Telephone communication in business communication. Important rules of business telephone etiquette for outgoing calls. secrets of successful calls

The business sphere involves active communication between people: employees, colleagues, partners, clients and potential clients. If it is not possible or necessary to discuss important issues in person, they usually resort to the help of products of scientific and technological progress: e-mail, social networks, corporate chats, telephone.

Today we will dwell in more detail on business communication by phone.

The value of the telephone in the life of a modern person

With the advent of the telephone, communication has taken on a whole new level in people's lives. If earlier, in order to talk, it was necessary to meet, then the telephone set made it possible to solve any important issues or just chat, being at a certain or even quite a long distance. Of course, this was a novelty to the first users, and many inhabitants of the Middle Ages would probably have burned at the stake someone who would have guessed that this was possible.

But time does not stand still - telephones began to change, and telephone communication - to improve. Now we have smartphones and even smart watches at our disposal, with the help of which you can also contact someone.

Unfortunately, technological progress does not guarantee that progress also occurs in human relationships. The fact that a person is talking to someone using a very expensive smartphone of the latest model does not mean that he automatically becomes a pleasant conversationalist. Everything is decided by the culture of speech and the vocabulary used during the conversation. Especially when it comes to business communication.

What does "business communication" mean?

To begin with, he will outline what the business sector is in general. First of all, this is the sphere of business and entrepreneurship.

In addition, the definition of a business area includes any activity related to the provision of services, the sale of goods, the conclusion of an agreement (oral or written - it does not matter) regarding any issue.

Business communication, telephone conversations and correspondence by mail now have a special connection, since it is easier for people to call or write to ask their question than to waste time on the road to talk to consultants in person.

The current situation with telephone communication in the business sector

With the development of the Internet, the emergence of many applications and instant messengers for communication, the telephone era began to gradually fade away in the field of business. Now they give preference to communication via e-mail, corporate chat (for example, in the Bitrix system - one of the most popular for business at the moment), social networks.

The phone is still the most common use for contacts in an organization so that customers can call. Among themselves, employees can solve work issues as they like.

The company management can set its own rules for communication. Surely you often met phrases like "communication takes place through the Bitrix system", "we delegate tasks using Google-dox", "in case of a successful interview, we add you to the general chat" and so on. Perhaps these rules were established for months or years according to the principle "it happened" - the first employees were simply comfortable communicating in this way, later it became a tradition.

In other words, no one refuses from telephone communication - it is relevant to the present, despite the emergence of other means of communication. Therefore, it is important to know the principles of telephone communication.

Differences between telephone communication and live communication

When we meet in person, we see the gestures and facial expressions of the interlocutor: it helps to better, easier and faster to form an opinion about him and the impression of the conversation. Communication at a meeting makes the task especially easier if people agree on something (on the supply of goods, on the provision of services, on hiring or firing, and so on).

In addition, if there is a need to explain or confirm something, during a face-to-face conversation, we can use gestures, which is meaningless when talking on the phone. No, you can, of course, but the interlocutor will not see. Although, this has an indisputable plus: you can make faces with your boss as much as you like with impunity, the main thing is to stop in time so that it does not become a habit.

Classification of formal communication

Types of business communication by phone:

Conversation with clients.
Negotiations with partners.
Conversation with subordinates.
Conversation with employees.
Conversation with potential clients.
Answering complaints, solving problems.

Features of etiquette of business communication by phone

It turns out that if you speak with a smile on the phone, a positive attitude is transmitted and felt by the interlocutor. In any case, business etiquette on the phone presupposes mutual respect. Even if one of the parties, for some reason, does not behave very correctly, a well-mannered person will not allow himself to sink to the level of rudeness and banal rudeness.

Many companies have a technology for business communication over the phone: the so-called "scripts", examples of how to talk with customers in different situations. Such "scripts" usually do not exist if you intend to talk with partners or suppliers.

Differences between a business conversation on the phone and an informal one

It implies an absolutely free form of expression of thoughts. Yes, there are rules (for example, not to call at a late time and not to disturb a person with numerous calls when it is clear that he is busy), educated people follow them.

Business communication by phone has stricter rules. However, practice shows that following them significantly affects the work process.

Rules

The ethics of business communication by telephone means following the general rules.

Examples of the correct conduct of telephone conversations

Business communication by phone: examples of how to build a conversation correctly and how wrong.

Call to the publisher.

Manager:

Hello, Publishing House, manager Olga. How can I help you?

Good afternoon, I would like to inquire about your services.

Manager:

Please specify which services are you interested in? We offer publishing and promotion of books, proofreading and editing of manuscripts, layout, development of cover design, printing of circulation and advertising materials.

I would like to print books and flyers.

