Conference calls are becoming more and more common in the business world. There is no easier way to bring together members of a team who are in multiple locations around the country, or even around the world. The invention of conference call capabilities has saved companies billions of dollars in travel costs and helped improve efficiency in organizations around the globe.
The premise of the conference call is simple. Participants dial in at a specified time and conduct a meeting very much in the same way as if they were meeting face to face. Actually, part of the problem with conference calls is that too often, conference calls are conducted just like regular meetings, when certain adjustments need to be made to address the medium.
The principles for effective use of conference calls will help make your conference calls more efficient. The principles for the effective use of conference calls are:
Stay on schedule
Whether you are the person scheduling the conference call or merely a participant, it is vital that you stay on schedule. To the person waiting on the other end of the phone, even two or three minutes, which is hardly noticeable in face to face meetings, can seem like forever. If you are the moderator, be sure to dial in to the call at least a few minutes ahead so you can greet the participants as they arrive on the line. This is also a great way to avoid wasting time taking attendance once the call begins.
Starting the conference call on time, limiting the call to its originally scheduled duration, and taking time zone differences into consideration will help make your conference calls more efficient and more effective.
Control the environment
Have you ever been on a conference call, only to hear another participant's child screaming in the background? Perhaps you've been repeatedly interrupted by someone's call waiting tone pulsing persistently throughout the conversation. During a conference call, it is important that everyone on the call do their part to control the environment.
Whether you're working at home wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, or sitting in a mahogany paneled corporate board room, take conference calls as seriously as you would any other business meeting.
Control the conversation
One way that conference calls differ from regular meetings is the way conversation flows. In a meeting where the participants are gathered around a conference table, there is ample opportunity for animated discussion and exchange of ideas. On a conference call, the same type of conversation, which can be energizing in a regular meeting, is overwhelming and chaotic. Every conference call should have a moderator, someone in charge of controlling the conversation.
Conference calls are most effective when the conversation is controlled and focused. Subjects not of interest to all participants should be held off-line rather than taking up everyone else's time.
While conference calls are a cost-effective alternative to face-to-face meetings, it's important to remember that conference calls can't be conducted the same way as most face-to-face meetings. The principles for effective use of conference calls will help ensure your conference calls work to your organization's advantage.
 

Cellular phones can be beneficial because they make it easy to reach an individual any time, any place. Cellular phones can also be a nuisance for the same reason.
The rules for cellular phone etiquette can help you use your cellular phone to your own advantage, without offending anyone around you. The rules for cellular phone etiquette are:
Be respectful of others
Being respectful of others means limiting the use of your cellular phone to appropriate places. If you sense that someone is bothered by your cellular phone conversation, move to a more private location, consider calling the person back at another time, or at least lower your voice.
Protect confidentiality
The use of cellular phones brings with it issues of confidentiality. Not only do you need to be aware of people overhearing your conversation, it is also fairly easy for someone to intercept a cellular call and listen in on your conversation.
Cellular phones are not the communication tool of choice for discussing confidential information. Though it is illegal, analog cellular phone conversations can be easily intercepted. Sometimes, other callers can hear your conversation accidentally through the lines. Be careful about what you say.
When you use a cellular phone in public, assume that everyone around you can hear you. Sometimes, people can't help but listen. Save personal conversations and details about your private life for a more appropriate setting.
Manage calls effectively
The cellular phone is supposed to make communication easier and more efficient. If you manage calls effectively, most likely you'll find communication is more efficient. If you do not, you become a slave to your cell phone, available at all hours of the night and day.
Very few people are so important that they must be available instantaneously. Likewise, very few calls are so important that they must be taken that very second. Most cellular phones have the capability to be placed on vibrate instead of ring. Most also feature caller ID, which lets you know who is calling.
Placing your cell phone on vibrate while you're in a meeting or in a restaurant allows you to screen your calls subtly. That way, if you're expecting a truly important call, you can politely excuse yourself to attend to the matter.
Conduct yourself professionally
If you use your cellular phone for business, even some of the time, it is important to remember that any time your phone rings, it could be a colleague, customer, business associate, or even your boss. Whether you're in your office or on the golf course, it is important to remember to conduct yourself professionally, each and every time you answer your cellular phone.
While there's nothing wrong with playing a round of golf on a beautiful spring day, or taking time out to attend your child's school function, it's unprofessional to try to respond to business calls on your cell phone from those locations. Additionally, it is inconsiderate to the people around you.
Assume that every time your cellular phone rings, that the caller on the other end is an important business contact and respond accordingly.
Cellular phones are a great example of telephone technology that revolutionized the way business is conducted. By providing ready and relatively low-cost access, cell phones have greatly increased efficiency in the business world.
With the rules for cellular phone etiquette, you can enjoy the increased efficiency associated with having a cellular phone without compromising your professional reputation or disturbing others.
 

