Telephone Skills

Telephone Skills Training Overview

Within every organisation, staff must present a professional telephone manner when communicating with internal and external clients. This telephone skills course provides techniques and structures to improve the inter-personal skills and confidence of staff when handling telephone calls.

Course Topics Overview

Introduction to Telephone Skills

• Overview of course topics and personal objectives
• The challenges of communicating with people by telephone
• The importance of a professional telephone manner

Preparation & Attitude

• How to focus your mindset before every telephone call
• The impact of negative and positive attitudes over the telephone
• Using the telephone to communicate a positive company ethos
• Speaking to internal staff (co-workers) with a professional telephone manner

Identify Your Own Telephone Style

• Identifying your strengths and weaknesses
• Your first impressions and perceptions
• Adapting your telephone style when interacting with a variety people

Positive Impressions

• Making an excellent first impression
• Building rapport, Matching and Mirroring skills

Structuring Calls & Establishing Needs

• Structuring Inbound & outbound calls
• Managing the expectations of callers
• Effective questioning techniques
• Understand the barriers to good listening - Learn active listening skills
• Leading calls in a timely manner

Telephone Techniques

• Confident telephone voice, expressive tone and professional language
• Positive and negative phrases
• Overcoming language barriers and confirming information correctly
• Closing calls and summarising the outcome
• Placing callers on hold correctly
• Screening calls and directing enquiries
• Using discretion when handling unwanted calls
• Taking professional messages

Handling Difficult Situations by Telephone

• Understanding why people can be challenging
• Keeping calm under pressure
• Taking control and leading situations forward
• Showing genuine interest and empathy
• Delivering bad news to people
• Techniques to avoid issues escalating

Training Formats Available

Option 1 - Public Workshops - Suitable for training individuals

• Course Locations: London, Birmingham & Manchester
• Course Length: 1 day (9.30am - 5pm)
• Price: £275+vat per delegate

Option 2 - Bespoke In-house Training - Suitable for training groups of staff

• Training at your premises or a venue of your choice throughout the UK
• Course content and length is tailored to suit the needs of your staff
• Bespoke course manual & certificate awarded