Telephone conversations have long been importanta business tool and simply a part of our lives. And it is clear that if you want to give the impression of an intelligent girl or woman, communication on the phone should be polite. And not only with relatives, friends and girlfriends, but also with strangers - this is what modern etiquette says. If you follow the basic rules of communication on the phone, politeness will always be your calling card. It will help you form or strengthen a positive image. Of course, politeness is also needed at work. Compliance with the rules of business conversation can affect the image of your company in general and your image as a business lady in particular. Therefore, it is worth learning how to answer phone calls correctly if you want to make a successful career in the office or in your personal business. It is not so difficult to master the etiquette of a business conversation on the phone: the main thing is to remember the basic rules, which this article is dedicated to. A small caveat: of course, our main focus will be on the art of correctly conducting a conversation with business partners, clients, suppliers, superiors, subordinates. But we will not miss the nuances of, so to speak, informal telephone communication techniques. After all, during conversations with girlfriends, relatives, young men, there may also be "pitfalls" that a well-mannered girl should avoid. So the etiquette of business communication will be supplemented by the secrets of informal telephone conversation.

Do not long ring

After dialing the number you are interested in, while waitingDo not hold the phone for too long to answer. The optimal waiting time is no more than five or six rings. If you have not received an answer within this time, then the person you are calling has either gone away or is too busy and cannot talk now. In any case, do not forget about politeness when filling your office with endless calls. If they call you, then you need to answer the call after the second or third ring. Such efficiency will help the caller save time and demonstrate your good business qualities. Modern etiquette implies that the rules apply not only during a business conversation, but also during informal communication. Even your best friend's number should not be dialed ten times in five minutes (unless, of course, something vital has happened). If they do not pick up the phone right away, it means that for some reason they cannot do this - you need to be patient. It is better to dial the number after a while or wait until they call you back. And it is also better to pick up the phone (or accept the call on your mobile) without unnecessary delays. Even if you know that your number is just being dialed to chat. Etiquette dictates the same two or three calls. And really, why make the person wait longer?

Introduce yourself by giving your full name

The called subscriber states his name first, thenthere is someone who answers the phone. When you pick up the phone, always start with a greeting, then state your position in the company (or the name of the department you work in) and your full name. Usually, the company's management decides in advance how exactly employees should refer to the company when answering the phone - corporate etiquette suggests that it should be a short but complete introduction to the organization, which would be suitable for answering the entire range of possible incoming calls. But when calling within the company, it is enough to say only your full name. It is also advisable to add one or two phrases at the very beginning of the conversation that would help create a pleasant atmosphere and show the interlocutor your goodwill and desire to help. Inexpressive "Hello" or "I'm listening!" are inappropriate, since they will not give the caller any information - he will be forced to ask where he is and who is talking to him. In addition, the greeting gives the caller enough time to prepare to perceive important information for him. Of course, informal communication is much simpler in this regard: at the beginning of a regular, not business, conversation, there is no need to give your last name or position, there is no need to choose the first phrase. Etiquette will not be violated if you simply say: "Hi, this is..." - the main thing is that the interlocutor understands who is talking to him. If you are calling an old friend (girlfriend), close relatives (for example, with your mother or sister) or a young man - with someone who knows you by voice - you do not need to introduce yourself at all, but simply exchange greetings. Yes, etiquette may prescribe a more respectful beginning, for example: "Hello" or "Good afternoon" and by name and patronymic, but only when in real life you communicate in exactly the same way. And remember that a well-mannered girl or woman maintains the sequence of exchanging greetings typical for business communication even in an informal conversation. If you call, let the person say hello, don't interrupt (even if it's your best friend), and then greet them yourself and tell them what you want. If they call you, say hello, and then let the person greet you and listen carefully to them - the etiquette will be impeccably observed.

Always ask if you are calling in time

If you are the one calling, always ask if they havethe other person time to listen to you. It's not just a matter of politeness, although that's also very important. If your interlocutor is too busy with something at the moment, he will not listen to you very attentively and will not be able to fully grasp the information you provide. As a result, your call will be ineffective. Etiquette and common logic suggest that it's better not to forget about decency and use phrases like these at the beginning of a conversation:

• Can you give me five (ten, a few) minutes? I need to talk to you about ... (briefly state the essence of the matter).
• When should I call you to discuss ...? I need five minutes of your time to talk.
• If it does not make it difficult, call me back at once, how to be released.