Speakerphones provide a convenient and practical way to communicate with several people at once, without setting up a formal conference call. However, the misuse and abuse of this convenient technology has given speakerphones a bad name. Most often, the fault lies with the user, not the technology.

When using a speakerphone, follow the basic rules of speakerphone etiquette:

• Obtain consent—Always obtain consent before placing a caller on speakerphone. It is rude and unprofessional to use speakerphone without the other party's knowledge. Tell the person the reason you wish to use speakerphone.

   

• Introduce the players—Once the other person has consented to be placed on speakerphone, be sure to introduce all of the people in the room. The person has a right to know to whom he is speaking.

   

• Ensure confidentiality—When you're using speakerphone, it is up to you to ensure confidentiality for the person on the other end. Assure him that you are in a private location and that others won’t overhear your conversation.

   

• Confirm technology—When you place someone on speakerphone, always make sure the technology is functioning properly. Be sure the person can hear you and that everyone on your team can hear as well. Make adjustments if anything is amiss.

   

• Stay in control—Stay in control of the conversation. Remind people that only one person at a time may talk and be heard. Ask participants to preface comments by stating their name. Remind them that if they cannot hear, it is their responsibility to speak up.

Speakerphones can be beneficial because they permit many people to hear a conversation first hand. If your customer calls with an issue that requires intervention from you, your sales manager, and someone from the accounting department, speakerphone allows all involved parties to come together to discuss the situation. Use speakerphones in a private setting, such as a conference room, or an office with a door. It is inappropriate to use speakerphones in a cubicle setting where others are trying to work.

People are sometimes reluctant to talk on a speakerphone in spite of the fact that it is a useful business tool. The rules of speakerphone etiquette can help to alleviate at least some of the resistance.

Imagine being on speakerphone without your knowledge, or without knowing who is in the room. Imagine the awkwardness of making a negative comment about someone present or revealing information to which certain people shouldn't be privy. Unfortunately, when people don't follow the rules of speakerphone etiquette, these things happen. Remember, the person on the other end of the phone must place his trust in you and feel comfortable if a meaningful dialog is to take place.

Another reason people are reluctant to use speakerphones is often, the technology doesn't work, or so it seems. When you're the one being broadcast to a large group via speakerphone, it can be difficult to know who is speaking. It can be difficult to hear people. Sometimes it feels like no one is in control of the conversation.

The rules for speakerphone etiquette are simple and straightforward. Following them can make the difference between a meeting that is useful and productive and one that is frustrating and unproductive.

Using the rules of speakerphone etiquette will help you reduce the apprehension, or even disdain, so many people feel about speakerphones. With consistent application of the rules, your organization may soon embrace the use of speakerphone as a valuable, efficiency-enhancing business tool.
 

