TELEPHONE HANDLING – STANDARD PHRASES

 The telephone is meant for bringing two people together not separating them.
 People use a telephone when they need help. You call for the same reason.
 The one question you need to ask yourself when you answer a call is, “Was I of any help?”
 To an outsider YOU represent Bindaas Hotels. Long before your guest has come to visit you, he has received
an impression of your organization through you, so your telephone handling can either project a good image
or a bad image of your organization.
 Remember – you are not talking to an instrument. You are talking to a person.

The only criterion to judge a good phone call is:

MAXIMUM HELP WITH MINIMUM PHONE TIME

Treat a phone ringing in your area like a person knocking on your door. Attend to it immediately, just as you don’t
keep your guests waiting indefinitely outside your door.
At different times we all play three roles on the phone:
1. CALLER – One who makes the call.................................................................A
2. CALLEE – For whom the call is.....................................................................B
3. RECEIVER – One who answers the call (picks up the phone) .................................C
We have responsibilities under each role. The most responsible role is, perhaps, that of the receiver, because once
you have picked up the phone – no one but you can possibly help the caller.
A phone transaction initiated by you answering the call is doomed or saved only by your telephone attitude. So the
next time you pick up the phone, give it the best you have.

DO NOT LIFT THE RECEIVER OF A PHONE

WITHOUT A PEN IN YOUR RIGHT HAND

Possible Situation Probable Answers

1. When the phone rings. Good Morning, Bindaas Hotels, How may I help
you?
OR
Good Morning, Webstorm, How may I help you?
2. When you don’t hear anything from the other end Repeat the above salutation twice and disconnect.
after your announcement.
3. When the line is faint or distorted. Repeat the above salutation twice and disconnect.
Do not say Hello, Hello as the party may only hear
your hello and not know if he has got through to
Bindaas Hotels.

4. When the caller re-clarifies, “Is it Bindaas Hotels?” That’s right, Sir, How may I help you?
5. DO NOT PUT THE CALLER ON HOLD AFTER PICKING UP THE CALL. IT CONVEYS LACK OF CARING IN THE
FIRST 30 SECONDS AND LEAVES A BAD TASTE.
6. If two calls come together. Good Morning, Bindaas Hotels, kindly hold on.
Attend to the other call. Good Morning, Bindaas Hotels, kindly hold on.
Revert to the first call. Sorry to keep you holding, Sir. How may I help
you?
Return to the second caller. Thank you for waiting. I can help you now, Sir.
DO NOT PUT MORE THAN ONE CALL ON HOLD.
7. When the call is for you Good Morning, Shirley speaking, how may I help
you, Sir/Ma’am?
 Possible Situation Probable Answers
Don’t ask “Who’s speaking” unless you need it for
passing on a message, and certainly not at the
beginning.
8. When the call is for callee AND HE IS PRESENT
a. If he is right next to you Kindly speak here, Sir OR please speak here, Sir,
[No wait is implied]
b. If he in the next cabin? room or at the end of Kindly hold on Ma’am [8 – 10 seconds wait is
the room implied]
c. If you are not aware of his exact location BUT Kindly hold on, Sir. Let me locate him for you.
you know he is definitely present. [This prepares the caller for a wait of up to 20-30
seconds]
9. When you are connecting calls:
To a secretary office Connecting you to Mr. Nelson’s
To departmental extension Connecting you to the Personal department.
10. When the Extension is busy I am sorry the line is busy, Sir, would you like to
hold on?
If the callee has an alternate extension. Kindly hold on, Sir.
If he accepts your offer and waits Switch to music.
Kindly hold on, Sir.
Note - If it is an outstation call, you may intercept the call, if necessary.
After 20 seconds Sorry to have kept you waiting. The line is still
busy.
Can someone else help you, Sir?
OR
Would you like to hold on, Sir?
If he chooses to continue to wait. Switch to music.
Kindly hold on, Sir.
OR
Would you like to hold on, Sir?
Revert every 20 seconds, two more times Kindly hold on, Sir.
OR
Would you like to hold on, Sir?
The line is still busy.
If you get line free after a long time wait Thank you for waiting, Sir. I can connect you now,
Sir.

