TELEPHONE SKILLS

RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS

By Training Team
OBJECTIVE:
Understand the role of the telephone
operator

Know how to receive incoming calls

Able to take the message

Understand the important of attitude

in customer service
WHEN YOU ANSWER
THE TELEPHONE:

The first 4 to 6 seconds are

critical - because that’s all
the time you get to make a
good first impression on the
telephone.
ANSWER PROMPTLY
“WITH A SMILE”
Polite answer help us:
- Build a reputation of efficiency
- Give a businesslike impression
- Gain potential customers
- Create a good image of our hotel
- Reduce the amount of telephone equipment
needed by our hotel
ANSWER PROMPTLY
(cont’d)“WITH A SMILE”
DO NOT FORGET:
- To answer by at least the third ring
- To put a smile in our voice…we will win
friends
- To be interested…it will help us retain
friends
IDENTIFY OURSELVES

PROPER IDENTIFICATION:
- Establishes confidence with our customer
- Creates a professional and friendly tone
- Eliminates guess work and saves time
- Indicates that you are a responsible person
- Prompts the caller to identify himself and his
company
CREATE A GOOD IMAGE

In some one absence, and asking for, answer:

- “Mr.Budi, is out of the office for about an hour. May I ask him
to call you?”
- “Mr.Monang, is in meeting this morning. Would like to talk
with his assistant Mr.Prio?”
- “Mr.Ryan, has stepped away from his office for few minutes.
This is his staff. May I help you?
CREATE A GOOD IMAGE
(cont’d)
Do not say:

- “He hasn’t come in yet”

- “I don’t know where he is”
- “He left the office early today”
- “He’s out to lunch”
IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE EXPLAIN
WHY
• We can say:
- “It will take a few minutes to get that
information. Would you care to wait or
may I call you back?”
- Get the caller’s consent to wait
- Use hold button if telephone is so
equipped
IF YOU LEAVE THE LINE EXPLAIN
WHY(cont’d)
• Be sure to:
- Avoid lengthy waiting time
- Return to the line every 30 or 40 seconds to let
the caller know what the progress has been
made
- Get caller’s attention and thank him for waiting
when returning to the line.
Say: “Mr.Budi, thank you for waiting.”
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
PROCEDURE:
Operators who have to screen the telephone
shall answer
ENGLISH :
Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings
1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling
(hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?
• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to
2. May I know who’s calling please?
• The caller will mention their name
• Please hold the line, Mr / Mrs. XXXX
• Operator introduce the name of the caller to the
person/department to whom the line is being transferred.
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
PROCEDURE:
Operators who have to screen the
telephone shall answer
BAHASA INDONESIA :
Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings
1.    Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for
calling (hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I
assist you?
• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to
2. Maaf, dengan siapa saya bicara ?
• The caller will mention their name
• Mohon ditunggu, Ibu/Bapak XXX
• Operator introduce the name of the caller to the
person/department to whom the line is being transferred.
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
PROCEDURE:

Operators who DO NOT screen the telephone

shall answer
ENGLISH :
Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings
1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling
(hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?
• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to
2. Hold the line please ?

BAHASA INDONESIA :
Answers telephone promptly within the first three (3) rings
1.     Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for calling
(hotel name), (Name) Speaking, how may I assist you?
• the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to
2. Mohon ditunggu, bapak/ibu.
Internal Call 
Standard Answer :

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Thank you for

calling (Section), (Name) Speaking, how may I
assist you?

Example : GREETING

“Good Morning, Thank you for calling Reception, Monang

speaking..,how may I assist you?”
IDENTIFYING NEEDS
• May I know, who’s calling please?
( the caller will mention to whom they would like to speak to )

• Hold the line please?

( then TRANSFER CALL PROPERLY )

TRANSFER CALLS ONLY :

If we are unable to help the caller.

If we are certain we understand what he wants.
If we know who can help the caller.
If we explain why call is being transferred and he agrees.
IDENTIFYING NEEDS (cont’d)
DOUBLE CHECK :

Transfer procedures appropriate for our hotel.

CONSIDER :

Advisability of a “ Call Back” BE INITIATIVE

Advantages of relaying information to another party

before transferring.
DOCUMENTATION
By MESSAGE TAKING :

The information to be obtained:

- The nature of the request

- The name of the caller
- The section / department / company of the caller
- The address, telephone and / or fax number
- The name / title of the designator
- The message, accurate and complete but short and to the point
- The date and time of the message taken
- The signature of the staff member concerned
RECAP

Thank you for your information, Now I would

like to repeat your message, …..

FAREWELL
Thank you for calling (hotel/section) have a
nice day, good bye
THE VOICE YOU PROJECTED
IS DETERMINED BY:
• ENERGY

• RATE OF SPEECH

• PITCH

• QUALITY
VOICE RECORDING

• Go to another room, answer the

telephone as per standard

Your voice and answer will be

recorded and review after
Courteous Actions
• Answer the telephone within 3 rings
• Speak clearly into the receiver, holding the
mouthpiece about one inch from your mouth
• Let the guest know you are listening by giving
him listening signals : e.g. “ Yes”, “I see”, “yes
Sir”, “Certainly Sir”, “I understand”, or repeat
the key point of what he says
• Concentrate on the telephone call
Courteous Action (cont’d)

• Make notes if guest giving you an order, or

complaint, or if you are very busy. Don’t trust
your memory
• Let the guest hang up first
• Don’t play with the telephone cord
• If you need to transfer the call, then do so. And
when you know his name, tell the other dept who
is calling. And if the caller has given you the
details of what he wants, explain so that he does
not have to repeat all over again
Common Mistakes

• Being slow to answer the telephone

• Speaking too softly, too loudly, too slowly, too quickly or
mumbling
• Not holding the telephone receiver correctly
• Listening in complete silence so that the guest does not
know if you are still there
• Not listening properly, try to listen and do something
else at the same time
• Not repeating the guest’s request or not double checking
information given
Common Mistakes (cont’d)

• In case of wrong number, hanging up

without saying a word
• Banging the telephone when hanging up
• Hanging up before the guest does
• Falling to apologize if telephone has been
ringing many times
Avoid Slang !!!
DON’T  DO 
• OK • Yes
• Yeah
• Certainly
• Uh-huh
• Bye-bye
• Of course
• Goodbye
KEEP A LIST OF FREQUENTLY
CALLED NUMBERS
• The advantages:
- We’ll save time and
complete our calls
much faster
- It will help
eliminate wrong
number?
LEAVE WORD WHEN WE LEAVE
THE OFFICE
• Leave a message when leaving your
telephone:
- Indicate how long you will be gone
- Indicate where you can be reached in an
emergency
FIVE IMPORTANT ITEMS
ABOUT ATTITUDE:

• Your attitude toward customers influences your

behaviour
• Your attitude determines the level of your job
satisfaction
• Your attitude affects everyone who comes in contact
with you.
• Your attitude is not only reflected by your tone of voice
• Your attitude is not fixed.
 And Don’t Forget…
Put smile on your voice!
“A telephone call is not an interruption
of work, it is one of the basic reasons
for it”

 