Communication over the phone is essential in business.

However, since you can’t see the other person’s facial expressions when talking on the phone, there is a risk that the company will receive complaints about the slightest thing.

In order to reduce these risks, it is recommended to create a manual that is easy for newcomers to understand .

In this article, I will explain how to create an appropriate telephone handling manual that does not make the other party feel uncomfortable.

I will introduce the contents that should be described in the manual, so please refer to it.

First, check the contents of the basic reception manner manual

First of all, I will summarize the basic points for employees who answer the phone .

The content of the phone call varies from company to company, but the following should be a basic manual that can be applied to any company.

• Answering phone calls as a representative of the company
• Take incoming calls within 3 calls
• Don’t use “moshi moshi”
• Communicate your company name, department name, and name clearly to the other party
• Communicate with the other party using correct honorifics
• Check basic business etiquette
• Always use the hold function when transferring
• Hang up after the other party hangs up

In addition, if there are company-specific rules that presuppose telephone correspondence, it would be a good idea to mention them at the beginning of the manual.

In particular, new employees who have just joined the company are likely to not know the rules unique to the company, so be careful.

Create a manual for each phone call situation

Next, let’s create a manual that can be used according to the content of the phone call.

Here, we introduce a manual that can be used when responding to incoming calls and making outgoing calls .

case to receive phone

When receiving a call from a customer or business partner, it is important to pick up the phone as soon as possible .

In general, it is said that it is good to respond before the ring tone rings three times .

It would be a good idea to include an apology phrase in the manual just in case you make the other person wait for a long time . .).

Also, the manual should describe the basic flow when responding to incoming calls. An example is summarized below.

1. Pick up the handset when the ringtone rings
2. Name this company name, department name, name
3. Get the other person’s name and requirements
4. Take notes of necessary information while listening
5. take action according to requirements
6. Hang up after the other party hangs up

In “5. Respond according to the business”, if you introduce how to transfer and how to return calls, even newcomers will be able to handle calls smoothly.

Also, it is effective to prepare a template of the memo for the transfer of the telephone .

People who have just joined the company may not know the existence of the intermediary memo, so it is safe to write it in the manual as well.

Flow when making a call to the other party

In the manual when making a call, let’s first call attention to the time zone when making a call .

For example, it is good etiquette to avoid sending messages before the start of work, early in the week, during lunch breaks, or outside business hours .

If you really need to make a call during these hours, it would be a good idea to write it in your manual so that you can add a line like the following.

• “Excuse me for being so early in the morning. I’m ○○ from ○○ company.”
• “I’m sorry to bother you during busy hours. I’m ○○ from ○○ company.”

Also, just like when making a call, if you write the flow when making a call in the manual, it will be easier for employees who are in charge of calling for the first time to grasp the procedure.

The basic procedure for making a call is as follows.

1. Organize your business in advance
2. send
3. ask for someone’s name
4. Communicate your company name, department name, name, and business
5. Quietly hang up the phone when finished talking

When you hang up the phone, write in your manual to thank the caller by saying, “Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to respond.”

We also have a procedure for dealing with phone problems

Company phone calls are not always general inquiries. Therefore, let’s put the correspondence procedure in case of trouble in the manual.

here,

• when you receive a complaint
• When it is difficult to hear the other party’s voice
• When an inquiry cannot be answered immediately

I will touch on the flow of correspondence.

When you receive a complaint call

If someone who is not accustomed to answering the phone receives a complaint, there is a possibility that the conversation will get bigger .

It would be nice if the person in charge who first received the call could complete it, but the manual should state, “If it is difficult for you to deal with it by yourself, ask your superior to make a decision as soon as possible. ” I would say

After mentioning this at the beginning, we recommend that you put together a manual on how to properly respond to complaints.

1. apologize for making someone uncomfortable
2. Listen to what the other person is saying to check the facts and understand the situation
3. offer a solution to the problem

When it is difficult to hear the other party’s voice

Even if it is difficult to hear the other person’s voice, it is NG in business to clearly say “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you…” .

Depending on how you perceive it, the other person may feel “blame”.

When it is difficult to hear the other party’s voice on a business phone call, it is good manners to say, “Sorry, it seems that the call is a little far away…”

If you still can’t hear the other person’s voice, say, “I’m very sorry, but it seems that the phone is far away, so I’ll call you back.”

When an inquiry cannot be answered immediately

If you are unable to respond immediately to an inquiry from a customer or business partner , write in the manual that you do not have to force yourself to answer on the spot.

I would like the person in charge to understand that it is better to take time to check the information internally and give an appropriate answer rather than answering with the wrong information or your own expectations.

If we can confirm within 30 seconds, we will temporarily put the call on hold.

If the internal confirmation takes longer than that, write in the manual that you will tell the customer or business partner your refusal and return it.

summary

The quality of telephone correspondence tends to vary depending on the person , so it is important to define the appropriate correspondence in the manual.

Let’s create a telephone support manual that suits your company by referring to the contents introduced this time.

It is also recommended to practice while having employees actually use the manual in training.