Telephone Conversation

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Telephone Conversation

• Complied by Ms. Terri Yueh

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Focus on CommunicationTelephone Etiquette

• Prepare well before pick up the phone.
• Check the international time differences to know
  the time of the locale you are calling.
• Be sensitive to the customs and ways of the
  person and culture you are calling.
• Send a message or an e-mail before you call, if
  possible.
• The simpler the language, the less chance of
  misunderstanding.
• Keep a positive atmosphere and be efficient.
• Be enthusiastic, but slow down the pace while
  speaking over the phone.
• Make your sound and tone work for you --Smile as
  if you were meeting in person!
• Concentrate when you listen and never interrupt
  someone on the other line.
• Ask for confirming your message and the contact
  number when dealing with a message taker.
• Try to return message calls in the same business
  day.
• Send a follow-up mail or fax to confirm the
  things agreed by telephone or to check that there
  has been no misunderstanding in the conversation.

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Focus on Communication

• Tips on handling voice mails and answering
  machines
• Leave a clear, brief, and purposeful message.
• Speak confidently and naturally.
• An ideal message is less than 30 seconds.
• Give the time and date you called.
• Give your name and number, country and city code
  for an international call, both at the beginning
  and at the end of the message.

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Some Useful Expressions

• The Caller
• To call / ring / phone / someone
• To give someone a ring / a call
• To call someone up
• To make a (phone) call to.
• The Receiver
• To receive a call
• To answer a call
• To get a call
• To have a call

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Some Useful Expressions

• The Calls
• A direct /outside / land line.
• A telephone call
• A local call
• A long distance call
• An international call
• An internet call
• A conference call
• A cold call (selling)

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Some Useful Expressions

• Getting through
• Id like to speak to .
• Is there, please?
• Could I have the Customer Service Department,
  please?
• Could you put me through to ?
• Extension 2207, please.
• Ill connect you.
• Ill put you through.
• Im putting you through now.
• Its ringing for you now.

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Some Useful Expressions

• Excuses
• I am sorry, shes on another line. / Im afraid
  the line is busy.
• His lines engaged.
• No, Im sorry shes not available (at the
  moment).
• Im sorry, shes out of the office this
  afternoon.
• Sorry, shes on vacation / holiday.
• Sorry, shes away / not in / in a meeting / in
  Seattle.
• Hell be back soon. / She wont be back until
  this afternoon.
• Call Back
• Ill call back later.
• Ill hold.

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Some Useful Expressions

• Communication Difficulties Sound
• Can you hear me?
• Sorry, I cant hear you.
• Can you speak up?
• Can you speak up a little bit, please?
• Its very noisy here. I can hardly hear you.
• Its a bad / terrible line.
• Ill call you on a land line /Ill use a payphone.

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Some Useful Expressions

• Communication Difficulties Mobile phones
• My battery is nearly out / low.
• Im losing you.
• The signal is too weak. Call me later.
• There is a really bad echo. Ill call you back.
• There are some problems with the net.

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Some Useful Expressions

• Communication Difficulties No Connection
• Im breaking up.
• Do you want to hold?
• The connection was broken.
• I tried to call you but I couldnt get through.
• I cant access my voicemail.
• We had problem with our system all day.

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Some Useful Expressions

• Ask for Repetition
• Sorry, I didnt catch (your name / your number /
  your company, etc.)
• Sorry, could you repeat that?
• Could you spell (that / your name), please?
• Im sorry, please speak more slowly.
• Sorry, I didnt understand.
• Sorry, I didnt hear you.
• What did you say?

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Some Useful Expressions

• Leaving a message
• Can I give him a message?
• Can I leave him a message?
• Could you give him a message?
• Could you ask him to ring / call me back?
• Could you tell him Ill call again after lunch?
• Please tell him .
• Please ask him to ring me later.
• Taking a message
• Can I take a message?
• Would you like to leave a message?
• Shall I ask him to call you back?
• Would you like him to call back? / Does he have
  your number?
• Ill call back later.

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Study Points

• Fill in the gaps using ask, say, and tell.
• Could you _______ Peter to call me.
• Could you _______ him Ill be late.
• Could you _______ Im leaving at 430pm.
• Please _______ Im very sorry.
• Please _______ the good news.
• Please _______ her to wait until next Tuesday.
• Could you ______ her Ill call back later?
• Could you ______ him to ring me back?
• Could you ______ her for the prices?

ask (tell)
tell
say
say
tell
ask (tell)
tell
ask (tell)
ask
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Sample Dialogues

• Situation 1 A receptionist (operator) answers
  and directs telephone calls.
• R Good morning. Allan Designs. How may I direct
  your call?
• J Can I speak to Mr. Martin Allan, please.
• R SurelyJust a moment. (the telephone rings
  several times but remains unanswered)
• R Im sorry. No one is answering. Would you
  like to leave a message?
• J Certainly.
• R Ill connect you to Martin Allans voicemail.
• J Thank you.

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Sample Dialogues

• Situation 2 Asking for information thru a call .
• J Hello, can I speak to Mr. Marley, please?
• M Speaking.
• J Hello, this is Johnny Lin from FJU. Im
  calling about the workshop next month. Is it
  possible to send me some information?
• M Yes, Of course. Could you give me your email
  address, please.
• J Its 028257_at_mail.fju.edu.tw
• M Could you repeat that, please?

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Sample Dialogues

• Situation 3 A receptionist at Buick China
  connects the caller who thinks he has directly
  dialed a friend within a company.
• R Buick China, What can I do for you?
• C Is this Sandy?
• R No, This is the receptionist.
• C Oh! Do you know if Sandy is available?
• R One moment, please. Ill check. If Sandy
  isnt in her voicemail, service will come on to
  this line automatically so that she may return
  your call.

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Sample Dialogues

• Situation 4 A secretary answers but Dan has left
  for lunch.
• S Plastic Flowers, Dan Jacksons office. May
  I help you?
• J.F. Is Dan in?
• S Who should I say is calling?
• J.F. Julia Frost. This is an international call
  from Taipei.
• S Just a moment. Ill put you through. (Ill
  connect you
• now.)
• S Sorry, Hes just left for lunch. May I
  take a message?
• J.F. Yes, Can you tell her that Julia Frost from
  China
• Communications called.
• S Okay. Ms. Julia Frost called. Ill make
  sure he gets
• your message. Goodbye.

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Sample Dialogues

• Situation 5 Sally returns a call.
• S This is Sally Wang. My secretary said you
  called, so Im returning your call. Is this a
  good time to talk?
• F Thanks for getting back to me so soon.
  What I wanted to talk about was to check and see
  if our meeting with new clients has been
  arranged.
• S Yes, it has been scheduled on Nov. 9.
• F Great! Ill check the detailed information
  later.
• S If you like, I can go over the agreement
  with you now. Do you have a few minutes to talk
  about this now?
• F Actually I was just on my way to a
  meeting. Is it alright if I call you back in an
  hour?
• S Sure. Talk to you later.
• F Thanks. Bye.

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Practice the calls

• Choose one of the following situations to make a
  telephone conversation with your partner.
  Practice and record your dialogue.
• Ring a company to ask for product details or
  prices.
• Ring a hotel to book a weekend accommodation.
• Ring a travel agent to ask about travel
  information you would like to know.