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TELEPHONE SKILLS 

USING THE PHONE TO HELP

WITH YOUR JOB

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TELEPHONE SKILLS

Your voice is your personalityover the telephone

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TELEPHONE SKILLSThe aim of this presentation is to:

1. Show you how to evaluate your telephone voice

2. use your telephone skills for threedifferent methods of telephone jobsearching

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Evaluate your telephone voiceYour voice makes an immediate

impression that can portray you as:

 friendly or distant

confident or timid

spontaneous or mechanical

relaxed or nervous

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Always smile

when you speak to someone on the

phone - unless it is inappropriate

This might sound odd - but practice

and listen to the difference in the tone

of your voice if you are smiling.

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Pitch your voice lower 

 

Phones are like tape recorders –they

make your voice sound higher pitched

Speak slightly slower than normal and

pronounce your words clearly.

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Be well prepared 

Practice by phoning someone you know –

who will give you honest feedback.

If necessary have a pre-arranged script.

Don’t waffle.

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Listen

Carefully to what the other person is

saying

Without interrupting

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Take Notes

To ask questions after the other 

person has finished speaking

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Location

Make sure you are somewhere quiet

and where you will not be interrupted.

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Evaluate your telephone voiceDon’t eat. Don’t smoke

You can hear it on the phone.

If you need a drink then let the other person

know that –otherwise they will be surprisedby suddenly hearing gulping noises!

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Evaluate your telephone voice

Now that you have thought about how you

present yourself over the telephone, see

how you can apply your new skills to your 

first job…

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Structure of a sales call. There are five phases in a telephone call, whatever 

the topic of the telephone conversation is.

The relative relevance of each of the following steps

depends on the background, relevance andcircumstance of the telephone call. 

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Pre-call Planning

1. Know Your Product

Product fact book

1. Know Your Competition

Emphasize the strengths of your product, especially in areas

where the competition is weak

3. Know Your Prospect

Cold calls: fact-finding calls

3. Assemble a Sales Kit

Include all information the prospect will need about your 

product and services

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Phase 1: Open and initiate (incoming) Be prepared for the call Have a welcome mood, voice and tone

Phase 2: Open and initiate (outgoing) Explain the purpose and benefit of the call Build Rapport Ensure that the customer understands and agrees to

proceed Give the main reasons the prospect should consider your 

product

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(continued) 

Phase 3: Gather information (listening and encouraging) Questioning or probing focused on key information, within a brief time

frame Involve the prospect to understand his or her needs

Ask all questions before you give your presentation Tailor your presentation according to what you learned about the

prospect

Phase 4: Solution and options Offer information and options Set realistic expectation, clarify approach Sell benefits, not features Explore and identify additional needs if any and arrive at agreement Plan your answers to the most common objections

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continued 

Phase 5: Confirm and close Ask for or seek a decision Summarize, recap and check

Express a ‘thank you’ note Express appreciation, if relevant

Phase 6: Follow up Ensure prompt delivery of what is assured or promised

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Cold calling

Getting through to the right person is sometimes difficult.

Remember to:

•Always introduce yourself 

• Be courteous and business like with everyone

• Be confident as if you have no doubt your call will

reach its goal

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Cold calling

Receptionists generally want to know who you are, what

and who you want.

If you do not know the name of the person you want – ask for theappropriate manager 

Try to get the persons name before you are transferred

If your contact is not available ask when is a good time to call back

When you get through –ask if this is a good time to call/talk (never 

say bad time as this can encourage a negative response)

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Job application

Calling immediately in response to anadvertised job is almost always a mistake

It is sensible to allow yourself some time tothink through the process and decide exactlywhat you want to say

It is quite acceptable to make some notesbefore calling continued….

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Job application

It is a good idea to make a list of the key points that youwant to get across:

Make sure you know who you want to talk to

Have the name and reference of the job ready

If you are offered the option of calling for an informal chat then do so –(some companies use this initial contact as a way of evaluatingpotential employees)

Have questions prepared which are relevant to the advertised vacancy

continued….

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Job application

Take time filling in the application form

Ask other people’s opinions before sending in the

form

Keep a copy of the application form and take it withyou to the interview

ask if you can refer to notes during the interviewprocess

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Telephone interview

Study the job description and person

specification

This enables you to identify the company’s particular 

needs and helps demonstrate that you possess

the skills required to meet them

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Telephone interview

Research the company

Products services, history and culture. Make a

special effort to identify any areas where your skills

and experience may be of particular value

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Telephone interview

Practice first

• Compile a list of probable questions and ask a friend totry them out on you over the phone

• Prepare answers carefully using key words from the job description and person specification

• Do not write out the answers in full as this will makeyou sound wooden and too scripted

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Telephone interview

Organise yourself Have all the required information to hand:

Up to date CV Job description Person specification Company information The name of the person you are talking to (in

case you forget half way through theconversation!)

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Telephone interview

Match your accomplishments

Prepare a list matching the company’s stated requirements

Keep this list in front of you

Refer to it at every relevant opportunity

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Telephone interview

Be prepared to give examples

Employers look for examples of successful use of: 

•communication skills

•analytical skills

• teamwork

•drive and initiative

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Telephone interview

Quantify your accomplishments

Interviewers are keen to hear about relevant challenges or problems

you faced in the workplace

The specific actions you took and the measurable results achieved e.gincreased sales by 35%

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Telephone interview

Remember 

To select a quiet place for the interview

To stand – this can make you sound more confident and helpsproject a positive and professional interview

To match your speaking rate and pitch to that of the interviewer to

establish rapport

To make an effort to smile (in the right places!) to create a friendlyand enthusiastic impression

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Telephone interview

Impressions

Convey the impression that you are genuinely interested

in the company and eager to make a contribution

Refer to appropriate information you discovered

about the company during the course of your research

Respond appropriately to verbal or tonal clues.

If you don’t understand a question –say so and ask for clarification

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Telephone interview

Answers

Provide well-developed, balanced and analytical

answers

Avoid yes and no replies

Have an explanation for leaving your current or 

previous job – do not criticise your previous employer or colleagues.

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Telephone interview

Questions

Prepare a few thoughtful questions to ask the

interviewer when given the opportunity

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Telephone interview

Finishing the call

At the end of the interview:

emphasise your interest in the job

emphasise your interest in the company

reiterate your qualifications

stress that you would welcome a face to face interview

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Telephone interview

After the interview

Write a short thank you letter 

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Further help and information

Brent Library Service have a number of resources which can help

you increase and improve your telephone skills

Examples of these are:

Work Base Training Improving telephone skills 658.452

Patrick Forsyth Telephone skills 658.452

A Watson-Delestree Basic telephone training 651.7

If you want to know more about these or have any other questions

please ask a member of staff in your local library

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TELEPHONE SKILLS 

You have reached the end of the

presentation- thank you for 

watching