Manager:

We print a circulation of books from 10 pieces and a set of leaflets from 100 pieces. If the book was typeset by our specialists, then there is a discount for printing.

A call to a law office.

Secretary:

Good afternoon, Lawyers are here.

Your employee drew up a bad contract for me! All the items that I need are not spelled out there! I will complain if you don’t return the money to me!

Secretary:

I understand your frustration. Please, let's calm down and try to figure it out. Could you drive up to the office with a copy of the contract?

Secretary:

Good afternoon, Aurora company, my name is Igor.

The supplier:

Secretary:

Please tell me who am I talking to? How to introduce you?

The supplier:

I'm Max, supplying coolers to your office.

Secretary:

Got you. Unfortunately, Viktor Sergeevich is not in the office right now, he will be back in about two hours. Please call back around 17:00.

The supplier:

OK, thanks.

Examples of Incorrect Business Phone Conversation

Call to the publisher.

Manager:

Hello, I would like to print books and flyers.

Manager:

Have us print?

Maybe. Can you tell us about your conditions and prices?

Manager:

Everything is written on the site.

There are no prices and no minimum quantity specified.

Manager:

Yes? Well then, come to our office.

Client: Why?

Manager:

Well, print flyers! Print it and find out how much it costs.

What do you think the client will have from such a conversation?

A call to a law office.

Secretary:

Hello.

I will complain, you made a bad contract for me!

Secretary:

Did I make a contract for you?

Where is your boss?

Secretary:

Busy! (hangs up)

Secretary:

The supplier:

Hello, I need Viktor Sergeevich, your boss.

Secretary:

He's gone.

The supplier:

When will it be?

Secretary:

Two hours.

The supplier:

So 14:00 was already an hour ago.

Secretary:

Will be in two hours!

Differences between a telephone business conversation and a conversation on Skype, Viber and using instant messengers

On the phone, communication occurs only with the help of voice.

Some applications allow you to make video calls when the interlocutors can see each other with an active and connected camera.

Messengers assume only correspondence.

Conclusion

The culture of business communication on the phone is not as difficult to understand as it seems at first glance. It is enough to understand that you are the face of the company, and the impression that the interlocutor will have depends on you.

Telephone communication has become an important part of life for a long time. We discuss household chores with relatives, chat with friends, and solve problems with business partners, colleagues, and bosses. Conversation styles need to be different, and business communication requires a different approach.

The telephone occupies an important place in the life of a modern person: communication with relatives, friends, but, which is important, with colleagues and bosses.

Naturally, when talking with different people, we use our own way of communicating, and it would never occur to anyone to talk to their boss in the same way as with their best friend or even just a colleague. In this case, the conversation will be about business communication.

Also, business etiquette should be used by those employees whose duties include telephone conversations, various polls and all other conversations that are conducted, as a rule, from a cool center, that is, a call center.

Unfortunately, some in a conversation on the phone behave quite familiarly, not at all in the same way as when meeting in person. Since employees feel at a safe distance, they easily hang up, and sometimes dissuade from an invisible interlocutor with a couple of not very polite phrases, and this goes against the etiquette of telephone communication.

But sometimes it is the telephone conversation that becomes the starting point for good business relations. Here, unlike a personal meeting, a strict business suit, office atmosphere, smile and gestures are not so important here. In fact, the image of an enterprise may depend entirely on the manner in which its employees conduct telephone conversations.

Things to think about before talking on the phone

the goal you are going to achieve in the upcoming conversation;
is it possible to do without this conversation;
how ready the interlocutor is to discuss the topic of conversation;
Do you have confidence in the successful conclusion of the conversation;
what specific questions you need to ask;
what questions you may be asked during the conversation;
what outcome of negotiations can be considered successful and what can be secured in case of failure;
what methods of influencing your interlocutor you can use during a conversation;
how you will behave if your interlocutor starts to object, switches to a raised tone or does not react to your arguments;
how you will respond if you show distrust of your information.

Preparing for the interview

Before starting a telephone conversation, you must do the following:

Prepare the documents that will be required during the conversation: reports, brochures, correspondence, acts of work, etc.
Prepare paper, tablet or other device to record information. In the case of using the voice recorder, you must warn and ask for consent to its use.
Have before your eyes a list of officials with whom the conversation is supposed to be addressed in order to address the right person only by name and patronymic.
Put a plan of the conversation in front of you, with the most significant points highlighted with a marker.

Conversation plan

The conversation on the phone should not exceed 3 minutes of time, at least your opening monologue. Here's what a rough outline of such an introduction looks like:

introducing the interlocutor to the essence of the problem (40-45 seconds)
mutual presentation with the name of the position and level of competence in this matter (20-25 minutes)
discussion of the situation itself, the problem (from 1 to 2 minutes)
conclusion, summary (20-25 seconds)

If the problem has not been resolved completely, you need to agree on a second call for a certain time. At the same time, it is important to clarify with whom the conversation will be continued - with the same person or another employee who is more competent in this matter or has a wider range of powers.

