Telephone is still most business’s primary point of contact with customers. And the way you answer your company’s phone will form your customer’s first impression of your business. These phone answering tips will ensure that callers know they’re dealing with a winning business:

• Answer all phone calls before the third ring.

• When you answer the phone, be warm and enthusiastic. Your voice at the end of the telephone line is sometimes the only impression of your company a caller will get.

• When answering the phone, identify yourself and your organisation.

• Keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly.

• Control your language when answering the phone. Don’t use slang. If you’re a person who uses “uh huh”, “um”, or phrases such as “like” or “you know”, train yourself carefully not to use these.

• Train your voice and vocabulary to be positive while you answer. For example, rather than saying, “I don’t know”, say, “Let me find out about that for you.”

• Take telephone messages completely and accurately. If there’s something you don’t understand or can’t spell, ask the caller to repeat it or spell it for you. Then make sure the message gets to the intended recipient.

• Always ask the caller if it’s all right to put her on hold when answering the phone. Offer them choices if possible, such as “That line is still busy. Will you continue to hold or should I have the concerned person call you back?”

• Don’t use a speakerphone unless absolutely necessary.