. Can I speak to/Give me Mr. Anthony Rajah?
Summary
In this section, you have learnt several basic guidelines on making and
answering telephone calls. Though we all know how to make and
answer telephone calls, we should make an effort to do that
courteously and politely at the workplace as we have a responsibility
to project a good first impression to our callers.
Though it is not easy talking with a stranger on the telephone,
with sufficient practice and grace, you should be able to manage
telephone calls in due time. As for taking messages from callers,
do keep in mind that setting priorities is the key to deciding which
message to deal with first.
You have also learnt about two different types of questions: open
-ended and close-ended as well as when to use them. There are
also words and expressions that you should be familiar with when
talking on the telephone. These were covered in the vocabulary
exercises.
In order to provide you with more exercises to help you familiarise
yourself with using English on the telephone, do attempt the tasks
found in the self-tests.
Self-test 2.1
Answer the following questions using your own
words. The main items to be in your answers
should approximate the sample answers
towards the end of this unit.

Please do not look at the recommended

answers before you have attempted the
questions.
Part I
Take a few minutes to complete the following exercise on
open-ended and close-ended questions. Identify the questions
below as either being open-ended or close-ended by writing
the appropriate letter in the space below.
C = CLOSE-ENDED QUESTION O = OPEN-ENDED QUESTION

1. What did you do with the disk? ________

2. Where did the customers paperwork go?

_______
3. Have you paid the bill? ________
4. We need the payment by Friday.
Will that be okay? ________
5. How much work is required? ________
6. Can it be fixed? ________
7. Is the customer holding? ________
8. How many calls did we make today? ________
9. Why did our incoming calls stop at three oclock?
________
10. Ms. Kong is happy with our service.
Isnt she? ________
11. Why didnt you test it? ________
12. Will you call me? ________
Part II
You are on the phone with a customer. What do you say in these
situations?
Choose two expressions from the list for each situation

Expressions
a. The afternoons a bit difficult.
b. What about 11.30?
c. So, thats Wednesday 23 September at 11.30.
d. Yes, Tuesdays fine.
e. Mondays not possible. Im flying to Kuala Lumpur in
the
morning and Im not returning until Tuesday evening.
f. Is Monday okay?
g. So, Monday and Tuesday arent possible.
h. The mornings okay.
1. You want to suggest a day or time. _______ and
_______

2. You want to agree to a day or time. _______ and

_______

3. You want to explain a problem. _______ and

_______

4. You want to repeat days and times. _______ and

_______
2.2 Developing Your Telephone Voice
Objectives

By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1. Use voice intonation effectively in order to speak
clearly on the telephone.

2. Illustrate suitable feelings by projecting your best voice.

3. Differentiate three types of caller expressions through

effective listening.

4. Employ a smile while speaking on the telephone.

Introduction
As we already know, speaking on the telephone presents us with challenges as
we do not have any face-to-face signals to rely on. Consequently, we are highly
dependent on only one nonverbal signal which is the tone of our voice. Moreover,
the tone of our voice is easily distorted due to various factors ranging from our
own bias to our lack of proficiency in English.

Each of us has a unique voice. To a great extent, our voices reflect who we are.
Learning how to use your voice to the best ability is possible for anyone. This
section is dedicated to a few areas that are aimed at instilling your awareness of
voice intonation, sharpening your listening skills and encouraging you to put a
smile into your telephone conversations in order to reflect good telephone skills.
Before we proceed any further, let us do an exercise that will help you assess
your own voice quality. Firstly, assess your own voice by ticking the relevant
traits. Remember to be honest.

Then, show your self-assessment answers to your friend or partner and see if he/
she agrees with you. Sometimes, we do not realise our own traits until someone
else tells us about them. Are you ready for the self-assessment?
VOICE SELF-ASSESSMENT
Your voice reflects your personality. If it needs improvement, your willingness to
try will help you get through it. Practising voice skills is no different than practising
a sport.
Rate your voice using the following self-evaluation. Check those characteristics that
apply to you and then ask a friend to help evaluate your responses.
DESIRABLE TRAITS UNDESIRABLE TRAITS
My voice ... My voice ...
____________ is pleasant-sounding. ____________ is nasal.
____________ has pitch variations. ____________ sounds throaty.
____________ has a normal rate. ____________ sometimes squeaks.
____________ varies in volume. ____________ is a boring monotone.
____________ sounds like I am smiling. ____________ is too soft.
____________ has ample force. ____________ is too loud.
____________ stresses proper accents. ____________ does not convey a smile.
____________ (others) ____________ sounds too harsh.

For every undesirable trait, you should begin work on improving

it.
Mastering voice intonation

Try this intonation exercise by speaking into a

tape recorder.

Do remember that the voice you hear on tape is the voice that your caller
hears when he/she talks to you on the telephone.
Read the following sentence in your normal
voice:
Andy didnt get the promotion he was hoping for.
1. Now, restate the same sentence with surprise in your
voice.
2. Try it again. This time, make it sound as though you are
shocked.
3. How about making it a casual statement?
4. Why dont you try making it sound like a secret?
5. Finally, turn this into a question.
Now, listen to the recording. If you did it
properly, your intonation should have
changed according to each situation. With the
change in your intonation, the sentence should
have conveyed a completely different meaning
each time.