Telephone etiquette rules

Always greet the person calling you and use etiquette words when calling yourself. These can be words of greeting associated with a specific time of day ("Good afternoon!", "Good morning!", "Good evening!"). Better to avoid such expressions: "Listen", "Hello", "Company".

Watch your intonation. It is with the help of the voice that you can evoke the disposition of the interlocutor, create the correct perception in him, and for this, of course, you need to speak with kindly, calmly, but without unnecessary exclamations: excessive enthusiasm can also repel.

Be sure to introduce yourself. After greeting the interlocutor, name your organization so that the person knows where he has applied. To make it easier for him to start a conversation, give your name and title so that the interlocutor can determine whether he can continue the conversation with you, or he needs to talk to a higher-level representative.

When you call an organization yourself, try not to start a conversation with such phrases: "It bothers you ..." or "It disturbed you ...". Such expressions make the interlocutor alert, and your call may be perceived as unwanted.

Having called already a specific interlocutor, specify how convenient it is for him to talk with you now. After making sure that they can communicate with you, immediately go to the topic of the call: business people should be brief and not deviate from the topic of negotiations.

When someone calls your company, etiquette involves picking up the phone after the second or third call. If you do this after the first call, the potential interlocutor may decide that your company is not too burdened with work.

If the caller needs some other company representative, there is no need to hang up, "cutting off" the caller. It is necessary, using the hold function, to switch to standby mode or switch to the desired person. If the person you need is not there, you can ask if you can consult him or provide other assistance. If he refuses to help, ask what needs to be conveyed, what message to leave.

When listening to a new interlocutor, try to adjust to his rate of speech: if a person speaks slowly, perhaps he not only perceives information, but also immediately analyzes it. If he speaks quickly, asks impatiently, he may be irritated by your slowness and slowness.

During the entire conversation on the phone, you do not need to smoke, chew or drink anything. Be sure to put aside a cigarette or a sandwich, move aside a cup of coffee or tea.

After finishing the conversation, say goodbye to the interlocutor, but before that, ask if he still has questions for you. If you initiated the conversation, don't apologize for taking up the other person's time. It would be better if you thank your interlocutor with lovami: "Thank you for your time. We hope for further cooperation."

Instead of a conclusion

If your speech is not well developed, then speaking on the phone will exacerbate speech deficiencies. Therefore, you should try to avoid words whose pronunciation you are not very good at, or words in which you are not very sure of the accent. Names that are poorly perceived by ear are best pronounced by syllables or even by letters.

Talking on the phone is really a whole art that can and should be learned. Indeed, sometimes just one phone call can do something that was impossible to achieve in the process of preliminary meetings and negotiations.

It must be remembered that a look, smile, facial expressions, friendly handshakes can have a strong influence on your partner, and this is excluded in telephone communication. You can offend an unknown interlocutor with a careless word. Sometimes it is a telephone conversation that forms the first impression of a person. Try to get it right.

Business communication on the phone is specific, you need to specially prepare for it. A participant in a business conversation on the phone must clearly understand what his interlocutor wants to achieve and what he himself wants to get from this communication. To save yourself and others' time, stick to a rational composition of a business conversation, which is easy to remember as the "Seven Ps". The following practical tips will help you succeed in your telephone conversations.

Any communication has a purpose. For example, in ordinary, interpersonal communication, this is most often the clarification of new information. The purpose of business communication is most often the establishment of business contacts or the solution of any production problems. Business communication on the phone is specific, you need to specially prepare for it. A participant in a business conversation on the phone must clearly understand what his interlocutor wants to achieve and what he wants to get from this communication.

If you have an important telephone conversation, you need to prepare for it in advance and think everything over. Sometimes thinking alone is not enough: during a discussion of a complex topic or intense communication, thoughts, numbers or facts that are needed at the moment can disappear from memory. To prevent this from happening, even at the stage of preparing for the conversation, be sure to make notes, write theses, key thoughts, arguments or numbers. In addition, having key facts or documents handy during a phone call will greatly reduce the risk of reservations or misrepresentation of certain arguments.

When making a plan for a future telephone conversation, try to think over all possible options for its passage, as well as ways to solve possible problems. If you do not think about the answers to the most problematic questions in advance, later this can cause difficulties in communication. Hearing only your voice, your interlocutor can interpret these hitch as unprofessionalism and unpreparedness, which can turn him against you.

The time of the conversation should also be convenient for both the client and the person working with him on the phone. Try to avoid such a situation that your telephone conversation distracts your interlocutor from an important matter. The wrong time for a conversation will be a hindrance to establishing a business contact. Also, you should not combine communication on the phone with other activities.