INFORM THE RECEIVER OF A LONG WAITING CALLER

11. He is present but in conversation with a customer He is with a client just now. I am his assistant OR
and cannot be disturbed. Do not use the word colleague OR senior (Give name and designation),
‘BUSY’. It conveys that the callee does not have may I help you, Sir?
time for the caller
OR
If you don’t know when the meeting will get over, it He is in a meeting which will get over in _____
is your duty to call up and inform. minutes. This is his assistant, _____ speaking, May
I help you, Sir?
If you know he will not take more than a minute or Would you like to hold on, Sir, he shouldn’t take
two minutes (maximum) more than a minute or two.
 Possible Situation Probable Answers
12. If you have to ask for the name of the callee Certainly Sir. Who should I say is calling for him
because your boss needs to know please?
“May I speak to Mr Umashankar please?” REMEMBER – never reply to a question with
another question. So, saying ‘Certainly Sir’ is
important as it answers the caller’s question.
When callers give incomplete names May I have your last name, Sir ?
For e.g. “This is Suresh”
It is incorrect to attach a Mr, Mrs, etc, to first
names. So Mr. Sanjay is incorrect, Mr. Umashankar
is correct.
When you receive the surname Yes Mr. Khanna, please speak here.
Please attach a Mr. / Mrs. to it.
When in doubt use Ms. for ladies.
13. When the call is for the callee and he is ABSENT. Do Clarify if absent is :
not just say “He’s not in” as it could imply many
things. a) not in the office
b) not in the organisation premises
c) not in the city
d) not in the country
e) if he is on leave and for what period
a) If he is not in the office, but is in the I’m sorry, Sir, Mr. ______ is not in the office
organization premises and the callee’s Would you like to speak to Ms. _____, his assistant
assistant is present ?
b) If you hold a responsible post, you can try I’m sorry, Sir, Mr. ______ is not in the office, I am
________ (state your designation), his colleague.
May I help you Sir ?
c) If your offer of help is declined do not let it bother you as you know that the caller wants to speak
only to the callee. Make this possible by collecting at least two things from the caller – his name and
his phone number.
Repeat numbers after the caller carefully. Ask for Very well, Sir if you leave your name and number,
more than one number. If they are long distance I will ask Ms. Nair to call you back when she
numbers clarify the country code, city code area returns.
code. Also check when is the best time to call.
OR
Kindly give me your number, Sir, and I will have
Mr. Bhatnagar return your call.
d) If names are difficult Kindly spell your name for me, Sir, so that I don’t
make a mistake while writing it down
If you cannot pronounce it Kindly guide me on the pronunciation, Sir, I don’t
want to get it wrong.
e) Check sounds such as P, B, T, D, S, F, N, M, K, Is it P for Pune or B for Bombay, etc.
G by asking
f) If he leaves a common surname May I have your first name, Sir ?
g) If he leave his first name May I have your last name, Sir ?
h) Now that you have his name and number COMBINE REPETITION AND ASSURANCE – Very well,
Mr Shetty, I will ask Mr. ____ to call you on
3886112 as soon as he returns.
i) If the callee does not return in 2 hours Kindly revert to the caller and advise status- I’m
sorry, Sir, Mr. _____ has not yet returned and you
had called for him at _____ hrs. Can someone
else help you ?
OR
As soon as he returns he will get your name and
number.
 Possible Situation Probable Answers
j) How to leave a message regarding the caller’s 25-Sep-2005
name and number
10:30hrs
Dear Mr. Gandhi,
Mr. Bill Clinton called re: sale of rockets to India.
PCB at 3886112 up to 1900hrs and at 6122534
after 190hrs.
Regards,
Nancy
14. If there is no response from an important customer contact area for over five minutes, inform a senior
person in your company.
15. Attend to transferring calls urgently, as people are usually made to wait interminable and get easily
annoyed.
16. Use the language that the caller communicates in, if possible. If you are not familiar with the language
used, take the help of a colleague.

AT THE END DO NO DISCONNECT UNLESS THE CALLER DISCONNECTS.

REMEMBER, YOU DID NOT START THIS CALL, YOU CANNOT DISCONNECT IT.

Phrases to Avoid Instead try

1. One sec, Just a minute Kindly hold on, Sir
2. Ya That’s right, Sir
3. Sure, OK, Fine Yes Sir, Certainly Sir, Very Well Sir, Right Away Sir
4. What? What? I beg your pardon, Sir
5. Who? Kindly repeat your name, Sir
6. Hello Good Morning, May I help you?
7. Why don’t you contact them directly? OR I have no Let me check out for you, Sir, OR, Let me find out
idea for you, Sir.
8. Why don’t you call later? If you leave your name and number, we shall call
you back.
9. Who’s speaking? OR, Who’s that? Who am I speaking with? OR, Who should I say is
calling, Sir?
10. Your good name, please? May I have your name, please?
11. He is not in his seat He is not in the office, Sir, May I help you?
12. Note – You don’t have to shout if you don’t hear I cannot hear you, Sir. Kindly speak up please
clearly

LASTLY – KEEP YOUR CALM AND KEEP YOUR CHARM ON THE PHONE.
LAST IMPRESSIONS ARE LASTING IMPRESSIONS.