Be more conscious of your voice intonation the

next time you speak on the telephone. We are
sure you do not wish to convey the wrong
impression to your callers by employing
unsuitable intonation.
Employing your best voice intonation
The voice you project is determined by four factors, all of which can be
controlled if you are more aware of them. The four factors are:

Energy - The energy in your voice reflects your

attitude and enthusiasm.

Rate of speech - A normal rate of 125 words a

minute. Speaking faster can create
problems.
Pitch - This can be monotonous and in a low or
high pitch. Ideally, you should vary your tone and
modulation.
Quality - The above three factors make up your
voice quality.
There are several things you can do to produce a more
desirable speaking voice.
Here are some of them:
1. You can warm up your voice by humming quietly. This will help
deepen the sound of your voice.

2. Practise your pitch and control by calling a telephone answering

device and recording several messages. Then, listen to the playback
and critique yourself or ask a friend to help.

3. Role play with a friend and tape-record the conversation. Review

it for tone, rate of delivery, pitch and quality.

4. Put a smile into your voice. It is easy to do. Simply remember to

smile as you answer a call. Believe it or not, your voice will sound
friendly.
Tip: Did you know that customer
service representatives at call
centres have a mirror on
their computer monitors to remind
themselves to smile when answering
calls?
Improving your voice quality
Voice modulation: Good speakers do three things with their voices to
maintain audience interest.

1. Be enthusiastic.

2. Exaggerate voice intonation.

3. Do not speak in a monotone.

Activity 2.6
Here are some breathing lessons to improve voice quality. Breathing
exercises can be valuable if you do them on a regular basis. They help
with:
The ability to project your voice.
Keeping you from straining your voice.
Increasing stamina.
Always breathe from your diaphragm. When your diaphragm is
lowered, the muscle below your chest allows your lungs to increase
the amount of air they intake.
Exercise 1 (Intake)
1. Put your fist just below your chest so that you can feel the top
of your rib cage.
2. Picture yourself breathing into your fist.
3. Inhale slowly.
4. When you think you have taken in all the air you can, hold for
3 seconds.
5. Take in as much more air as you can by picturing the air
filling up the space in between the ribs.
6. You are using the diaphragm. It is lowering and making
way for the lungs to truly fill to capacity.
7. Exhale.
8. Repeat slowly for at least 10 times. Stop if you feel dizzy as it
means you have gone too fast or taken in too much air.
Exercise 2 (Outflow)
1. Form your mouth to the shape of a shh
consonant.
2. Slowly push the air out through your mouth.
Do this as slowly as you can.
3. The flow of air must be perfectly even.
4. The idea is to control the air as it is used.
If you get used to doing this, you will
be able to control the air so
that you can project your voice
easily in a large space. You will have
command over your voice. You have
to do this regularly in order to
develop this kind of control.
Practising effective listening

Effective Listening

Effective response

What can you deduce from the illustration above?

If you do not listen closely to what your caller has
to say, you are probably faced with two potential
problems. You may not be able to understand
what the call is about.

As a consequence, you may give an

inappropriate response. Both problems can lead
to miscommunication between you and your
caller. This is not good for you personally and
professionally.
The first lesson in listening is to be aware
that there are only three types of
expressions you hear from callers.
Callers will:
1. Make statements.
2. Offer objections.
3. Ask questions.
When you fail to listen closely:
1. You will hear what you want to hear.
2. You will hear what you expect to hear.
3. You will not recognise the differences
between a statement, an objection or
a question.
Imagine your caller says this to you:

I did not think that these spare parts were going to cost this much.

Close your eyes and imagine your caller making his

remark. How would you interpret
it? Do you think that the customer:
Has an objection?
Made a statement?
Has asked a question?
How would you respond to a statement like that?
Here is a suggestion:

Caller: I did not think that these spare parts were going to cost this
much.
Salesperson: Our prices are comparable to the industry and our
products have the best reputation. May I proceed with the billing
information?

The salesperson acknowledged the statement and then

moved the conversation to the next step.
If the salesperson had not been listening closely and thought that the
caller had an objection, her response might have gone like this:

Caller: I did not think that these spare parts were going to cost this much.
Salesperson: Our prices are very competitive. In fact, ours is one of the
lowest in the
market.
Caller: They still seem high to me.
Salesperson: If you compared our products with those of our competitors,
you would
find that our products are far more superior.
Customer: Who are your competitors?

