Phone Skills For The Information Age

152 Pages·2005·2.761 MB·English

by  Dorothy A. Maxwell

PHONE SKILLS FOR THE
INFORMATION AGE
THIRD EDITION

PHONE SKILLS FOR THE
INFORMATION AGE
THIRD EDITION
DOROTHY MAXWELL
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PHONE SKILLS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE
Published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY, 10020. Copyright ©2006, 1998, 1991 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Allrights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means,
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Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for
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Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the
United States.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 QPD/QPD 0 9 8 7
ISBN 978-0-07-301727-3
MHID 0-07-301727-2
Editorial director: John E. Biernat
Publisher: Linda Schreiber
Sponsoring editor: Doug Hughes
Developmental editor: Megan Gates
Editorial assistant: Peter Vanaria
Marketing manager: Keari Bedford
Media producer: Benjamin Curless
Project manager: Harvey Yep
Lead production supervisor: Michael R. McCormick
Design coordinator: Cara David
Photo research coordinator: Kathy Shive
Senior media project manager: Rose M. Range
Developer, Media technology: Brian Nacik
Cover design: Cara David
Cover images: ©Getty Images, ©Corbis Images
Interior design: Cara David
Typeface: 11.5/13 Times
Compositor: GTS – York, PA Campus
Printer: Quebecor World Dubuque Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maxwell, Dorothy (Dorothy A.)
Phone skills for the Information Age/Dorothy Maxwell.—3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-07-301727-2 (alk. paper)
1. Phone in business. 2. Phone etiquette. I. Title.
HF5541.T4M39 2005
651.7 3—dc22
2004065601
www.mhhe.com
BRIEF CONTENTS
1 Communicating Positively 1 5 Servicing the Customer on the
Phone 99
2 Making Phone Calls 27
6 Using Phone and Phone-Related
3 Handling Incoming Phone Calls 51
Equipment and Technology 117
4 Handling Special Types of Phone
Calls 75 GLOSSARY 135
INDEX 139
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR viii Phone Services 39
A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR ix
Activity 2-4: Choosing Operator-Assisted
DEDICATION x
Phone Services 40
Time and Charges 42
CHAPTER 1 Summary 43
Communicating Positively 1 Application Activity 2-1: Which Optional Calling
Service Should Be Used? 44
Assessment 1-1: Assess Your Phone Skills 2
Application Activity 2-2: Using Your
The Process of Communicating 3
Phone Directory 44
Activity 1-1: Communicating without Seeing 4
Application Activity 2-3: Paying Less for More 46
Activity 1-2: Pronouncing and Enunciating 6
Case Study 2-1: The Confused Caller 47
Assessment 1-2: Assess Your Listening Skill 8
Case Study 2-2: “Are You There?” 49
Activity 1-3: Positive and Negative Phone Talk 9
Activity 1-4: Interference with Listening When
Using the Phone 11
CHAPTER 3
Activity 1-5: Dealing with Distractions 12
Handling Incoming Phone Calls 51
Stages of a Phone Call 14
Preparing for Incoming Calls 52
Activity 1-6: Courteous and Professional
Answering the Phone 53
Communication 16
Activity 3-1: Identify Yourself When Answering
Activity 1-7: Expressing Needs over the Phone 17
the Phone 55
Activity 1-8: Identifying Questions over the Phone 19
Activity 3-2: Screening Calls 58
Summary 21
Activity 3-3: Placing Calls on and Removing Them
Application Activity 1-1: Listening for Positive
from Hold 60
Communication 22
Activity 3-4: Analyzing Incoming Calls 62
Application Activity 1-2: Do You Have a Minute to
Activity 3-5: Incomplete Messages 64
Answer My Questions? 23
Activity 3-6: Taking Messages 66
Case Study 1-1: The Interrupting Manager 24
Summary 68
Case Study 1-2: Receptionist In a Communication
Crisis! 25 Application Activity 3-1: Arranging a Workstation 68
Application Activity 3-2: Screening Calls 69
Application Activity 3-3: Leaving Messages Efficiently
CHAPTER 2
on Answering Machines 70
Making Phone Calls 27
Case Study 3-1: The Inconsiderate
Assessment 2-1: Assess Your Phone Representative 72
Readiness 28
Case Study 3-2: The Case of the Automated
Preparing to Make Phone Calls 29 Caller 73
Activity 2-1: Making Long-Distance Calls in a
“Timely” Manner 31
Phone Directories 31 CHAPTER 4
Activity 2-2: “Let Your Fingers Do the Handling Special Types of Phone Calls 75
Walking” 33
Requesting Information 76
Using PhoneDirectories 33
Activity 4-1: Obtaining Information over the
Using Directory Assistance 36 Phone 77
Activity 2-3: Locating Phone Numbers 36 Activity 4-2: Expressing Your Needs Clearly 78
vi
vii Table of Contents
Calls Scheduling Appointments 82 Activity 5-4: Leaving Messages for Customers 109
