TELEPHONE SKILLSTELEPHONE SKILLS

RECEIVING INCOMING RECEIVING INCOMING CALLSCALLSBy Training TeamBy Training Team

OBJECTIVE:OBJECTIVE:

Understand the role of the Understand the role of the telephone operatortelephone operator

Know how to receive incoming calls

Able to take the message

Understand the important of attitude in customer service

WHEN YOU ANSWER WHEN YOU ANSWER THE TELEPHONE:THE TELEPHONE:

The first The first 44 to to 66

seconds are seconds are criticalcritical - because that’s all the - because that’s all the time you get to make a time you get to make a good first impression good first impression on the telephoneon the telephone..

ANSWER PROMPTLYANSWER PROMPTLY“WITH A SMILE”“WITH A SMILE”Polite answer help us:Polite answer help us:

- Build a reputation of efficiencyBuild a reputation of efficiency

- Give a businesslike impressionGive a businesslike impression

- Gain potential customersGain potential customers

- Create a good image of our hotelCreate a good image of our hotel

- Reduce the amount of telephone Reduce the amount of telephone equipment needed by our hotelequipment needed by our hotel

ANSWER PROMPTLYANSWER PROMPTLY (cont’d)(cont’d)“WITH A “WITH A SMILE”SMILE”DO NOT FORGET:DO NOT FORGET:

- To answer by at least the third To answer by at least the third ringring

- To put a smile in our voice…we To put a smile in our voice…we will win friendswill win friends

- To be interested…it will help us To be interested…it will help us retain friendsretain friends

IDENTIFY OURSELVESIDENTIFY OURSELVES

PROPER IDENTIFICATION:PROPER IDENTIFICATION:

- Establishes confidence with our customerEstablishes confidence with our customer

- Creates a professional and friendly toneCreates a professional and friendly tone

- Eliminates guess work and saves timeEliminates guess work and saves time

- Indicates that you are a responsible personIndicates that you are a responsible person

- Prompts the caller to identify himself and Prompts the caller to identify himself and his companyhis company

CREATE A GOOD CREATE A GOOD IMAGEIMAGE

In some one absence, and asking for, answer:In some one absence, and asking for, answer:

- ““Mr.Budi, is out of the office for about an hour. May Mr.Budi, is out of the office for about an hour. May I ask him to call you?”I ask him to call you?”

- ““Mr.Monang, is in meeting this morning. Would like Mr.Monang, is in meeting this morning. Would like to talk with his assistant Mr.Prio?”to talk with his assistant Mr.Prio?”

- ““Mr.Ryan, has stepped away from his office for few Mr.Ryan, has stepped away from his office for few minutes. This is his staff. May I help you? minutes. This is his staff. May I help you?

CREATE A GOOD CREATE A GOOD IMAGE IMAGE (cont’d)(cont’d)

Do not say:Do not say:

- ““He hasn’t come in yet”He hasn’t come in yet”

- ““I don’t know where he is”I don’t know where he is”

- ““He left the office early today”He left the office early today”

- ““He’s out to lunch”He’s out to lunch”

IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE EXPLAIN WHYEXPLAIN WHY

• We can say:We can say:

- ““It will take a few minutes to get that It will take a few minutes to get that information. Would you care to wait information. Would you care to wait or may I call you back?”or may I call you back?”

- Get the caller’s consent to waitGet the caller’s consent to wait

- Use hold button if telephone is so Use hold button if telephone is so equippedequipped

IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE EXPLAIN WHYEXPLAIN WHY(cont’d)(cont’d)

• Be sure to:Be sure to:

- Avoid lengthy waiting timeAvoid lengthy waiting time

- Return to the line every 30 or 40 seconds Return to the line every 30 or 40 seconds to let the caller know what the progress to let the caller know what the progress has been madehas been made

- Get caller’s attention and thank him for Get caller’s attention and thank him for waiting when returning to the line.waiting when returning to the line.

Say: “Mr.Budi, thank you for waiting.”Say: “Mr.Budi, thank you for waiting.”