Notice how the conversation turns into a discussion on prices and

competitors.
If most of your calls sound similar, that means that you have been wasting
time on irrelevant matters on the telephone. With effective listening, you
will be able to save time and energy not just for yourself but for your caller
as well.
 Activity 2.7
In the following exercise, read each expression carefully as if
it had just been delivered to you on the telephone. Then, indicate
if you think it is a/an:

S = STATEMENT Q = QUESTION O = OBJECTION

For expressions that can be both questions and objections, write

both letters in order of your ranking. Assume all responses have
been made in a normal tone of voice.
1. I think your service is quite good.
2. Your delivery intervals are certainly long enough.
3. Why does the bill show RM107?
4. Your prices are just too high for me.
5. You dont seem to understand. This is urgent business.
6. When can I receive my shipment?
7. What are you doing about the backlog?
8. I cant wait. I need to talk to Nasim today.
9. I dont understand why he is never around when I need him.
10. I am not going to pay that bill.
Grammar 2.1
Sometimes when we are on the telephone with
someone, we find ourselves describing events that
happened in the past. For example:

I only found out about the managers decision yesterday.

The word found is used in this sentence because this
happened in the past " yesterday.

The most common form of the past tense is the simple past
tense and we use it to talk about many different types of past
events.
Below are some examples:
Last evening (past event), the manager called
for an urgent meeting and demanded all the
supervisors to attend it.
I worked for a large multinational company 12
years ago. (a regular
activity that is over now)
Below are some events that happened in the past, write them in
the simple past tense. The first one has been done for you.
1. Yesterday " the secretary of the CEO " draft minutes of
the meeting
Yesterday, the secretary of the CEO drafted the minutes of the meeting.
2. Two days ago " the Despatch Department " send the shipment
to the customer
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. The secretary " not attend meeting " last week
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. Michael and Karen " hold their wedding banquet at hotel " last
evening
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
5. Both our best technicians " receive awards " recent annual
dinner " for their excellent service
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
6. The plant " burn down " due to negligence of the staff
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Can you think of five activities or events that took place recently?
Write them in the spaces provided below.
1. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Benefits of effective listening
When you listen effectively, you enjoy two-way benefits.
In addition, you get on better with people.

Effective listening complemented with empathy makes it easier to overcome

problems, find solutions or at least reach a compromise.
Effective listening also helps you to receive more accurate information.
When they are confident that you are listening to them, they are happy to
share facts they would normally not reveal to a poor listener.

Have you ever experienced an awkward pause during a telephone

conversation?
Activity 2.8
Have you ever experienced an awkward
pause while talking to your caller?

What was the cause of the pause?

How did you handle the situation?

Summary
It takes extra effort and empathy to share positive
feelings such as trust, respect and enthusiasm over
the telephone. Yet when you express negative
feelings like distrust, boredom or anger, the
message seems to travel easily. A lot of this is due
to poor quality of voice and the lack of
understanding on voice intonation.

This section reminds us that there are points that

we should pay attention to in order to project a clear
and professional voice over the telephone.
Self-test 2.2
Answer the following questions. The main items to be in
your answers should approximate the sample answers
towards the end of this unit.

Please do not look at the recommended answers before

you have attempted the questions.
Check your telephone skills in English with these questions.
Imagine that someone says these things to you on the
telephone.
What would you say in return?
1. Whos calling, please?
_________________________________________________
2. Will you hold?
_________________________________________________
3. Im afraid the lines busy.
_________________________________________________
4. Ill put you through.
_________________________________________________

5. Im afraid Encik Khairul Azhari isnt in today.

_________________________________________________
6. Can you call me back?
_________________________________________________
7. Is there anything else?
_________________________________________________
2.3 Telephone Manners
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able
to:
1. Put callers on hold politely.
2. Transfer calls effectively.
3. Display telephone manners when making and
receiving calls.
4. Create lasting impressions when you put
down the phone.
Introduction
Displaying good telephone manners is an asset to you at work.
The way the phone is answered makes a lasting impression " some
good, some bad.

First-time callers base up to 90% of what they think of your

company on their experience with that one phone call.

Callers have only two things to go on when they call " your attitude
and your voice.

Do remember that the person who answers the phone has one of
the most important jobs in any company " establishing a good
impression for each person who calls through his/her telephone
manners.
 Handling the telephone with manners
Remember that it is poor manners to make your callers wait.

Ask someone who has more experience to explain the features to

you. As always, practice makes perfect!

Here are some basic steps to help you handle the telephone:
1. Learn about your telephone ahead of time. Never practise on your caller.
2. Hold the transmitter portion of the telephone directly in front of your
mouth. If the transmitter is held away from your mouth, you will risk not
being understood.
3. Place the telephone on your desk so that the receiver can be picked up
without banging into anything. No one (including your caller) likes
unnecessary noise.
4. Always avoid side conversations while talking on the telephone. Your
caller deserves your full attention.
5. Make sure you place the caller on hold before discussing his/her situation
with your colleague. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if you told
your colleague about how demanding your caller was, only to discover
that he/she was listening to your conversation.

6. Do not eat or drink while talking on the telephone. Your caller will not like
listening to you munch on your food.

7. Some organisations have a three-rings policy which means their employees

answer the telephone in as few rings as possible. A maximum of three rings
is a good practice.

8. Before placing a caller on hold to answer another line, it is good manners

to ask your first caller for permission and wait for an answer. For example:
Would you mind holding for a moment? Then, wait for the caller to say
yes. Too often, callers only hear Please hold and the person hangs up.