Assessment 4-1: Assess Your Readiness to Schedule Servicing Customers While Using the Internet 110
Appointments 81 Understanding Customer Needs 111
Activity 4-3: Are These Scheduled Appointments Customer Service Tips 112
Complete? 82
Summary 112
Handling Complaint Calls 83
Application Activity 5-1: Your Perception of
Activity 4-4: Information Request and Customer Service 113
Complaint Calls 84
Application Activity 5-2: Customer Service
Making Collection Calls 87 Courtesy 114
Activity 4-5: How Would You Handle These Case Study 5-1: Assessing Customer Service 115
Collection Call Scenarios? 88
Case Study 5-2: Your Attitude Controls
Telemarketing Calls 89 Your Altitude 116
Summary 92
Application Activity 4-1: Practicing
Positive Responses 93 CHAPTER 6
Using Phone and Phone-Related
Application Activity 4-2: What Messages Do Pictures
Equipment and Technology 117
Convey in Handling Special Types of Phone Calls? 94
Case Study 4-1: The Inexperienced Today’s Phone Technology 118
Telemarketer 96 Activity 6-1: Selecting Phones 125
Case Study 4-2: A Rapidly Developing Scheduling Activity 6-2: Using Phone-Related Equipment 125
Situation at Limington Rapids Total Body Care Online Technology 126
Center! 97
Activity 6-3: Choosing Auxiliary Phone Equipment
and Tools 128
CHAPTER 5 Summary 129
Servicing the Customer on the Phone 99 Application Activity 6-1: Recommending Phone and
Auxiliary Equipment 129
Assessment 5-1: Assess Your Customer Service
Phone Skills 100 Application Activity 6-2: Shopping for a
Cell Phone 130
Servicing Customers—What’s It All About? 101
Application Activity 6-3: How Should I Behave with
Activity 5-1: Using the Right Words with
MyCell Phone? 131
Customers 102
Case Study 6-1: The Home Insurance Adjuster 132
Activity 5-2: How’s the Customer Service? 103
Case Study 6-2: Is Margaret Ready for a
Activity 5-3: Listening to Your Customers’
Cell Phone? 133
Needs 106
Using the Right Technology for Efficient
Customer Service 107 GLOSSARY 135
Tips for More Effective Use of Voice Mail, Answering
INDEX 139
Machines, and Pagers 108
vii
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dorothy A. Maxwell is a teacher of business and technology at Sacopee
Valley High School in South Hiram, Maine, as well as Coordinator of Career
and Technical Education and Teacher Induction. She has authored numerous
articles and co-authored and authored several books in the area of business
and education, including the two previous editions of this text-workbook.
Dorothy has been recognized by her colleagues and students by being
named Maine’s Teacher of the Year. She also has been recognized nationally
by receiving a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and has
served as President of the National Business Education Association. She cur-
rently serves on the Board of Directors for the Maine Association of Super-
vision and Curriculum Development as well as the York County Federal
Credit Union.
Dorothy is a native of Maine and resides in Cornish, Maine, with her
husband, Jim, and their two cats.
Dorothy may be reached at 207-625-4461 or by e-mail at djmaxwell@
adelphia.net. Her mailing address is PO Box 646, Cornish, ME 04020-0646.
viii
A MESSAGE FROM
THE AUTHOR
PHONE SKILLS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE, Third Edition, recog-
nizes the extremely important role the phone plays in communicating glob-
ally in an efficient and professional manner.
Each of the six chapters in the text-workbook focuses on the following
topics:
Chapter 1: Communicating Positively
Chapter 2: Making Phone Calls
Chapter 3: Handling Incoming Phone Calls
Chapter 4: Handling Special Types of Phone Calls
Chapter 5: Servicing the Customer on the Phone
Chapter 6: Using Phone and Phone-Related Equipment and Technology
Each chapter is supported by activities, pictures, and marginal reminders
and concludes with a summary, reinforcement applications, and case studies
to review and reinforce the emphasis of the topic being studied.
PHONE SKILLS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE, Third Edition, is sup-
ported by a DVD that reinforces concepts presented in the text-workbook.
An Instructor’s Resource CD contains teaching suggestions, PowerPoint pre-
sentations, and a test bank. Access to McGraw-Hill/Irwin’s Online Learning
Center provides additional support directly from the author as well as test
questions.
By studying PHONE SKILLS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE, Third
Edition, you will continue to learn and refine outstanding phone skills that
you can use for a lifetime of positive communication!
—Dorothy A. Maxwell
ix
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my husband, Dr. G.W. (Jim) Maxwell, a truly
great communicator. Thank you for your love, inspiration, and support
during the writing of PHONE SKILLS FOR THE INFORMATION AGE,
Third Edition.
x