Tips for Answering Your Own Phone

If you are a business worker or employee who handles incoming phone calls on a regular basis, there are some tips for answering your own phone that will put your company in the best possible light. It’s important to be consistent when answering your own phone so that customers recognize they dialed the correct number and aren’t left confused if one time you answer the phone by saying, ‘Dan’s Oil’ and the next time you answer the phone by saying ‘Go ahead.’ The following tips will help you stay consistent and professional when you answer your own phone:

1. Answer Promptly

Nothing says ‘we don’t need your business’ like a phone that goes unanswered ring after ring. Customers and potential customers don’t appreciate being left on hold for long. Be sure to answer your phone within three rings, and your customers will appreciate it that you respect their time.

2. Be Prepared
Always have a notepad and a pen before you answer your phone; you never know when a customer is going to ramble off important information. Asking your customer to hold on while you scramble to find a pen or paper isn’t professional and doesn’t instill confidence in your customer.

3. Identify Yourself & Your Company
At home, it is fine to answer your own phone any which way you want. When you are representing your company, it’s important to send a clear message to your customer that they have dialed the correct number and that they are speaking with a professional. Answer your phone consistently by first identifying your company’s name and then identifying the name of the person with whom your customer is speaking. For example, if your company is ‘A&S Plumbing’ and your name is ‘Amanda’, a good way to answer the phone would be by saying, ‘Thank you for calling A&S Plumbing. This is Amanda speaking. How may I help you today?’

These three simple steps are a great foundation for delivering high quality customer service to your callers.