9. If you have several callers on hold, it is useful to remember the priority of

each call. If necessary, it is handy to take notes of who has been holding on
which line and for how long.
When the call is not for you
In order to display good telephone manners when you receive calls that
are not for you, just follow the few steps below to help you treat the
caller courteously:
1. Establish the callers situation. This means that you should find out
why the caller is calling and/or who the caller wishes to speak to in the
first place.
2. Advise who the caller needs to speak to. If possible, offer to find out if
the persons available.
3. Transfer the call for the caller or give him/her the right number to call.
 Transferring calls
When you find that a call should be handled by someone else, there are
some steps that you can take. Here are some of them:
1. You can give the caller the name of the correct person and offer to find
out if the person is available.

2. Do not forget to inform the caller what you are about to do (such as
put him/her on hold, go to the next office, etc). Also, inform the caller
approximately how long this will take. Callers sometimes do not want to
wait for too long as the cost of the call may be too high.

3. If the person whom the caller wishes to speak to is available to take the
call,
do not just transfer the line. Pass on full details of the caller and the callers
situation so that the caller will not have to reintroduce himself/herself
and explain his/her situation all over again. This is important as many
people tend to neglect this act of courtesy.
4. Then, tell the caller that you are able to transfer the call and that you have
explained the situation to the person.
5. Next, give the caller the name and extension number of the person who is
about to take the call (just in case the transfer fails somehow).
6. Lastly, transfer the call.
If the person whom the caller wishes
to speak to is not able to take the
call, offer to take a message or
provide contact details so that the
caller can try again later.
Activity 2.9
Make a call to an organisation of your choice. Notice how the
person on the other line greets you and handles your call. Pay
attention to the following questions:
1. How many rings does it take before your call is answered?
_____________

2. Does the person greet you with a smile? _____________

3. Does the person announce his/her organisation, department

and name at the start of the call? _____________

4. Does the person ask for your permission before transferring

your call? _____________

5. Does the person eat or drink while on the line with you?
_____________

6. Do you hear the person talking

Vocabulary 2.3
Choose the correct option from the words in italics. You may need
to change the form of the verb.

assist attend call back deserve get through

look up make pick up print out put ... through

1. Normally, she calls back straight away.

2. His secretary always _______ _______ the phone first.

3. This year, we _____________ to get a pay rise.

4. This week, he _____________ the Personnel Director with the

interviews.

5. She ____________ the number in the phone book at the

moment.
6. Today, I __________ a training session on quality control.

7. Once a week, the computer _________________ the sales

figures.

8. We hardly ever ______________ to Penang so easily.

9. Please hold on. I ________________ you _________ to the

Sales Department.

10. I ________________ some

Grammar 2.2
Sometimes, callers ask us results of a past action. For instance, they
may ask us to update them on the latest development of the
proposal that they had sent us some time ago.
You may give them an answer like this, The management has not decided
yet. Please give them another week to do so. The answer indicates that
although the management received the proposal some time ago
(past action); they have not made any decisions on it (current
results of a past action).

Generally, we use the present perfect tense to talk about past actions
that have present importance. Here are some examples:
Weve managed to lower our costs by 20% this year. (The efforts
to lower costs started in the past and our costs are now lower.)
What have you done to the advertisement? (You did something
to it in the past and it is not satisfactory now.)
Here are some incomplete sentences. Use a suitable verb in the
present perfect tense to explain why the present situation has
occurred. The first one has been done for you.
1. Our sales are improving because
we have introduced some new products in the markets.

2. Our customers want the catalogues delivered urgently

because
________________________________________________

3. Melissa is off work for about two months because

_________________________________________________
4. It is now easier for us to purchase foreign cars because
_________________________________________________
5. At the moment, everyone is upset with the management
because
_________________________________________________
6. This years sales will probably show a vast difference because
_________________________________________________
Taking telephone messages

Most of us are familiar with taking telephone

messages. Just because we have
standardised message pads to help us, it does
not mean that we do not need to have good
telephone manners when taking telephone
messages. Read the steps below and see if you
have used them before.
1. First of all, find out about these details:
a. The name of the caller
b. His/Her organisation
c. His/Her contact details
d. A suitable time that he/she can be contacted
e. The message
f. Specific action required
2. Repeat the information you received to the
caller.
3. Double-check spellings and contact details.
MESSAGE PAD
Message for: Date:
Taken by: Time:
Callers name:
Company:
Callers message:
Action required:

Figure 2.2 A typical message pad

Speaking to answering machines

In this modern world, we find ourselves talking to

machines when the people we wish to speak to on the
phone are not available.

1. Before you leave your message on the answering

machine, make sure you listen to the instructions
carefully.

2. Only start speaking after a given signal (usually a

beep).

3. Speak clearly and slowly.

4. Spell names (your name, organisation and/or
venue) slowly so that the other person is able to
follow.

5. Repeat numbers (e.g., telephone numbers and

addresses).

6. Do not forget to leave your name, contact

number and a short message.

