Using the telephone

The nature of telephone activity in the hotel industry:

Nowadays, every hotel, regardless of its size and situation, has a telephone board/ exchange.
The larger the property, the greater is the need for more incoming and outgoing lines and
internal extensions.

A small hotel may have a switchboard placed at the reception counter. The receptionist
operates it adding to her usual responsibilities.

A large hotel, on the other hand, has a dedicated room to house the telephone switchboard
with operators who operate them. The room adjoins the reception area as both have to
coordinate for better service.

The need for developing telephone skills:

Very often, the first and sometimes the only contact a guest may have with a hotel, is with
the telephone operator. The speed and manner with which the call is attended to leaves a
lasting impression--- either good or bad. It is of paramount importance for all telephone
operators to attend to call promptly, with a clear, friendly voice, the tone of which conveys
courtesy, patience and cheerfulness.

Developing telephone skills:

Employees must be trained well in telephone skills. It is always advantageous when the
hotel have a telephone policy in place so that the procedures of answering, transferring, and
making telephone calls can be strictly adhered to.

Certain must-dos in answering telephone calls are following:

 Answer all calls promptly, at the most before the third ring.
 Answer politely, with a smile on your face, as it can be ‘heard’ by the person at the
other end.
 Start with a greeting apt for the time of day.
 Introduce yourself by name.
 Identify your department.
 Ask how may be of assistance.
 Listen to the caller attentively and let him/ her finish speaking before replying.
 Request any other information required for you to clarify what precisely the called
needs. Understand his/ her needs completely.
 Ascertain the caller’s name and identify. Use the caller’s name when speaking.
 Assure the caller of your assistance, outlining the course of action you propose to
take.
  Take the proposed action and get back to the caller to inform him/ her of what has
been done. Check that all is now to their satisfaction.
 Allow caller to disconnect the call first and then you disconnect.

In case the assistance required is not in your hands or the kind of assistance required is some
other employee’s responsibility, transfer the call to the concerned person after informing
the caller of the same.

Taking messages: There are situations when you have to take messages on some other
employee’s or guest’s behalf. Write the message down on a message pad. Take the message
accurately, in a neat handwriting. Ensure that you fill in the date, the time, the name of the
person for whom the message is intended, the name of the caller, the contact number of the
caller, and a brief description of the message. Inform the caller that you will definitely pass
on the message as soon as possible. After disconnecting, ensure that the concerned person
receives the message as soon as possible.

Therefore, the person handling telephone in hotel must be polite, service-minded and
informative to create a good impression.