Too long telephone conversations are a common mistake for many. You must always remember that business communication by phone should not last longer than 4-5 minutes. In addition to the length of the conversation, it is important to ensure that two-way dialogue is maintained throughout the conversation. To do this, you can from time to time ask the interlocutor questions about whether he understood what is being discussed, what is his opinion on the issue under discussion, etc.

Another mistake often made by people who are accustomed to communicating in person is the use of gestures. While talking on the phone, they can express their agreement or disagreement with the speaker, nod, frown, wrinkle their forehead and smile, in a word, demonstrate the whole set of ordinary gestures that are understandable to any person that their interlocutor cannot see.

Strive to ensure that no telephone conversation is wasted. Insufficient specification of agreements is a fairly common mistake in telephone conversations. If you are solving any important task, you need to make sure that the results obtained are clear and equally perceived by both interlocutors.

1. You need to carefully prepare for the conversation. You should not act impulsively as soon as the thought arises to call. It is necessary to clearly define the purpose of the conversation, highlight the main thing in it and think over the content of the conversation. When preparing for a conversation, think about whether your interlocutor is ready for this conversation, whether he has time for it; are you sure of the successful outcome of the conversation, what outcome of the negotiations will suit you (or not); what methods of influencing the interlocutor can be used during the conversation; what is the strategy of behavior in the event that your interlocutor strongly objects, switches to a raised tone, does not respond to the arguments given; show distrust of information; is it possible to do without this conversation at all, etc.

To prepare for a business conversation on the phone, you can prepare a form in which a future conversation is recorded taking into account the predicted responses. For example, something like this:

the date	Time
Phone number	Organization
Surname, name, patronymic of the subscriber
Recorded in advance		Recorded during the conversation
Questions	Predicted responses	Answers
1	1	1
2	2	2
3	3	3
Conclusions: (achieved result, obtained information, further actions, etc.)
Executor:

2. You should always keep in mind the names, surnames, dates and numbers of documents, official materials related to the conversation. If necessary, you can fix the list of topics on paper. Try to foresee the possible reaction of the interlocutor to the information, that is, think over your answers to all his possible questions. If you have to negotiate several provisions, then it is better to consistently end the discussion of one and move on to another.

You can end the discussion of each situation with the help of standard phrases: “So, on this issue we have reached an agreement?”, “Can I assume that we have agreed on this issue?” question), can we count on your help? " etc., which will help save time, as well as demonstrate your politeness and tact.

3. Keep it short. Conversation lasting more than 4-5 minutes. is the exception rather than the rule. To save your and others' time, stick to a rational composition of a business conversation, which is easy to remember as the "Seven Ps":

P1. Greetings.
P2. Performance.
P3. Reason (explanation of the purpose of the call).
P4. Problem (discussion of the issue).
P5. Summing up the discussion.
P6. Appreciation: An expression of gratitude.
P7. Parting.

Think about your words and your partner's possible reaction at each stage of the conversation. In telephone communication, it is good to use the so-called "closed questions", suggesting monosyllabic ("yes", "no", "I do not know") answers of the interlocutor. It is also recommended to end the conversation with such answers for each discussed topic.

4. The most common options for a telephone greeting are "yes", "hello", "I'm listening"... These words are identical and impersonal in their informativeness; they can be called neutral. In business communication, replace neutral greetings with informative ones: start the conversation by introducing yourself and your organization. People love to know who they are talking to. Find any friendly greeting formula you like (how you would like to be answered). If your interlocutor has not introduced himself, it is appropriate to politely ask who you are talking to. This is most conveniently done at the beginning of a conversation.

5. Remember the rules of conversation. Always try to speak evenly, restrain your emotions, listen to the interlocutor without interrupting him. At the same time, confirm your participation in the conversation with short remarks. Otherwise, your interlocutor may think that you are distracted from the conversation and do not listen to it, or the connection has been interrupted. If there was a disconnection for technical reasons, then the one who called will call back.

6. When disagreements arise, try to resolve them tactfully. Do not give vent to emotions: the effectiveness of a business telephone conversation depends on the emotional state of a person. Excessive emotionality creates the prerequisites for speech inaccuracy, incorrect phrases, and increases the time of the conversation. Even if your interlocutor is talking in a raised tone or expressing unfair reproaches, be patient and do not respond in kind, and if possible, turn the conversation into a calm channel. State your arguments briefly and clearly. Your arguments must be substantively correct, convincing and literate in form.

7.Remember the intonation, tone and timbre of the voice: they carry up to 40% of the information in a conversation. Loud speech on the telephone is often less intelligible because the microphone and telephone settings are selected for a normal, medium volume level. In case of poor hearing, you should not raise your voice yourself, but ask the caller to speak louder, and ask how he hears you.