It is especially important to ask your interlocutor if it is convenientwhether he should talk to you if you call on a mobile phone. After all, at this moment the person can be anywhere, and not everywhere he is ready to listen to business proposals. If, on the contrary, someone calls you at a time when you cannot talk, now you can ask the interlocutor to call you back. Tell him the most convenient time for a return call. You can promise that you will call back yourself. Be sure to apologize for the fact that you cannot listen to the colleague who called and are forced to interrupt the conversation. Etiquette prescribes to take these rules into account not only during business communication, but also during an informal conversation. When you dial a number, of course, you can do without dry formality, but even your mother, girlfriend or husband (boyfriend) should be asked if it is convenient for her (him) to talk now. Especially if you call a person at work. The only exceptions are those situations when you know for sure that your interlocutor is not busy with anything important right now or is specifically waiting for your call. If they call you but don’t have time to keep up the conversation, don’t be shy about saying you’re busy, even if the person on the other end of the line is someone you’re very close to and dear to. But remember that proper modern telephone communication is also an art, a skill and an ability not to offend or disappoint. Therefore, even in an informal conversation, apologize for not being able to talk and say you’ll call back. But don’t forget to keep this promise. Or say when to call you if for some reason you can’t call back yourself. This way, you’ll not only observe etiquette, but also show that you respect the person’s attention. A small addition: if you call someone quite often, especially not just your girlfriends, but for work, for business communication, it’s advisable to agree on a specific time. If a business partner knows, for example, that you’ll call him at 15:00, he’ll be able to prepare for the conversation. And vice versa: if you know that you should expect a business call, for example, at 11:15, this will give you the opportunity to plan your work day before and after that moment - this is exactly the case when etiquette works for you. And no one is stopping you from agreeing with your girlfriends and setting a time for a ten-minute daily chat. Knowing when informal communication on the phone will take place is also convenient, because every girl and woman has a bunch of other household chores and it is necessary that their solution does not coincide in time with a friendly conversation.

Do not forget the tone of your voice. Smile!

If you have never met the person before,with whom you are talking on the phone, then the only way to create a favorable impression of yourself will be the intonation of your voice. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to the tone of your voice, because this is how you can create a favorable atmosphere for an important conversation. If you smile during the conversation, your invisible interlocutor will feel sympathy for you. This will help to win him over, and your conversation will proceed more productively. And during an informal conversation, a friendly tone is also very important. Why? Just imagine the situation: everything is fine with you, but with your mother or girlfriend you speak somehow dryly, coldly, lifelessly. In such a situation, the person on the other side of the line will either become worried, and then questions will begin out of nowhere, or will be offended by you. But you yourself understand perfectly well that it is even more important to communicate kindly with people close to your heart than with business partners during a business conversation. Naturally, in an informal conversation, not only smiles are quite acceptable, but also laughter, jokes, and gags. But while having fun, do not forget that you still need to observe etiquette and not interrupt your interlocutor, even if she is your best friend and you have just come up with a very funny pun in response to something she said. Otherwise, jokes can end in insults and reproaches.

Speak clearly and accurately, accurately expressing the thought

The purpose of a business call should be to achievemutual understanding, rather than trying to provide counterarguments to every argument of the other person. Give the caller enough time to absorb your thoughts, but do not drag out the conversation so as not to lose his attention. Think about the upcoming conversation in advance in order to convey the essence of the problem as accurately as possible, avoiding lengthy and wordy reasoning. When you conduct a business conversation on the phone, the speed of speech should be almost half that of a normal conversation. This is necessary mainly because the person listening to you is limited in the ability to use other senses for perception, except for hearing. With visual contact, gestures, facial expressions and other means of non-verbal communication contribute to better understanding, while when talking on the phone, your interlocutor only hears your voice. Therefore, try to speak a little slower than usual, clearly pronouncing words and using short sentences. Speak briefly and clearly. You can easily determine the optimal pace of conversation if you listen to the way your interlocutor speaks at the very beginning of the conversation. If you want to achieve mutual understanding, it will be better if you adjust to his speech pace. If a person speaks slowly, he will not have time to follow your thoughts, listening to “a hundred words per minute”. And if the interlocutor speaks quickly, perhaps he is in a hurry, and slow speech interspersed with frequent pauses will irritate him. It is unlikely that he will ever want to talk to you again. All these rules are important not only for business communication - they are also used in informal conversation. Even if you are telling the latest news to your best friend, you should not mumble or babble - etiquette calls on you to respect your interlocutors, give them time to think, imagine, speak. Remember that the art of communication on the phone is to tell and hear, as well as to receive and give moral pleasure from a conversation with a polite person.

Ending a conversation

Hang up only when you are readyare sure that the person who called you has said everything they needed to. It would be too impolite of you to interrupt your interlocutor mid-sentence and hang up. At the very end, it is worth briefly summing up the conversation to make sure that your interlocutor has heard everything you said and that you yourself have correctly understood everything that he told you. This will help to avoid possible misunderstandings. If the conversation turned out to be longer than you expected, at the end of it, do not apologize, but thank the interlocutor for devoting his time to you. This will show that you respect his working time, and you will not have to end the conversation in an apologetic tone. Both parties will be pleased if you say goodbye in a friendly manner, wishing each other good luck or a good day. Such a wish will help to politely end an important telephone conversation. These rules of business communication are reflected in informal situations. When finishing a conversation with someone dear to your heart, you cannot say: "Bye" - and just hang up. You must wait for their answer, even if you are in a hurry. In principle, the etiquette of a well-mannered girl implies that you will follow the same rule in the case of just acquaintances or relatives. And, of course, if the person on the other side of the phone first says to you: "Goodbye", be sure to say goodbye to them politely. It is clear that if you do not do this, you may simply be offended. Moreover, the closer the person perceives you, the deeper the offense will be. Remember that correct and modern communication on the phone is an art that requires you to be attentive to the feelings of the interlocutors. We recommend reading:

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