TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Best Way to Answer a Business Phone?

Re: Best Way to Answer a Business Phone?

Henry (henry999@eircom.net)
Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:05:35 +0300

<hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:

> Many companies today answer their phone with a long winded answer. As
> a customer, I find it annoying and distracting. Which do you think is
> best?

> a) "Jones & Co."

> b) "Good morning, Jones & Co."

> c) "Thank you for calling Jones & Co, this is John Smith speaking, how
> may I direct your call?"

> d) "Thank you for calling Jones & Co, this is John Smith speaking, how
> may I give you the best customer service ever today?"

I think that (d) is a crock, as too is (c) -- along with the equally
annoying variant 'blah blah blah ... how may I help you?' **

In general, (b) should be fine although it does depend on who you are.
Do you have a direct line, with people calling your number
specifically to speak to you? Then a name would be
appropriate. Otherwise, if you are a 'front desk' or general
dog's-body type person, (b) is perfectly adequate.

cheers,

Henry

** PS: And what _really_ gets my goat after the pseudo-formality of the
'how may I help you?' routine is when they then immediately shift down
to their normal overly-familiar approach:

"Thank you for calling Jones & Co; this is John Smith speaking. How may
I help you?"

[I have never dealt with this John Smith before.]

'Good morning, Mr Smith. This is Henry Larsen calling about the order I
placed last week'.

"Oh, hi Henry! Yeah, lemme just bring it up on my computer here...."

Grrrrrrrr.

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