If you are a receptionist, it is important that you identify the whole company, as you are the caller’s gateway to whatever they need. Something simple like “Hello, this is wikiHow Enterprises, Nick speaking. How can I help you?” is good. [5] X Expert Source Tami ClaytorEtiquette Coach Expert Interview. 29 September 2020. This lets the caller know who you and your business are, and gives them an opening to continue talking. [6] X Research source If you are a personal receptionist, identify the person you are working for (“This is Mr. Miller’s office, Nick speaking”), as that is the person your caller is trying to reach. [7] X Research source If you are part of an office, let the other person know what you do so they know what kinds of questions they can ask. Identifying yourself by saying “Hello, this is Jessica in Accounting” lets the other person know if they have reached the office or person they want, and if they should talk to someone else.
Avoid slang words like “Yep,” “Sure,” or “Nah. ” Instead, speak with clear words like “Yes” and “No. ” You don’t want any confusion between you and the caller over what either person said. Don’t forget common polite phrases such as “Thank you” and “You’re welcome” when appropriate. If you need to give someone specific numbers or letters, say passing along a name or phone number, it can be good to familiarize yourself with the phonetic alphabet. That way you can avoid confusion over letters that sound similar, like “B” and “V,” with helpful hints like “V as in Victory. ”
It may be helpful to write down the person’s name after you get it in order to help you remember.
Many office phone systems will have a way to transfer calls. Make sure you know if your office does, and how it works. If not, get the right person’s number, and pass that information to your caller. Be as polite as possible when doing this, and offer the transfer. Say something like “I’m afraid I can’t answer that. Would you like me to transfer you to Brian, who can help you?” Make sure the person on the other end agrees before changing the call. If someone else isn’t available, offer to take a message. Just remember to pass that message along.
Let the other person hang up. They initiated the call, so you want to let them finish whatever they needed when they called in the first place. If you hang up when the caller isn’t ready, it can appear rude, or you might miss important information.
