Frequently I hear the same question being asked by new notaries and notaries who want to take their business to the next level, what is the one thing that I can do to get more customers? The answer is often overlooked, telephone etiquette. The telephone is one of the most important and commonly used tools in business. Multitudes of businesses, companies, and individuals use telephones in their work every day; however, most of us don’t think of the telephone as a tool, and as a result, inadvertently misuse it. The telephone is a link between us and the world outside our business. Unfortunately, sometimes we don’t pay attention or make a conscious effort to monitor what kind of message we are sending to our callers and the outside world. Below are some tips to help you use this invaluable tool to your advantage.

Some basic rules of telephone etiquette are. . .

• Always try to answer your phone whenever possible
• Always practice answering your phone within 3 rings
• DO NOT eat or chew gum while talking on the phone
• DO NOT carry on a conversation with another person while on the phone
• Always be courteous and professional
• Always make the other person feel important
• Manage expectations, be honest and don’t over-promise or under-deliver
• Project a positive, enthusiastic, and friendly attitude
• Appreciate a person’s time and respect it as valuable

When Answering the telephone. . .

• Smile when answering the phone (callers can “hear” your smile)
• Use a friendly greeting, “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”
• Be polite, “Thank you for calling My Mobile Notary Business”
• Identify yourself, “‘This is Matt speaking”
• Offer assistance, “How can I help you?”
• Stay positive, be considerate, show interest, and care

While Speaking with Customers on the telephone. . .

• Speak directly into the mouthpiece of your phone or a headset while talking
• Be polite and kind (use phrases like, Please and Thank You)
• Listen without interrupting
• Word distinction should be clear and easy to understand; enunciate your words
• Control your rate of speech; do not speak too fast
• Respond with appropriate emotion
• Avoid being condescending, even if you are asked silly questions
• Use the other person's name often, people like to hear their name
• Take time with everyone and do not rush someone off the phone
• Offer referrals when you can’t help, don’t just say no
• Who should hang up first? Let the person calling hang up first

When you can’t answer the telephone. . .

• Avoid using the "system greeting"; record a personal greeting and keep your message up-to-date
• Make sure your voicemail greeting is clear, effective, and friendly
• Do not repeat yourself (state information one time)
• Keep greetings as brief and concise as possible
• Give the caller options “You may also send a text or visit my website for more info”
• At the end of the message, thank the caller for reaching out and tell them when they can expect your return call
• Keep your voicemail box empty (Check your voicemail often and return calls promptly, even when you can’t help)

When returning a Telephone call. . .

• Prepare yourself. Visualize your caller as a friendly, positive person
• Assume what questions or objections you may encounter before placing the call and have answers ready
• State your objectives upfront to identify the information you need to obtain from the conversation
• Take mental notes during the call
• Specify any follow-up action to the caller
• State the action you will take
• Thank them for calling and say “Good-bye”

Proper Telephone Language. . .

• Ask don’t tell, “I am having a little difficulty hearing you. Can you please speak up?”
• Refrain from using slurs, slang, or phrases, such as, “bye-bye,” “Okie-Dokie,” or, “Alrighty”
• Don’t begin sentences with phrases like, “You have to-,” You need to-“, or, “Why didn’t you?”
• Never refer to a matter as, “Your problem” or “Your issue”
• Identify inquiries as, “Your question,” “Your concern,” or, “This situation”
• Never reply with remarks like, “I can’t do that” or, “that’s not my job”

The telephone is a critical element to success. Initial contact with your customers is most frequently made through a telephone call. Your customers are the reason your business exists and the telephone is the main link to your customers. Your role in answering the phone is vital in satisfying customer needs, delivering the highest quality of service, and building your business every day.