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ISSN 1939-2834
Vol. 2, No. 11 | March 17, 2008
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In This Issue:
From the Editor
If you were a fan of the 60s television comedy Laugh In, you
might remember Lily Tomlin's character Ernestine, the gum-chewing, wise-cracking,
snorting telephone operator. Oh, she could sock it to'em! But when it
comes to your business, you don't want to be slinging zingers at your
callers. Mary Judge has some reminders this week that never go out of
style.
To your success!
Danielle Keister
Founder & CVO
Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
Make It or Break It
with Proper Phone Etiquette
 We've
come a long way since 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell called his assistant
and said, "Mr. Watson. Come here. I need you." Since then, telephones
have evolved from that simple person-to-person call to operator-assisted
calling, self-dialing, touch-tone, party lines, digital, cell phones,
voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP), call display... the list goes on
and on, and we are now so dependent on the phone that we can't even imagine
our lives without it.
Whether we like it or not, the telephone is part of our
every day personal and professional lives. That is why telephone etiquette
is so important. But it's probably something that we don't even think
much about until we've had a telephone experience where we have been treated
poorly.
Following are some common sense bits that will help you
give, and get, courteous telephone exchanges.
Making Calls
- Don't assume the recipient knows
who you are. Identify yourself and why you are calling.
- Speak clearly. There is
nothing more annoying than having to ask a caller to repeat what they've
said.
- Remember your manners.
Be just as courteous as you would if you were speaking in person.
- Make your request short and concise.
Remember that you are calling a business and they may be busy answering
a number of calls besides yours.
- Ask to speak to the person you
are calling. If you don't know who that is, be sure your inquiry
is clear and let the person know why you are calling.
Answering Calls
- Be clear. As with making
calls, remember to speak clearly and identify your name and the company
you are with so that the caller knows they have reached the correct
number.
- Smile. Even answering
the phone, it makes you sound much happier and ready to help.
- Be prepared. Have a pen
and paper handy for writing down important information.
- Ask. Before putting a
caller on hold, ask them first if it is okay to do so. Wait for their
response.
- Don't leave callers on hold.
It is better to take a message and call the person back than to leave
them on hold indefinitely.
- Do what you say. Make
sure you return messages and call people back when you say you will.
- Let the caller hang up first.
To callers, it is rude to have the phone slammed down when they aren't
finished.
Proper etiquette goes a long way in person-to-person contact, but it
is even more important on the telephone. The other person can't see you,
nor can you see them. Remember that a lot of business deals are either
made or broken over the phone. First impressions mean a lot.
RESOURCE: For an insightful
look at how one university does it well, read this handbook written for
the staff and students of Southern Illinois University at http://www.infotech.siu.edu/telecom/etiquette.pdf
 About
the Author: Mary Judge owns Virtually
Working for You and has more than 25 years experience as an administrative
professional working for senior management in sales and marketing. Her
vast experience allows her to provide a wide range of services to help
you effectively operate and manage your administrative business needs.
Her top-notch skills in PowerPoint, Excel and Word allow her to provide
you with the administrative support that you and your clients need. To
find out more about Mary's services, visit her website at http://www.VirtuallyWorkingForYou.com
FREE
Teleseminar on March 20, 2008: Small Business—No Place for Sissies
 Join
us for a rousing session with motivational business speaker Barbara "Don't
Make Me Slap You' Grassey on Thursday, March
20. Barbara is a professional writer, speaker, instructor and stand
up comic. She’s jumped out of airplanes, touched a whale in the
wild, and sailed internationally on cruise ships. She’s lived many
of her dreams and is committed to helping others achieve their dreams.
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Gritty Business Buzz is a weekly newsletter of
the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce published each Monday.
It is produced by Virtual Assistants especially for the gritty,
resourceful, fiercely determined small business owners and independent
professionals they serve--YOU!
EDITOR: Danielle
Keister, The
Relief Virtual Assistance
MANAGING EDITOR, BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT: Karen Del'Marmol, Karen
Del'Marmol
MANAGING EDITOR, MARKETING
& NETWORKING: Laura Lee Sparks, The
Simple Solution
MANAGING EDITOR, VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE
OUTSOURCING: Joy Slaughter, A
Capital Solution
MANAGING EDITOR, STRESS BUSTERS:
LaTanya Robinson, LaRobe
Business Solutions
MANAGING EDITOR, TECHNOLOGY:
Sandi Johnson, Virtually
Yours LLC
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