Telephone Skills from A to Z, Instructor Edition

R 218.02

Telephone Skills from A to Z

Course Specifications

Course Number: CCT–091_rev4.0

Course Length: Self-study or classroom training

Course Description

The 50-Minute Manager Series was designed to cover critical business and professional development topics in the shortest time possible. Our easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format can be used for self-study or classroom training, or even office training. With a wealth of hands-on exercises, the 50-Minute books keep you engaged and help you retain critical skills.

Your company's reputation is on the line--literally. Make proper exceptional phone skills a standard throughout your organization with this practical guide. This self-paced book walks through how to adopt a professional, friendly tone from the initial greeting to the final good-bye--and how to handle whatever arises in between.

Course Objective: The objectives of this book are to help the user:

  • Learn basic telephone courtesies
  • Handle telephone conversation problems
  • Learn what to avoid in telephoning

Course Content

Part 1: A–F

Introduction
Attitude: It’s Your Choice
Be Friendly Before You Know Who It Is
Buffer Words
Bureaucratic Bounce
Call Centers
Cellular Phones
Cliff-Hangers
Company Jargon
Controlling the Conversation
Don’t Be Too Busy to Be Nice
Eight Great Hates
Email
Emotional Leakage
Fast Talkers
Five Forbidden Phrases
Foreign Accents
Front-Line Operators

Part 2: G–M

Getting a Phone Number
Gum Chewing
Hold
“How Can I Help You?”
“I Don’t Know”
Internal Calls
Internet
Irate Callers
I.Q. Test
“I’m Sorry”
"Just a Second"
K.I.S.S. Method
Leave a Good Last Impression
Message Mangling
Message Taking 1
Message Taking 2
Mirror on Your Desk
Music (or Announcements) on Hold

Part 3: N–U

"No" at the Start of a Sentence
Obscene Phone Calls
People Before Paperwork!
"Please...Thank You...You're Welcome"
Public Sector
Quality Is a Four-Letter Word
Receptionist
Returning Phone Calls
Rushing Callers
Screening Calls
Six Cardinal Rules of Customer Service
Slow Talkers
Smile
Speakerphones
Swear-Stoppers
Three-Part Greeting
Tone of Voice
Transferring Calls
Unavoidable Delays in Answering.

Part 4: V–Z

Voicemail--Curse or Cure?
Voicemail General Tips
We Are Customers to Each Other
"We Can't Do That"
Welcome Guest
X-Rated
"You'll Have to."
Zest