Its all in the Voice

Telephone manner is no small component of a well-rounded suite of business skills. It sounds easy, but a polished telephone manner cannot be taken for granted.

he principles of good speaking habits are to breathe deeply, get your lips into gear and make an effort to form the words. Use vocal variety to avoid sounding monotonous, she says.

It’s important to be a good listener, and to sound as though you are extending goodwill to the other party, says Jordan. “That keeps more relaxation and warmth in your voice instead of [projecting the] feeling you are talking to an antagonist. There’s a lot each person can do to make it a positive interaction.

And remember, when you are calling someone, you might be interrupting them. So be clear in your message, keep it short and sweet – women tend to apologise too much.”

She agrees that lack of confidence plays a key role in poor voice habits and telephone manner, particularly for business executives. “They feel their voice lets them down when they are presenting to the board. Or they find someone is dominating and want to put their voice across.”

Improving phone skills is not difficult; nor is it obvious. Unlike a facelift, or Botox, a new phone manner is not immediately recognisable but it makes a big difference. It is, says Jordan, the secret ingredient for success.

Telephone tips:


* Don’t make calls at unsociable times. Before 7.30am and after 9pm is normally unacceptable.

* Let the phone ring a few times to allow time for the receiver to answer.

* Answer the phone with “hello”, not “yes”. If the person being called is not available, always offer to take a message.

* Give your name when you are making a call. Speak clearly, particularly when leaving a number.

* If you dial a wrong number, apologise – don’t just hang up.

* Business calls need to be concise. Always check if the person you are calling is able to talk before launching into a long diatribe. If they are busy, keep it extra short and sweet.

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