8. If you receive a call during a conversation with a visitor or employee, remember that the conversation rules prescribe not interrupting the conversation with telephone conversations. You should first apologize to the interlocutor for the need to interrupt the conversation and only then pick up the telephone receiver. Further, your actions can be as follows:

ask the caller to wait a little (if your face-to-face conversation is close to completion and a junior by age or position is calling you);
agree to call you back in a few minutes (if you are not ending the conversation at the moment and the call is not from a superior official);
write down the phone number of the caller and agree that you will call him back at a convenient time for both of you.

Your face-to-face interlocutor will also see that you are putting off other things to talk with him. This will emphasize that you are treating the visitor with respect. If you interrupt the conversation by talking on the phone, in most cases this can be perceived negatively by your in-person interlocutor.

9. Keep a pen, paper or any electronic device near your phone that will help you save the information you need (computer, smartphone, etc.). In order not to miss important details of the conversation, train yourself to take notes during the conversation or immediately after it ends. During the conversation, write down important details such as new names, numbers, and basic information that you or your colleagues and subordinates may need later.

10. The initiative to end the conversation belongs to either the caller or the eldest speaker by social status or age. It is very important to end the conversation politely. If you urgently need to end the conversation, it is better to use the most polite phrases: for example, “Sorry to interrupt you, but I'm afraid to be late for the meeting”, “It was very nice to talk with you, but I promised to call another organization. Can I call you later? " You can also refer to being very busy, to the need to complete the work begun. Sentences like “Thank you for the call”, “It was nice to talk to you”, etc. will help to politely end the conversation.

11. After finishing a business conversation, take a few minutes to analyze its content and style. Analyze your impressions. Find vulnerabilities in it. Try to understand the reason for your mistakes. All this will subsequently help you, save time, shorten the duration of negotiations, as well as understand and correct possible mistakes made in telephone communication, which will have a very favorable effect on both your image and the prestige of your company.

The culture of communication on the phone has long been a part of business etiquette. It characterizes a person no less than clothing and manners. Before picking up the phone, consider what information you want to receive or transmit. This is best done in the form of a checklist - a checklist of questions for the conversation. If it is assumed that during a conversation it may be necessary to refer to any documents or facts, they should be selected and organized in advance on your table. Choose the time to call, because you do not know what situation you will interrupt and whether your interlocutor will be able to treat you with due responsiveness.

Respect confidentiality. If you are talking on the phone from a room where other employees work, you should not make them accomplices in the conversation; and if you yourself turned out to be an unwitting witness to a conversation that, in your opinion, a colleague would like to conduct without witnesses, find an excuse to leave the room, even if the conversation between you was interrupted by this phone call. In a common work room, talk on the phone in an undertone and briefly. It is recommended to avoid talking over the phone:

- any questions with people with whom you previously didn’t have contacts or with whom you didn’t have personal relationships;
- questions on which you can assume the opposite opinion of your interlocutor;
- acute or sensitive questions concerning the interlocutor himself or the company he represents, as well as personal problems;
- disputable issues of relationship, coordination and subordination of activities between you or the organizations you represent;
- questions concerning third parties or organizations whose representatives may be in your interlocutor's room at the time of your call.

You should also avoid reporting negative responses to inquiries by telephone. In the work of foreign firms, mandatory written confirmation of the very fact of negotiations and the agreements reached is practiced, especially if the negotiations took place over the phone. Such a document should not be large in volume. It records the issues discussed, agreements reached and unresolved problems. The document is signed by the head or the person who spoke on the phone, and addressed to the head of the other party or the interlocutor by phone, observing the "canonical" forms of politeness.

It is believed that the simplest thing in business communication is a telephone conversation. In fact, this is far from the case. Making a phone call should be as short as business correspondence and faxing.

The caller is always introduced first. If the subscriber you wanted to contact is not on the spot, then it is not necessary to introduce yourself. It will be enough to say hello and ask to invite the person you are interested in to the phone. If he is not there, find out when he will be there, or ask to give him something and hang up. You do not need to hold on for a long time if no one answers at the other end. You should not ask who you are talking to, you can only clarify whether you dialed the number correctly and whether you got through where you wanted.

It is permissible to instruct an employee or secretary to call the person you are interested in.

If your colleague is asked for the phone, you cannot find out who is asking him.

If you make a mistake with the number, then the next time you dial it, immediately clarify whether this is the number that you need.

In the event that you are very busy, then it is better to turn off the phone or ask the secretary to answer the phone calls.

The person who called ends the conversation.