7. You must ensure that your message is not too

lengthy because most answering machines allow
only a limited time for your message. Generally,
the time limit is 10 30 seconds.
Managing the call back
Sometimes, you are faced with a situation in which you are unable to
handle a request at the time of the original telephone call. For example, you
require more time to find out why your callers shipment has not reached
her yet.
Good telephone manners require you to inform your caller about your need
for more time and offer to call back when you have the necessary
information.
Step1 " Briefly explain why you need to call back.
Step 2 " Ask your caller for his/her permission to
make a call back.
Step 3 " Make a commitment to your caller to call
back at a suitable or agreed-upon time.
Step 4 " Personalise your statements.
 To help you understand how to carry out these steps,
here are some expressions
that are useful:
Step 1: Explain why you need to call back.
I am sorry but it will take me some time to get the information you need.

Step 2: Personalise your statements.

Cik Hamidah, .

Step 3: Ask for permission to make a call back.

Will it be all right if I call you back later?

Step 4: Make a commitment to call at a suitable time or

an agreed-upon time.
Say, before 3.30?
Here are the complete statements:
I am afraid it will take me some time to get the information you need, Cik
Hamidah.
Will it be all right if I call you back later? Say, before 3.30?

Let us try another.

Step 1: Explain why you need to call back.

Im sorry but its going to take a while because I will need to check with my
despatch staff about the shipment.

Step 2: Make a commitment to call back at a suitable or an agreed-upon time.

I wont be able to call you until after lunch time, say at 2.00 p.m.

Step 3: Ask for permission to make a call back.

Will that be okay?

 Here are the complete statements:
Cik Hamidah, Im afraid that its going to take a while because I will need
to check with my despatch staff about the shipment. I wont be able to call
you until after lunch time. Say, at 2.00 p.m. Will that be okay?

Tip: Your callers expect a fast response from you. When you offer to return
a call, decide on a time that you can meet. Therefore, commit to a
reasonable deadline so that you can fulfil your commitment to your caller.
Saying thank you
Saying thank you is a simple and effective way to
display good telephone
manners.

Of course, there are some encounters (specifically

those that involve angry or demanding callers) which
may be harder for you to say thank you. You must
ensure that saying thank you is done genuinely
because your tone of voice does show your true
feelings.
Here are some ways you can say thank you
to your callers:
1. You can say Thank you for your
time/help/call/suggestions.

2. For more difficult calls such as those with

demanding or rude callers, Thank you for
listening/understanding/your patience/your
honesty can be helpful.

3. When the call is almost over, try to reinforce

the thank you so that your caller leaves with
a good feeling.
Thank you so
much for your
call, maam.
Saying goodbye
What do you usually say when you have spoken with your caller? Do you just
put the receiver down? Actually, there are some appropriate and courteous
statements that you should make as you finish your telephone conversation.
You should make sure that your statements serve these functions:

1. Thank the caller for calling.

2. Let the caller know that you appreciate his/her business.

3. Provide assurance that any promises you make will be fulfilled.

4. Leave the caller with a positive feeling.

5. Create goodwill with your caller.

Can you think of some courteous closing
statements that will serve all the functions
above?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_________________________________
Here are some closing statements that demonstrate courtesy and manners on
your part:

Thank you for calling. We appreciate your business.

Thanks for your order.
Please feel free to call us about anything.
We are always glad to be of help.
Goodbye, and thanks for calling.
Ive enjoyed talking with you.
If you have any additional questions, please call me.
Thanks for calling. Have a nice day.

Tip: You should always allow your caller to hang up first as this is part of
simple courtesy. This also gives your caller a final chance to add
something.
Activity 2.10
Situation
A new customer, Encik Ismail Khadir, calls you to
enquire about the bill that was sent to him. According to
him, the amount stated on the bill should have been
RM102.15 and not RM201.15.
He wants you to send him a bill with the correct amount
on it. On your part, you cannot
Task

Inform Encik Ismail that you will need some time to get
the information for him. Offer to call him back at a time
that is suitable for him. Write suitable statements that
convey your message to him. Be sure to include a
suitable closing statement before you end your
conversation with him.
You can refer to the steps below:
Step 1 " Briefly explain the need for the call back.

Step 2 " Ask your caller for his/her permission to make a

call back.

Step 3 " Make a commitment to your caller to call back at

a suitable or agreed-upon time.

Step 4 " Personalise your statements.

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Activity 2.11
Look at the formal and informal expressions of closing a call.
Match the expressions with the same meaning.

Formal Informal
Goodbye! Anything to add?

Is there anything else that I can Catch you later!

help you with?
Could you please repeat that? Catch you later!

Its been a pleasure talking to you. Thanks a zillion, man!

Im very grateful for your assistance. Super!

Yes, that would be fine. Come again?

Summary

This section covered various aspects that can assist you in

improving your telephone manners. Experienced business people
know for a fact that good telephone manners can boost their
business. They are also aware that in a single year, many people
recommend companies to other prospective customers because
they experience good telephone service. On the other hand, nine
out of ten customers who experience a badly handled call would
prefer to stop dealing with the offending organisation and they are
likely to tell others about their bad experience. So, if you value
your callers and wish to impress them with good telephone
manners, do pay attention to this section.
Self-test 2.3

Answer the following question. The main items to be in

your answers should approximate the sample answers
towards the end of this unit.