Voicemail is a technological innovation designed to help people handle calls more efficiently. Instead of being helpful, it often generates frustration. This frustration is attributable to poor use of telephone technology.
The principles for the effective use of voicemail can help. These are:
Record an effective greeting
Whether you use a sophisticated, computerized voicemail system or a simple answering machine, when used effectively, voicemail is a valuable tool for you and your company. Voicemail is more effective when users record useful greetings and leave useful messages. Greetings that provide callers with specific information result in callers leaving more informative messages.
Leave effective messages
Consider the information that makes a voicemail greeting effective. Consider too, the specific information you need from a caller to make a voicemail message effective. Not all voicemail users record effective greetings and many do not leave effective messages.
When voicemail users neglect to state their name and position in their greeting, some callers may wonder whether they've reached the appropriate party. Without a date or estimated return time, the caller doesn't know whether to expect a return call in a few minutes, or a few days.
When leaving a voicemail message, remember to state your name, position, the nature of your business, your phone number, and a good time to call back.
Follow up promptly
When a caller leaves you a voicemail message, it is critical that you follow up promptly. Doing so lets callers know that your voicemail is a reliable way to communicate with you. Always follow up in 24 hours or less.
The principles for effective use of voicemail only have value when they are put into action. Voicemail is more effective when users record effective greetings and messages. Greetings that provide callers with specific information result in callers leaving useful messages. Callers know when to expect a return call, and whom to contact in case of emergency. You should consider what you will say before you record your voicemail greeting.
Your prompt follow up tells callers that your voicemail is a reliable way to leave a message, enabling some business to be transacted without an actual conversation. By using voicemail efficiently, you make it easy for others to do business with you.
When the principles for the effective use of voicemail are applied correctly, voicemail functions as an efficiency-enhancing business tool. Instead of an annoyance, it becomes a useful and valuable example of telephone technology.
 

When a customer calls your company, he looks to you to help solve problems, meet needs, or alleviate concerns. Every customer who calls your company deserves to talk to a competent, confident individual. Even if you don't know all the answers, speaking confidently will help you build the customer's trust.
There are techniques that can help you build the trust of the person on the other end of the telephone. The techniques for building a caller's trust are:
Speak confidently
When a customer calls, he depends on you to help solve a problem, or meet a need. He is much more likely to put his trust in you if you sound like you're confident and self-assured. Of course, that doesn't mean making promises you can't keep. Even if you do not know all the answers, use your confident demeanor to let the customer know he has reached someone committed to helping him solve his problem or fulfill his needs.
Take control of the situation
When customers call your business, chances are, unless they're looking for information, they're having trouble or are otherwise confused. They are looking to you to take charge and sort things out. As a representative of your company, make sure you're in control of the situation without being too assertive.
By speaking confidently and taking control of the situation, callers will start to feel like they can trust you. An angry caller is likely to calm down and work with you once you've successfully won his trust.
Show genuine interest
Hearing complaints on the telephone, day in and day out can be tiring and draining. However, every caller believes his complaint is unique, valid, and important.
Since every call is different, you'll need to use discretion to determine when to use which strategy for building trust. Say "I will" instead of "I'll try". I will says that definitive action will be taken and builds the caller's trust in you. I'll try implies that there's a chance you may fail at whatever it is you're attempting and leaves a doubt in the caller's mind.
It's not always possible to know everything about your job. Don't let your lack of knowledge be a barrier to the person on the other end of the phone. It's your job to get the answer. Saying "I'll find out" instead of "I don't know" builds trust. Assuring the customer that you understand the situation and that you're following as he relays his story helps build trust.
Go above and beyond the call of duty
Offer the customer a small discount, or reverse the fees or service charges that have accrued due to the situation she's calling about. Invite the customer to call you directly, if the problem persists. Offer to make a special note in his file to alert others to the situation.
Building trust isn't necessarily about doing exceptional things for customers or possessing superior product knowledge. It's really about using the right words and projecting the right image.
You can probably find applications for the techniques for building trust in most every telephone conversation you have. If you can succeed in building trust for a customer one on one, you also succeed in building that customer's trust in your entire company.
 

Your voice, your words, your attitude, and your body language all contribute to the image you project. In addition to visual cues, auditory cues—like the tone and quality of the voice, and choice of words—contribute to the all-important first impression.
On the telephone, however, the benefit of the visual cues is lost. The person on the other end of the telephone forms an image of you based solely on the tone and quality of your voice, and your choice of words.
With such limited information to go by, it is critical that you know how to use your voice and choose your words to project a positive image every time you place or receive a telephone call. The factors that impact image over the telephone are:
Vocal quality
Unless you're a singer or professional announcer, chances are you haven't given vocal quality much consideration. The timbre, rate, and pitch of your voice contribute to your vocal quality and to the image you project over the telephone as follows:

• Timbre—This is the combination of qualities of sound that make one voice different from another. A pleasant vocal timbre is flowing and melodious. It is clear, not scratchy or hoarse. People form a positive image when the person on the other end of the phone has a pleasant speaking voice.
   