There are several generally accepted rules for telephone conversations:

- if the conversation is interrupted, then the person on whose initiative the conversation took place should be called back;
- you should speak as briefly and to the point as possible;
- you can not speak too loudly into the receiver, avoiding at the same time and too quiet speech;
- if you call someone and your call is not answered, do not hang up until you hear 4–6 long beeps: it may take your interlocutor some time to answer the phone;
- think at least a few times before calling out of hours - too early in the morning or late at night. Generally, you should not call before 8 am and after 11 pm;
- you cannot call your partner's home phone number that has become known to you, unless he himself gave this number to you and said that he can call home. Business calls to home numbers on weekends and holidays should be avoided.

It often happens that a phone call catches you during an important conversation or meeting. In such cases, it is best to ask the other person to leave their phone number and promise to call him back later. It is best to indicate a possible time for a call back (and do not forget to keep your promise).

If you have visitors, and you need to call, then you should ask for their forgiveness, and try to make the call as short as possible.

It so happens that you are visiting and you need to call. This can only be done by first asking permission from the owners.

The mobile phone has become a part of the everyday life of businessmen, financiers, journalists and people of many other professions. But at the same time, he in no way should disturb others. Almost every such phone has the ability to adjust the volume and tone of the ringer so that it is almost inaudible to anyone but you.

But it also happens that you are waiting for a call and a cell phone signal caught you during a conversation, lunch with a business partner or negotiations. In this case, you must definitely apologize, and the conversation itself should be minimized. The same applies if you need to make an urgent call. It is best to step aside if possible.

Your interlocutor may be on the road, driving a car, and by distracting the driver, you can put him in danger. Therefore, be brief and defer discussing the details until another time.

The telephone conversation is polite and independent.

In your practice, it probably also happens when a personal acquaintance with some clients occurs only after a certain period of time? How many business contacts do you start with a phone call? A telephone conversation is often referred to as communication outside of body language. However, this definition is not entirely accurate. For your interlocutor on the other end of the line can determine your position by your voice.

So, in call- centers for control over facial expression at each workplace is a mirror, and employees call-centres wear business attire to exude competence over the phone. Thus, accepting complaints, they act adequately even in delicate and unpleasant situations and do not succumb to outside influence, because in their "skin" they feel confident.

Smiling on the phone will give your voice the right kind of friendliness. Don't make too long sentences. It is difficult to trace more than ten words on the phone. Be careful to keep your expressions consistent.

When speaking on the phone, attach great importance to your voice and how you express what you want to say. Before you go to the phone, think of the thought that was occupying you. Complete the sentence you wrote before picking up the phone. In your mind, you should be completely and completely occupied with the client. The conversation is always conducted at two different levels. 20% of conversations are conducted at a business level and 80% at an emotional level. Thus, most of the communication is carried out on an emotional level. In conflicts, the area of emotion is central. It is the job of a professional to act confidently at this level. The ability to concentrate on the speech of the interlocutor and enter into his position is very important. If the other sees that he has been understood, he will allow himself to be carried away to the required level. For the person who accepts complaints, this means restraining their emotions and communicating, focusing on resolving the issue.

Avoid hackneyed phrases. Formulate active statements, by this you offer solutions, not create problems. And smile - you can hear it! Address the interlocutor by name. It fosters rapprochement and builds trust.

The telephone conversation should take place in the following order: greeting, company name, name, surname. At this time, the addressee will already tune in to your voice, and thus at the end he will hear the most important thing, namely your name. This way he will be able to address you by name. Additions like “How can I help you?” Are usually unnecessary. This applies to activities call-centers and in a normal business conversation on the phone has no place.

If you call anyone, say hello and give your first and last name. By naming the addressee at the same time, you will provide yourself with an added bonus: "Good afternoon, Mrs. Mustermann, this is Max Müller bothering you. I represent XV and I have the following business with you." This will make it easier for your interlocutor to get used to your voice. Be sure to prepare yourself for the conversation. Even if the answering machine has turned on, do not rush to hang up. Formulate your questions in advance. And in any case, think about what you want to achieve from your interlocutor.

The most effective techniques are as follows.

Isolation technique. Here the person and the circumstances of the case are separated. As a person, I am no longer responsible. The appeals "I" - "you" are not used. Invalid option: "I am unable to meet the deadlines you set." It is necessary to say: "It is unrealistic to accomplish this in a given time."
Compaction technique. There are times when the interlocutor still insists on his own and does not accept the information received. If there is no way to show that the question is really understood, repeat your statement: "I understand that the matter is urgent, but there is no way to complete it." "No, we have no free days this week." - "You really can't?" - "No, unfortunately, it won't work." In this situation, it is very important to adequately use the voice. Give your voice a solidity. You will achieve this with a serious facial expression. As a result of the compaction, a clear "no" may be present.
Silence technique. After your statement, pause briefly. This will give your opponent time to come to terms with the situation. If he continues to insist on his desire, just be silent.