Please do not look at the recommended answers before

you have attempted the questions.
Complete the dialogue by putting Norbainis
replies in the right place.
a. Sorry, I didnt recognise your voice.
b. So, Ill bring both the EG128 and ES90 packages at 10.00 then.
c. So, you mean you want me to bring the both of them with me?
d. Sorry, I didnt catch your name.
e. Sorry, did you say the 108 or the 128?
A: Hello, Norbaini Hussein speaking.
B: Hello, Kalawathi Aru from KMD Software calling.
A: 1. _____________________________________________
B: This is Kalawathi Aru from KMD Software. Its about our
appointment next Tuesday.
A: Oh, Ms. Kala. 2. __________________________________
_________________________ How can I help you?
B: Well, firstly, could you bring with you a copy of the EG128
software? As well as the ES90 we talked about the last time?
A: 3. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
B: The 128 and the 90. So, just
A: 4. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

B: Yes, thats right. And the other thing is the time. Could we
meet at 10.00 instead of 9.00? My boss has called for a meeting
with the Heads of Department on that morning and I have
been asked to attend.

A: Mmmh, let me check please. Yes, of course, thats not a problem.

I am free at that time. 5. ____________________________
_______________________________________________

B: Oh, good. Thats it. So, see you then, Norbaini.

2.4 Dealing with Challenging Situations
Objectives

By the end of this section, you should be able

to:
1. Manage complaints and demanding callers.
2. Resolve problems on the phone courteously.
3. Deal with phone rage calmly and flexibly.
4. Offer solutions to possible problems on the
phone.
Introduction

Using the telephone can be a challenge to some of us. This

is because we meet different types of callers each time we
pick up the receiver.

In order to make every telephone call a success, we need to

recognise these differences, especially those that test our
patience and cause us to react negatively.
Two types of challenging callers

What do you think is the difference

between the assertive caller and the
angry caller?
The assertive/demanding caller

Assertive or demanding callers are those who

are quick to show authority, demand action and
usually get their points across immediately.
They are also those who spend little time on
social or other non-business conversations.

Hence, their calls are usually short and crisp as

their main concern is getting their ideas across
and having action taken by you.
 How can I deal with
such a demanding
caller?

Well, the difference between the assertive caller and the angry caller is the
emotion involved. The angry caller is usually very emotional, at least at the
beginning of the call while the assertive caller only sounds firm and
business-like.

So, it would be wise of you to try being less social and avoid small talk if
possible.
 Here are some steps that will work for you if faced with an assertive caller:

Step 1 Stay objective by not participating in the callers emotion.

In other words, stay calm.

Step 2 Listen to what the caller has to say. Listen attentively to the
problem or concern that he/she has. Allow him/her to vent if
necessary i.e., let the caller tell you how unhappy or
dissatisfied he/she is with your organisation, products or
services.
Step 3 Relate with the caller by apologising in a general way. For
example: I am really sorry to hear that the product isnt
working.
Step 4 Propose an action plan by focusing on the solution instead of
the problem. Be direct in your action plan. For example: Ill
inform the technician about your concern and I will set up an
appointment for him to pay you a visit. Can I call you back in
an hour and then set a suitable time for him to go and check
out the product at your office?
In addition to these steps, you will also need to project yourself in a certain
way to earn the respect of the assertive caller. You may need to raise your
assertiveness level when dealing with the assertive caller. Here are some
ways that will help you raise your assertiveness:

1. Raise your voice slightly if you tend to speak softly.

2. Learn to be direct and to the point in your statements.

3. Keep non-business conversation to a minimum.

The angry caller
As mentioned earlier, the angry caller is a challenge even to the most
experienced person. Though the task is a difficult one, the experience can
also be a rewarding one to you once you manage to calm the angry caller.
When you are on the phone with an irate or angry caller, there are three
important skills that will help you manage the conversation.

1. Listen to what the caller has to complain about. Be calm even if his/her
comments are rude or even abusive.
2. Relate with the caller by apologising in a general way.
3. Propose an action plan by focusing on the solution that the caller
needs in order to overcome his/her problem.
Tip: When faced with an assertive caller,
do not be offended by his/her lack of
rapport because he/she is essentially
interested in the business side of things
and not the social or relationship side of
business.
 I must remain calm and
courteous. He is so angry.

The ability to relate with the caller is utmost important

when dealing with the angry caller. This is because the
angry caller wants you to understand how he/she is
feeling " i.e., the frustration of facing the problem at
hand.
 a. Relating by apologising
Examples

1. Puan Mimi, I understand how you must feel. Im sorry to hear about
the late shipment.

2. Im sorry about the confusion.

3. Mr. Gopalan, I dont blame you for being upset. Lets see if we can
come up with something to overcome this problem.

Notice how general these apologies are. You can always apologise for the
situation or the confusion without admitting that you or your organisation
are at fault. Be careful not to accept blame for a specific action or product
as legal repercussions may ensue.
b. Relating by agreeing
When the caller has a legitimate complaint, it is advisable to relate by agreeing.
Examples

1. Mrs. Chooi, you are right. You were promised a call back yesterday
and wedidntcall. Please accept our apologies. Lets see how we could get
this problem solved.
2. I am really sorry that the shipment was delayed. This time, I assure
you that it will reach you by tomorrow. Please bear with us.

