The Tribune

Yesterday provided another opportunity for my colleagues and myself to reflect on how fragile life is and, more importantly, how much we must love and honour - in meaningful ways- those who labour among us. After news spread of the tragic loss of a team member, we all began to reflect on how important even basic roles are to the overall image, reputation, growth and sustainability of an organisation.

Everyone at some point has experienced the nightmare of rude, indifferent, uncaring and unprofessional telephone operators, who clearly have limited understanding of their importance to a company’s health and well-being.

Today’s article pays tribute to Princess Penn-Simms, a champion for professionalism on and off the telephone. Here is her checklist for outstanding telephone etiquette. Princess would say...

1. Answer the phone quickly. Demonstrate a sense of urgency and quick response to those persons calling your establishment. The phone must not ring more than four times without a pick-up, and customers must never remain on hold without feedback for more than 60 seconds.

2. Demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in using the telephone instrument provided by the company. The professional must know how to transfer, place calls on hold, forward calls and perform other vital functions with great competence.

3. Be courteous, and remember that all the rules of exceptional service still apply on the telephone. Although you cannot be seen, the telephone moment of truth is still a vitally important one to the image of your vompany. Simple rules, such as never putting a customer on hold without permission, are ones every telephone professional should live by. Let your SMILE and warmth beam through the telephone line, and never let them hear disgust, sarcasm or lethargy.

4. Communication skills are crucial. Watch you pitch, rate, volume, words (grammar), tone and inflection. What you say on the phone is important, but how it is said is equally as important. Be pleasant with your words and generous with compliments.

5. Establish a standard and signature brand for telephone use at your company and stick to it. This may involve the identifying of the person answering, the department and some other pleasantry that relaxes the caller and invites them in.

6. As with everything, a strong opening and closing are of utmost importance. The warm and inviting greeting brings the customer in, and the strong and open door ending convinces them they should continue doing business with you.

7. Avoid distractions while on the telephone. It is easy to allow another team member, the cell phone, or the office television to occupy and divide your attention. Professionalism in telephone use requires focus.

Take time today to thank your telephone operator for the important role they play in the communication, sales and customer service processes at your company. Let us not wait for tragic circumstances to remind us of how essential each team member is to the overall success of our business.

May the soul of Princess Penn Simms, reception services professional, rest in peace and rise in power.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.