It may happen that your interlocutor, in the heat of indignation, becomes personal. Then it is very important not to go beyond politeness.

Example."You're getting personal. I don't think you're doing that on purpose." If the interlocutor does not react to this and the conversation proceeds in the same way, tell him in a calm and businesslike tone: "I am very sorry, but the conversation cannot continue in such a plane."

If all else fails and he is still irritable and aggressive, you can go to the very least and interrupt the conversation: "This is where I end the conversation." But only after you have made all attempts to resolve the issue and have shown in every possible way that you understand the situation of the interlocutor.

You need to remain calm and confident.

Most of the conversations of a problematic nature contain aspects of psychology that should be taken into account.

A positive tone of voice takes center stage. It is when receiving complaints that a supportive, attentive and calm voice plays an important role.
In stressful conversations, whether it's a complaint or a phone call, it's best to get up and pace back and forth. This will give your voice more volume and expression, and you will seem more confident.
Stay calm and listen carefully. This way you can influence the course of the conversation. It is also necessary to avoid clarifying the circumstances and challenging the allegations. As long as your interlocutor is communicating on an emotional level, it is impossible to reasonably reason. In this case, the conversation will only escalate.
Only after the other person has calmed down, start a problem-solving conversation.

There are additional rules for using a mobile phone in the workplace.

If during a meeting or meeting you must leave your mobile phone on because you are expecting an important call, notify everyone present. Set the signal to silent mode, and leave the room for a telephone conversation. Do not put your phone on the table, but leave it in your trouser or breast pocket.
Choose a decent ringtone.
Dictate the announcement on your message box personally.
If they call you at the wrong time, do not press reset, but pick up the phone and tell them that you will call the subscriber later.
Business meetings are held between 8.00 and 18.00, regardless of the industry. The time from 22.00 to 8.00 is strongly discouraged.
Anti-Caller ID is not serious. You may get the impression that you are hiding something.

It is impossible to imagine a business life without a phone. On the one hand, it shortens distances and saves time. On the other hand, it will create a heavy load. The phone keeps ringing and work stops during calls. After taking the twentieth call that is not for you, it is very difficult to remain polite and helpful.

Lay out the necessary documents in the proper order, find out who you should talk to. Lay down a pencil and paper to write down the information you need, and mentally tune in to the conversation. If you got through to your interlocutor:

- greet him with the words: "Good afternoon! My name is ...";
- speak clearly and understandably;
- follow a positive attitude;
- quickly go to the reason for your call;
- at the end of the conversation, summarize and repeat the most important points again so that there are no misunderstandings;
- in conclusion, kindly say goodbye, thank for the conversation and wish you a pleasant day.

Horst Hanish suggests, if you are attending the meeting, so as not to disturb anyone, take advantage of the opportunities that your mobile phone provides you:

- turn off the bell and turn on the light or vibration signal;
- leave the premises while talking on the phone (if you must definitely take the call);
- turn on the voicemail mode so you can leave a message.

You should not speak louder than usual, you can even speak quieter (if the background noise is not very strong), since the microphones of mobile phones are very sensitive.

By e-mail you can quickly write a cover letter and attach the minutes of the last meeting to it. Observe the following rules to streamline your communication. e-mail

- split the entire message flow into personal and service messages by e-mail so that when you are a few days

you are absent due to illness, your colleague did not have to search for business messages among your personal messages;

- reduce the flow of information, send messages by e-mail only to those who are affected by your information. If you receive messages by e-mail, that have nothing to do with you, inform the sender about it (so that your address is removed from his database);
- always indicate the subject of the letter as accurately as possible;
- since the messages sent by e-mail it is impossible to return (even if this function exists), first you need to think, then write, read, think again, and only then send;
- your texts should be short, but not so short that the messages become a mystery;
- maintain an amiable tone; always formulate an appeal at the beginning, and hello at the end;
- comply with existing writing standards.

If you want to send a message by e-mail and a rather voluminous application, please make a request first when you can send it. This way your recipient can avoid overloading the computer to download a large piece of text to the desktop.

On the Internet, as a complement to letters, a pictorial language has come into use, quite easy to understand, since it consists only of characters that can be found on the keyboard. Table 2.4 shows the most important of them (you can also show your imagination).

Table 2.4

Symbols in text messages

Signs of happiness and joy
	Happy
	Very happy
	Extremely happy
	Broad smile
:"-) or:.-)	Crying with joy
	I wink with one eye
	I wink familiarly, "it was just a joke"
Sign of tenderness

Signs of frustration and skepticism
	I am disappointed

	Shut up! Don't tell anyone!
	Skeptically: "Of course"

The art of business communication is an important aspect of negotiation and has not lost its relevance for many years. The intensity of business communications through the telephone is increasing from year to year. And with the development of mobile communications, it becomes one of the main ways of communication. It is important to know the intricacies and rules of business communication to practice telephone conversation skills.