TELEPHONE ANSWERING TELEPHONE ANSWERING PROCEDURE:PROCEDURE:Operators who have to screen the telephone shall answer

ENGLISH :

Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings

1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling (hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?

• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to

2. May I know who’s calling please?

• The caller will mention their name

• Please hold the line, Mr / Mrs. XXXX

• Operator introduce the name of the caller to the person/department to whom the line is being transferred.

TELEPHONE ANSWERING TELEPHONE ANSWERING PROCEDURE:PROCEDURE:

Operators who have to screen the telephone shall answer

BAHASA INDONESIA :

Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings

1.    Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling (hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?

• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to

2. Maaf, dengan siapa saya bicara ?

• The caller will mention their name

• Mohon ditunggu, Ibu/Bapak XXX

• Operator introduce the name of the caller to the person/department to whom the line is being transferred.

TELEPHONE ANSWERING TELEPHONE ANSWERING PROCEDURE:PROCEDURE:

Operators who DO NOT screen the telephone shall answer ENGLISH :

Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings

1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling (hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?

• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to

2. Hold the line please ?

BAHASA INDONESIA :

Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings

1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling (hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?

• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to

2. Mohon ditunggu, bapak/ibu.

Internal CallInternal Call

Standard Answer :Standard Answer : Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you

for calling (Section), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?

Example : Example : GREETINGGREETING

““Good Morning, Thank you for calling Reception, Good Morning, Thank you for calling Reception, Monang speaking..,how may I assist you?”Monang speaking..,how may I assist you?”

IDENTIFYING NEEDSIDENTIFYING NEEDS

• May I know, who’s calling please?May I know, who’s calling please?( ( the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to ) )

• Hold the line please?Hold the line please?( ( then TRANSFER CALL PROPERLY ))

TRANSFER CALLS ONLY :TRANSFER CALLS ONLY :

If we are unable to help the caller.If we are unable to help the caller.If we are certain we understand what he wants.If we are certain we understand what he wants.If we know who can help the caller.If we know who can help the caller.If we explain why call is being transferred and he If we explain why call is being transferred and he

agrees.agrees.

IDENTIFYING NEEDS IDENTIFYING NEEDS (cont’d)(cont’d)

DOUBLE CHECK :DOUBLE CHECK :

Transfer procedures appropriate for our hotel.Transfer procedures appropriate for our hotel.

CONSIDER :CONSIDER :

Advisability of a “ Call Back” BE Advisability of a “ Call Back” BE INITIATIVEINITIATIVE

Advantages of relaying information to another partyAdvantages of relaying information to another partybefore transferring.before transferring.

DOCUMENTATION DOCUMENTATION

By MESSAGE TAKING :By MESSAGE TAKING :

The information to be obtained:The information to be obtained:

- The nature of the requestThe nature of the request- The name of the callerThe name of the caller- The section / department / company of the callerThe section / department / company of the caller- The address, telephone and / or fax numberThe address, telephone and / or fax number- The name / title of the designatorThe name / title of the designator- The message, accurate and complete but short and The message, accurate and complete but short and

to the pointto the point- The date and time of the message takenThe date and time of the message taken- The signature of the staff member concernedThe signature of the staff member concerned

RECAP RECAP

Thank you for your information, Thank you for your information, Now I would like to repeat your Now I would like to repeat your message, ….. message, …..

FAREWELLFAREWELLThank you for calling (hotel/section) Thank you for calling (hotel/section)

have a nice day, good byehave a nice day, good bye

THE VOICE YOU THE VOICE YOU PROJECTED IS PROJECTED IS DETERMINED BY:DETERMINED BY:• ENERGYENERGY

• RATE OF SPEECHRATE OF SPEECH

• PITCHPITCH

• QUALITYQUALITY

VOICE RECORDINGVOICE RECORDING

• Go to another room, answer Go to another room, answer the telephone as per standardthe telephone as per standard

Your voice and answer will be recorded and review after

Courteous ActionsCourteous Actions

• Answer the telephone within 3 ringsAnswer the telephone within 3 rings

• Speak clearly into the receiver, holding Speak clearly into the receiver, holding the mouthpiece about one inch from your the mouthpiece about one inch from your mouthmouth

