The Lost Art Of Using The Phone
Have you looked at your office phone lately? I suppose there’s a possibility you work in a really hip office where you get a fancy headset to wear so you look like a pop star. But more than likely, you’re like me, and you have a relic from 1982 sitting on your desk. It’s probably covered with dust and sticky goo of unknown origin as well as several strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
But I think our desk phones have gone unloved for too long. It’s time for us to rediscover the lost art of using the phone. In today’s office environment, we’re all too quick to shoot an email rather than just pick up the phone and dial the digits. Sometimes the fastest distance between two points really is a phone call.
Given that we all use email so much, I personally find that people have forgotten (or perhaps they never learned in the first place) how to make a professional phone call. Below are six of my personal pet peeves. Hopefully you don’t recognize yourself in any of these descriptions.
1. Keeping It Courteous
Boy am I irritated by people who forget the pleasantries on the phone. They’re hard charging, get-it-done-now types, and when they place a phone call they throw any sense of courtesy out the window, opting instead for a brusque, “Yeah. Hi. I need XXXX. Can you get it for me?” I’m simply astounded when a stranger calls me at work and fails to extend the basic courtesy of saying at the top of the call, “Hi. My name is Joe Smith from ABC Co. How are you today?” I’ve always found that starting a phone call with a simple introduction immediately gets the person on the other end of the phone on my side. So be warned: If you call me and dive right into business without asking me how I’m doing, you might quickly hear a dial tone.
2. TMI
While I’m all for pleasantries, I think they only go so far. When I ask, “How are you doing?” let’s be honest: I really don’t want to know. I don’t need to hear about your sick kid, or your evil co-worker who sniffs glue. It’s a pleasantry, people. Just say, “I’m fine. And how are you?” so we can move on.
3. Time And Place
While we’re on the topic of pleasantries, please don’t ever trot out this gem: “Is now a good time to talk?” This is a favorite of marketing and salespeople and it’s just a terrible question to ask. My answer will always be, “No. This is not a good time to talk. I’m very busy. I juggle many tasks throughout the day. Same as you. There is never a good time to be interrupted by a sales call. How ‘bout you just get down to business and give me your pitch?”
4. Message Central
This might sound like common sense, but it bears repeating based on the number of bad messages I receive. Every time you leave a voicemail, you should include the following:
• Name
• Title
• Company
• Reason why you’re calling
• Phone number
And please, at the end of the message, repeat your name and phone number. For some reason people rush through messages and mumble. Doing so will guarantee that you won’t get a response.
5. Follow Directions
Just because I leave a voicemail doesn’t mean you have to call me back. If I say in my message, “Please send me an email so we can coordinate a time to talk,” it might be a good idea to send me an email. If I say I’m not going to be in the office between 2 and 3 p.m., don’t call me at 2:15. If we’ve been playing phone tag for six weeks, maybe it’s time to try my cell phone.
6. Maxed Out
Recently, I tried to leave a message for someone but discovered that their voicemail had reached capacity. I didn’t know this person very well, and I was immediately left with the impression that he was disorganized. And that’s probably not the impression he wanted to give. When I hear someone’s voicemail is full, it’s a red flag that this person cannot keep on top of their daily duties. If you’re so overwhelmed at work that the simple act of checking and deleting your voicemails is too much to bear, it’s probably time to find an assistant or a new job. Or stop spending all day on Facebook.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Digital Diva column will be on hiatus through the rest of the year. If you have any news or ideas, email the Worcester Business Journal at editorial@wbjournal.com.
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