How to Talk on the Phone

If there's one thing that working in a call center has taught me, it's that our society has a whole has zero idea what it means to have proper phone ettiquette. Every day, I am appalled at what people think is acceptable behavior over the phone. So, I decided to share with you dear readers what are/are not appropriate ways to handle yourself when you make a call to any kind of business or company, which, by the way, are common communication techniques that should be expected in childhood.

LISTEN:

• Wait for the other person to finish talking before you speak. Interruptions are generally considered rude, counter-productive, and frankly, annoying.
• Pay attention to what the representative is saying. This way you can answer their questions accurately and without them having to feel like they're a cd with a scratch through it. Repeating the same thing multiple times gets old fast.
• Take the answers you're given. Repeating yourself is just as annoying to the representative as them having to repeat themselves. Reiterating your problem seventeen times is not going to get you a better or different answer. Chances are, they understood you the first time. If they didn't, they'll ask you to clarify. Also, don't argue with or question their answers. Doing so will make them change their mind and give you an answer worse than what you're already upset about.

STAY CALM AND RESPECTFUL

• No matter how serious you feel your concern is, and no matter how upset you are, don't shout at, curse at, or name call the person who is taking your call. You will get a far better response if you're not screaming so loud the representative has to worry about hearing damage.
• Manners and politeness go a long way. Chances are, whoever is taking your call wants to help you. If you're nice to them, they'll be nice to you. If you are understanding or even respectful, they will help you to rectify your situation. If you're looking to be reimbursed, they'll be more generous. If you're rude, snappy, or shouting, don't be surprised if you get jipped.
• Don't blame the person answering the phone. It's very likely they had nothing to do with whatever the problem is and are likely just taking the phone calls and passing the information on to the person or department who is responsible.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN:

• When making a call, go in a quiet room - away from the blaring tv or radio, screaming kids, heavy traffic, or any other disruptive noises. It makes it harder for you to hear the representative and harder for them to hear you. This makes the call frustrating, longer than it needs to be, is considered rude and annoying and your representative may need to get his/her hearing checked after your call.
• If you must stay in a noisy room, carry on one conversation at a time, most preferably putting your priorities with the phone call YOU made. If something else is going on in the background, don't yell at someone in the room, espeically without pulling the phone away from your mouth. This is the equivalent of screaming in a representative's face.

ENUNCIATE:

• When making any kind of phone call, make sure you speak clearly so whoever takes your call can understand you, and thus, will be able to properly help you. Don't mumble, and don't talk with food in your mouth. The importance of enunciation is particularly critical when giving any kind of personal information such as your name and address. If you're getting something replaced or sent in the mail, you need to make sure you are heard well enough for your mail to get to the right place.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

• Wait for questions to be asked before you answer them. This may sound preposterous, but in all reality of answering a phone for a living, it's absolutely a legitimate issue. Trust me, the representative will appreciate your willingness to help them, but the most helpful thing you can do is wait until they tell you what they need. Don't blurt out information you think they may need before they ask for it. Chances are it may not be what they're looking for, or they're not ready for it yet. This will make the call smoother and shorter for both of you.
• Speaking of not blurting out information, don't spill your guts to the representative. He or she does not want to know your entire life story, especially for ten minutes straight. S/he has a job to do, which is try to help you, but hearing about every one of your grandchildren makes it difficult to accomplish said job. Not to mention, that representative is a stranger. Actually, they're less than a stranger. They're just a voice over the phone. Which means there is no need for you to share personal information, and that stranger has zero desire to hear about it.