More Helpful Tips for Telephone Communication
Last week we began our discussion of ways to make the most out of your telephone communication. This week, we continue with some easy tips and tricks to make sure you are understood by your listener on the phone.
One major issue with telephone communication is the inability to visually gauge how your listener is reacting to your speech. This means you must carefully monitor your listener’s reaction and be alert for clues that they do not fully understand your message. If they are uncharacteristically silent or don’t seem to be reacting as you would expect them to, they may be having trouble understanding what it is you’re saying. In order to avoid this issue, frequently check in with your listener verbally, periodically asking them if they have any questions.
Writing down the important points of what you want to say to your listener can help you maintain a clear message. However, avoid writing down what you want to say word for word. This can tempt you to read directly from the page, decreasing your expression and intonation, and decreasing your flexibility of speech. Instead, write a bullet-pointed list of the main topics that you want to address.
When spelling a name or e-mail address, there are many letters that can be easily confused: for example “s” and “f”; “m” and “n”; and “p” and “b”. To help avoid confusion, give example words for these types of letters. For example: “The email address is jmdeal@yahoo.com. That’s J-M as in mother-D as in dog-E-A-L at yahoo dot com.”
When giving a telephone number, e-mail address or other contact information, be especially mindful of speaking slowly and clearly. When taking this information, always repeat the number or address to your listener, using the above technique to help clarify problem letters.
Need more practice in telephone communication skills? Contact Corporate Speech Solutions or visit our website at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com.