• Rate of speech—The average English-speaking person speaks at a rate of 130-150 words per minute. Time yourself for comparison. It is difficult to understand a person who speaks very fast. When you speak too fast, words are hard to understand. Fast talking can occur when you get excited or emotional. Slow down to an average pace to give the best impression.
  If you speak very slowly, you may be giving the impression that you, yourself are slow or lazy. Picking up the pace should help you project a more positive image.
   
• Pitch—This is the highs and lows in a voice. In normal conversation, people vary the pitch of their voices to convey emotion or emphasize a word. A person with a high-pitched voice may sound young on the telephone and may have difficulty projecting an authoritative image.
  A low voice can sound harsh or even angry over the telephone. Remember to vary your intonation. No one wants to listen to boring, monotone speech patterns.

Vocal tone
Tone of voice uses the elements of vocal quality; timbre, rate, and pitch, to convey emotion or give meaning to the spoken word. Tone of voice conveys mood. If you are feeling angry, anxious, happy, sad, or any other emotion, chances are, it will be revealed in your tone of voice. Be careful you're not unintentionally creating a negative image with emotions that sneak into your vocal tone.
Use of appropriate words
The words you choose contribute largely to the impression you give over the telephone. To help ensure you choose your words well and project the most positive image, consider your vocabulary and your speech patterns.
It is easy to see the way choice of words impacts the image projected over the telephone. Every industry has its own terminology and jargon that could be confusing to the average person. If you're not speaking with someone from your field, limit the use of industry jargon, or at least be prepared to explain it.
The use of slang, regional phrases, or pop-culture phrases can create a negative image over the telephone by making you look sloppy, lazy, or too casual. Eliminating this kind of talk will help you project a more positive image.
When you're talking on the telephone, the person on the other end subliminally captures data and assesses your vocal quality, vocal tone, and choice of words. Based on that data, and all of its limitations, he forms an image of you, for better or for worse.
Being constantly mindful of your vocal quality and vocal tone will help you project a positive image over the telephone.
 

Good telephone etiquette is important regardless of whether you are the person placing the call or the person receiving the call. When you place a call, good telephone etiquette includes identifying yourself and stating the purpose of the call. The principles of good telephone etiquette are most useful when you are the receiver of the telephone call.

Every time you answer the telephone, the principles of good telephone etiquette will help you make a good impression. The principles of good telephone etiquette are:

• Answer the telephone promptly—Studies show that callers tend to grow impatient after the telephone has rung three times. Answering the telephone promptly shows the caller you are ready to do business.

   

• Use a pleasant greeting—A pleasant greeting makes your callers feel welcome. Stating your company name confirms the customer called the right place. Stating your own name forms a more personal connection between you and the caller.

   

• Ask permission before placing a caller on hold—There are instances where you won't be able to help a caller immediately. Don't assume the caller is willing to wait. Always seek and obtain the caller's consent before placing him on hold.

   

• Use warm transfers—In a warm transfer, the person transferring the call sees the transfer through to completion. He tells the person to whom he is transferring the call who is on the line, and the nature of the call.

   

• Ensure satisfaction—Before you end a conversation, be sure you have met the customer's needs in every way. Don't assume that they've finished all of their business until they tell you so. When you think that business has been concluded, ask if there is anything else you can do to help. Doing so ensures the customer won't have to call back yet again to complete his business.

The most common reason for not using good telephone etiquette is lack of time. In the business world, people are often rushed. When multi-tasking, a ringing telephone can seem like an annoyance. Foregoing the principles of good telephone etiquette can seem like a time saver, but actually, using good telephone etiquette takes no longer.

Even if you can't solve a caller's problem, using the principles of good telephone etiquette on each and every call you handle will go a long way in helping you make a positive impression.

When a customer calls your business or organization, using the principles of good telephone etiquette shows him that you value and respect him, and that you care about his business. Failure to use the principles of telephone etiquette can be the equivalent of saying "Sorry. We're too busy to deal with you now. Why don't you take your money and your business elsewhere?" Certainly, leaving an impression like that won't benefit your business. Even when it is inconvenient, it's important to apply the principles of good telephone etiquette.

Customers contacting your business over the telephone begin forming an impression of your company even before you pick up. Consistently applying the principles of good telephone etiquette to each and every call you receive goes a long way in building a positive image for your company.