Peculiarities

The telephone plays an important role in the modern world, because it helps us communicate with family, friends, colleagues, management and business partners.

So, during a conversation with a certain circle of people, a person applies 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 applied.

Business etiquette should also be used by employees who conduct public opinion polls, receive calls from customers, or conduct telephone conversations. Often, it is successful telephone conversations that become the key to good business relationships. And even the company's image can entirely depend on the ability of employees to conduct competent dialogues over the phone.

The time schedule for a business conversation for an informative conversation is usually one minute. If the purpose of the call is to solve a problem, then the time interval can be increased to three minutes.

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

Always turn off your phone or set it to vibrate at a business meeting with a client, in a movie theater, or at a seminar.
A mobile device is more sensitive 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 simply speak quietly, and the interlocutor will surely hear you.

Do not put too loud a call on your phone. He can scare others.
Try to keep it short. 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 valid reasons for a telephone conversation, for example, a relative's illness or a major transaction, then those present should be notified of the situation.
Avoid telephone 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.

Etiquette

Ethical telephone communication is essential to the effective operation of a company. The culture of telephone conversations is a special kind of business communication. Knowledge of 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 you will have a telephone conversation. The most suitable phrases for this are the phrases associated with the time of day ("Good morning", "Good afternoon" or "Good evening").
During a service telephone conversation, it is important to monitor your own intonation. In order not to alienate the interlocutor, you need to speak politely and calmly, avoiding unnecessary emotions.

After greeting, it is recommended that you introduce yourself and state your name, title and organization.
If you call a person, then it is always worth clarifying 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 ring.
During the conversation, do not smoke, eat or drink.
If the caller is interested in another employee of the organization, then the conversation must be redirected to him or turn on the waiting function.
In a situation where you made a wrong number, you need to apologize to the interlocutor and immediately say goodbye without asking unnecessary questions.
Never call early in the morning, during your lunch break, or before the end of your day.
The secretary or assistant can make or answer calls instead of the manager.

You can call your partner or client's personal number only on condition that he himself gave you his contacts. But on weekends and holidays, such calls are prohibited.
There are times when a conversation is interrupted due to a bad connection. In this situation, the one who called first should call back.
Do not drag out the conversation. A long conversation can become boring and resentful. If the communication has been delayed, and the purpose of the conversation has not been 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, having previously asked if he has any questions. This simple action will complete the conversation and encourage further cooperation.

How to Prepare?

You should carefully prepare for a telephone conversation and perform a number of specific actions. Let's take a closer look at the main points.

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

In advance, find out from the interlocutor a convenient period of time for making a call.
To record the information received, prepare a notebook or diary.
Find out the general list of persons who will participate in the conversation in order to address them by name and patronymic.
Before dialing the number, try to tune in to a positive mood, then your emotional state, of course, should cause the disposition of the interlocutor.
When making a telephone conversation, consider the safety of communications in the office, because valuable information can fall into the hands of competitors.

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

There is no need to discuss business matters with an unfamiliar or random person. Better to make a personal appointment.
It is not recommended to demand a decision from a person who does not have the authority to do so or thinks otherwise. He can give his consent over the phone, although he will be opposed to this decision.
You should not voice requests if you are not sure that the interlocutor agrees with you and wants to help.

You do not need to be silent for a long time into the telephone receiver, otherwise the caller will get the impression that they are not listening to him.

How to speak correctly?

The role of the telephone in business communication is twofold. Very often it 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 that contribute to its more effective use.

It is very important to master the technique of business communication for employees, the specifics of whose work is in telephone conversations with potential clients. Many companies try to establish contact with the caller from the very first words in order to make him a real customer.

The first impression during telephone communication directly depends on the timbre of the voice and competent speech, because the interlocutor at the very first minute presents a virtual image of the one with whom he is talking.

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

The following tips can help you succeed in your business phone calls.

It is recommended that you make calls to the person who has provided you with any useful service. Words of gratitude are very important for future cooperation.
Always smile when conducting a conversation. Your smile and optimism will certainly be felt by the subscriber.
During the negotiation process, try to predict the course of the interlocutor's thoughts.
Never use profanity or colloquial language. This is contrary to the culture of communication.
Use expressions and terms that the caller will understand.
Do not cover the handset with your hand while talking in parallel with someone. Thus, disrespect for the interlocutor is manifested.
Explain your position confidently and accurately, because accuracy is the courtesy of kings.

Listen carefully to the caller so you don't lose your train of thought. If you ask to duplicate information, then the interlocutor may not like it, and your reputation will be at risk.