Upon relating with the angry caller and showing that you understand
his/her concern, you should proceed by emphasising an action plan that
will help the caller overcome his/her problem.
Here are a few examples that emphasise the action plans:

Let us see how we

can fix this. I suggest
we return this item to
the supplier.
Activity 2.12
Read the following statements and indicate which type of caller
you think might have made them.
A Assertive/Demanding Caller
AG Angry Caller

1. What I need to know is exactly what you plan to do about this. ________.

2. Look, Im not interested in all that. Whats the cost? ________.

3. Im tired of all these excuses. You people dont know what youre doing. I just
want my money back! ________.

4. Tell me what you intend to do about this. Or else I am taking my business

elsewhere! ________.
5. Just give me the figures, okay? ________

6. The answer is no! ________

7. Just tell me what to do so that I could respond

to my people. ________

8. Im sick and tired of all this run-around.

Every time I call you people, its the same old
story. Now, tell me what exactly is going on! ________
Grammar 2.3
At times, asking polite questions or making polite requests can
diffuse a tense situation. Now that you have learnt about the
importance of voice intonation, you should ensure that your tone
of voice is friendly when asking polite questions and making polite
requests on the telephone (as well as communicating face-to
-face).
Below are some examples you could use when asking polite
questions:
Could you please ?
Would you mind ?
Would it be possible to ?
Would you be able to ?
Here are some examples that could help you when you are making
polite requests:
I would like to know .
It would be helpful if you could .
I would like to request for .
Please .

Can you think of any other examples that you could

add to the list?
Now, try to ask polite questions or make polite requests
by attempting the activity below. Rewrite the questions or
requests by using the suitable expressions given to you earlier.
The first one has been done for you.
1. Will you remit payment as soon as possible?
Would you be able to remit payment as soon as possible?
2. What is your policy on returned goods?
________________________________________________
3. Bring your receipt when you come to our counter.
________________________________________________

4. How long do we have to wait for the permit to be approved?

________________________________________________
5. Do you accept cheques?
________________________________________________
6. Why are your shipments frequently late?
________________________________________________
7. How will your company compensate the retrenched workers?
________________________________________________
8. How long do we have to wait for the goods to arrive?
________________________________________________
9. Take a seat first and our customer service representative will
attend to you shortly.
________________________________________________
10. Give me your order number so that I can check the status of
your order.
________________________________________________
Activity 2.13
Read the situations below and write your response to each
situation.
Situation 1
You receive a call from Martin Sim who is frustrated with a
delayed shipment. You promised to have his order delivered to
him by last Friday. It has been a week and the shipment has still
not reached him. What would you say to Martin to calm him
down?
Martin: What are you doing about it? You promised to have it
delivered to me by last Friday. What has happened to my
order?
You: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Situation 2
Shalini Fernandez calls you for an update on her bill. She claims
that the figure on her bill is incorrect. She has been overcharged
by RM55. You need to check the information on the system
to find out if this is true. What would you say to Shalini?

Shalini: I have been overcharged by RM55. I want you to

rectify this situation. Dont expect me to pay that
amount.
You: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
 The 4As when you receive a complaint on the telephone
Remember when a caller hurls criticisms at you, he/she is not
attacking you personally. The caller is just frustrated with the
situation and wants you to take action to help him/her
overcome the situation.

Go through the 4As below to see how they can help you
manage a complaint
effectively:

Attitude: A positive attitude on your part will remind you that

a complaint is actually an opportunity to improve.
Acknowledgement: Listen actively to what your caller
has to say. Ask open questions. Check your understanding.
Do acknowledge that there is a cause for complaints and
show empathy.

Example
I do know how you feel, Ms. Sim. This is truly a case of
miscommunication. Lets see how we can solve this
problem.
Agreement : Discuss possible solutions with your caller.
Seek for his/her agreement when offering alternatives or
options. Never assume the caller will agree with you on
everything that you suggest.
Example

Ms. Kim, see if you agree with my suggestions. I believe that

there are two ways that we could try to overcome this
problem. We could either have the DVD player replaced or
sent to the manufacturer for repair. Which option do you
prefer?
Action: Make sure you keep the caller informed at all
times. Implement what you have agreed and call the caller to
check if the solution has been satisfactory.

