HEALTH MATTERS 93 communication
Tools of the Trade – Telephone Etiquette
We all know how valuable good customer service is and in the HSE we interact with the public on a day-to-day basis, whether it is in person, on the phone or on email. Good communication is vital to improving our service to the public so in this first part of a series of communication updates, we offer a few tips to guide you when dealing with people on the phone.
Always answer the phone with a friendly, warm tone and identify yourself and your department. Remember that you may be the first and only contact a person may have with your department, and that first impression will stay with the caller long after the call is completed.
Listen to the caller's query and if transferring a call, be sure to explain to the caller that you are doing so and where you are transferring them. If the caller has reached the wrong department, be patient and polite, sometimes they have been transferred quite a lot to many different departments. If possible, attempt to find out where they should call/to whom they should speak. If this is not possible take their name and number and pass it on to the most appropriate person who can help them.
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extension (including area code). Repeat the message to the caller to make sure you have taken it down correctly.
Don’t forget that if a caller is looking for someone else who is not available at that time, you can transfer them to voicemail instead of taking a message, but don’t forget to
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When taking messages be sure to ask for the caller’s name (asking the caller for correct spelling) and the phone number and/or
ask, “Would you like me to transfer you to ______’s voicemail?” Do not assume that the caller would rather go to voicemail. Always ask first.
When handling callers who are rude or impatient, stay calm, try to remain diplomatic, polite and speak slowly and calmly. Getting angry will only make them angrier. Always show willingness to resolve the problem or conflict and try to think like the caller – their problems and concerns are important.
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If you have tried to deal with the caller (referred to in No.5) and the caller persists in making nuisance calls, do not engage him/her in conversation. If he or she is abusive then you should end the call and report it to your line manager. Do not hang up the phone! First tell the caller that you will not listen to abuse and that you will be terminating the call. If you are concerned about security as a result of the call convey your concerns to your line manager.
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If you are making a call on behalf of the HSE, always know and state the purpose of the communication. If you need to delay the conversation, call to postpone it, but do not make the other person wait around for your call.
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constantly reach your voicemail instead of you, they will suspect that you are avoiding calls.
Be sure to record your own personal greeting for your voicemail. People tend to feel that they have already lost the personal communication touch because of voicemail. Be sure to include in your name and department in your greeting so that people know they have reached the correct person.
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Be sure to check your messages daily and return messages within 24 hours (or Monday if messages come in
at the weekend). If it will take longer than 24 hours to get a response, call the person and advise him/her.
Voicemail has many benefits and advantages when used properly. However, you should not hide behind voicemail. If callers
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