Telephone Etiquette

Tellephone Etiquette is key in the life of any human being who wishes to work with other humans. For some reason talking to someone on phone is "soap to the heart". I know there was a time I would specificaly make calls to a friend of mine not just to let them answer questions that I had but to just hear their voice and borrow a leaf from their telephone protocol.

I got trapped when I was made to work as a receptionist when our receptionist was out on maternity leave. So had I the chance to get a few lessons from my colleagues on telephone etiquette. These I need to share with anyone who owns a mobile phone, or has a desire to at one time work in an office.

1. Speak clearly and with a freindly voice when answering the phone.
2. Listen to and restate what you heard to ensure accuracy.
3. Demonstrate that you care about the caller's needs even if you really dont care.
4. Place people on hold politely, lest they think you are ignoring them.
5. Leave effective voice messages when the voice message device sets on so that the person you called can make the right response. (Kenyans hang up instead especialy when they hear that woman say.. "You have reached .... or please leave your message"..hahahha)
6. When you have set your mobile phone on voice message reception, please be careful to check out whether there were any messages left. (Kenyasn ignore)
7. Create clear and friendly outgoing recorded messages.
8. Use effective vocal techniques designed expressly for phone communication focusing on effective pauses, elimnating unpleasant vocal qualities (talk to Catherine Kasavuli, Shwale Mudoshi, am not sure LOUIS Otis would help u out.. he would critique u instead, or Caroline Matokes) etc etc.
6.