• Let the guest know you are listening by Let the guest know you are listening by giving him listening signals : e.g. “ Yes”, giving him listening signals : e.g. “ Yes”, “I see”, “yes Sir”, “Certainly Sir”, “I “I see”, “yes Sir”, “Certainly Sir”, “I understand”, or repeat the key point of understand”, or repeat the key point of what he sayswhat he says

• Concentrate on the telephone callConcentrate on the telephone call

Courteous Action Courteous Action (cont’d)(cont’d)• Make notes if guest giving you an order, or Make notes if guest giving you an order, or

complaint, or if you are very busy. Don’t trust complaint, or if you are very busy. Don’t trust your memoryyour memory

• Let the guest hang up firstLet the guest hang up first• Don’t play with the telephone cordDon’t play with the telephone cord• If you need to transfer the call, then do so. If you need to transfer the call, then do so.

And when you know his name, tell the other And when you know his name, tell the other dept who is calling. And if the caller has given dept who is calling. And if the caller has given you the details of what he wants, explain so you the details of what he wants, explain so that he does not have to repeat all over againthat he does not have to repeat all over again

Common MistakesCommon Mistakes

• Being slow to answer the telephoneBeing slow to answer the telephone• Speaking too softly, too loudly, too slowly, too Speaking too softly, too loudly, too slowly, too

quickly or mumblingquickly or mumbling• Not holding the telephone receiver correctlyNot holding the telephone receiver correctly• Listening in complete silence so that the guest Listening in complete silence so that the guest

does not know if you are still theredoes not know if you are still there• Not listening properly, try to listen and do Not listening properly, try to listen and do

something else at the same timesomething else at the same time• Not repeating the guest’s request or not double Not repeating the guest’s request or not double

checking information givenchecking information given

Common Mistakes (cont’d)Common Mistakes (cont’d)

• In case of wrong number, hanging up In case of wrong number, hanging up without saying a wordwithout saying a word

• Banging the telephone when hanging Banging the telephone when hanging upup

• Hanging up before the guest doesHanging up before the guest does

• Falling to apologize if telephone has Falling to apologize if telephone has been ringing many timesbeen ringing many times

Avoid Slang !!!Avoid Slang !!!

DON’T DON’T • OKOK

• YeahYeah

• Uh-huhUh-huh

• Bye-byeBye-bye

DO DO • YesYes• CertainlyCertainly• Of courseOf course• GoodbyeGoodbye

KEEP A LIST OF KEEP A LIST OF FREQUENTLY CALLED FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERSNUMBERS• The advantages:The advantages:

- We’ll save time We’ll save time and complete and complete our calls much our calls much fasterfaster

- It will help It will help eliminate wrong eliminate wrong number?number?

LEAVE WORD WHEN WE LEAVE WORD WHEN WE LEAVE THE OFFICELEAVE THE OFFICE

•Leave a message when leaving Leave a message when leaving your telephone:your telephone:

- Indicate how long you will be Indicate how long you will be gonegone

- Indicate where you can be reached in Indicate where you can be reached in an emergencyan emergency

FIVE IMPORTANT ITEMS FIVE IMPORTANT ITEMS ABOUT ATTITUDE:ABOUT ATTITUDE:

• Your attitude toward customers Your attitude toward customers influences your behaviourinfluences your behaviour

• Your attitude determines the level of Your attitude determines the level of your job satisfactionyour job satisfaction

• Your attitude affects everyone who Your attitude affects everyone who comes in contact with you.comes in contact with you.

• Your attitude is not only reflected by Your attitude is not only reflected by your tone of voiceyour tone of voice

• Your attitude is not fixedYour attitude is not fixed..

And Don’t Forget…And Don’t Forget…Put smile on your voice!Put smile on your voice!

““A telephone call is not an A telephone call is not an interruption of work, it is one of interruption of work, it is one of

the basic reasons for it”the basic reasons for it”