Example
Hi, Ms. Kim. Im Sheena from Ops Berhad. I am
calling to check if the DVD player is working fine
after the repair.
Phone rage: Managing aggression and
rudeness
They criticise, humiliate, make demands or even threaten us
to make us take action. During such times, we face the
challenge of remaining calm and courteous in spite of the
aggression and rudeness that are directed to us.
When dealing with aggression:
1. We should not enter into an argument even if the caller provokes us
(by saying words that cause anger on our part, etc.).
2. We should allow the caller to let off steam (i.e., vent).
3. We should not interrupt the caller while he/she is venting because any
interruptions on our part will most likely infuriate him/her.
4. Apply the 4As discussed above " Attitude, Acknowledgement,
Agreement and Action.
When dealing with rudeness:
1. We should try to ignore the rudeness by keeping in mind
that it is not intended for us personally. In other words, we
should not take the rudeness personally.
2. Because the rudeness is not intended for us, we should
keep away from retaliating. Retaliating means to respond in
an equally rude way. Callers become more upset and angry
when we retaliate.

3. Apply the 4As discussed earlier " Attitude,

Acknowledgement, Agreement and Action.
Activity 2.14
Read the situations below and write your response
to each situation.
Situation 1
You receive a call from Martin Sims boss, Mr. Christopher
Menon, who is frustrated with a delayed shipment. Although
you had promised to have the previous order delivered to
him within a week, the shipment did not arrive.

He is extremely displeased with your organisation and

services. He is aggressive on the telephone and demands to
know why the shipment is taking so long to reach him. What
would you say to Martin to calm him down?
Mr. Menon: You people dont know what promises
are. You promised to have the shipment reach me
by this week and guess what " it is nowhere to be
seen. What are you doing about it?
You:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Situation 2
Shalini Fernandez who called you last week for an update on
her bill claims that the incorrect figure on her bill was not
rectified. She also claims that the new bill still states that she
owes your organisation RM55 as stated on the previous bill.
She calls you and sounds rude on the telephone.
Shalini: I dont know what else to say about you people. All
of you are hopeless and useless! You promised to have my bill
rectified and yet, I see the same mistake on the new bill. When
are you going to wake up from your deep sleep and start
doing something about my bill?
You: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Summary
This section showed you that there are ways that can help you
handle the most challenging telephone calls " viz., those which
are made by demanding or irate callers. The number one thing to
remember when experiencing such encounters is not to take things
personally. Remember that the criticisms and insults are usually
not meant for you. They are usually directed to the organisation
because of the lack of action that is displayed.
Another thing that may help you deal with such challenges is to
put yourself in the shoes of the caller. Would you not be upset
too if a similar thing were to happen to you? This is not to justify
a rude or aggressive remark but it is to help you empathise with
your caller so that you are able to understand the situation that
he/she finds himself in. So, remember to stay calm and allow your
caller to vent. Do always be prepared to focus his/her attention
to the solution to the problem
 Summary of Unit 2
Summary
Unit 2 consists of strategies that you can use when handling
telephone calls with various types of callers. The unit begins
with the fundamentals of managing telephone calls. Like in all forms
of communication, the ability to understand the message that is
being conveyed is the most important factor. Active listening allows
you to understand what your caller is trying to convey to you.
This unit also provides you with useful steps in handling telephone
calls: transferring calls, using voicemail, taking and leaving messages,
managing calls from demanding and angry callers. Though some
calls are more challenging than others, with sufficient practice,
you should be able to display good and effective telephone skills
in order to create a good lasting impression of you among your
callers.
Unit Practice Exercise
Read the case study below and suggest ways to deal with the angry caller.

Telephone enquiry dealing with an angry caller:

A student calls the Administrative Office at the end of the semester to
find out when the examinations are being held. The switchboard
operator connects the student with the Course Information Department
but they do not have the examination timetable.
After several questions by the Course Information Department, they
transfer the call to the Exam Unit. The examination clerk is out for
lunch. So, the call is redirected to the teaching section managing the
examination subject. While the call is being redirected, it is
disconnected. The furious student calls back and the call is directed to
you.
List the steps you will take to manage this call.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
References
Bruce, K (1994) Telephoning, Essex: Longman.
Dignen, B (2003) Communicating in Business English, USA: Compass Publishing Inc.
Finch, L C (2000) Telephone Courtesy and Customer Service, 3rd edn, Crisp
Learning.
Healthy Working Lives (2013) Phone Rage http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/
advice/Legislation-and-policy/employee-issues/violence-aggression/phone-rage#risks
(Accessed 25 January 2014)
Jones, L and Alexander, R (1997) New International Business English, Edinburgh:
Cambridge University Press.
Phone Skills Trainer (2009) Phone Skills Trainer Lesson: Essential Telephone
Etiquette
(YouTube video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmUc2_sRVOk (Accessed 25
January 2014)
Richards, M (2002) The Telephone Skills Pocketbook, 3rd edn, Hants: Management
Pocketbooks Ltd.
STJobs (2008) Fine-tune your Telephone Skills http://www.stjobs.sg/career-resources
/workplace-success/fine-tune-your-telephone-skills/a/239 (Accessed 25 January
2014)
Telephone Doctor, Inc., Essential Telephone Skills http://www.telephonedoctor
.com/our_blog/essential-telephone-skills-article/ (Accessed 25 January 2014)
The above references have been added to give you additional sources of
information on the topics in this unit.