How to make a phone call to a company?

Hello everybody ! How are you ?

The weather in Paris has recovered the sun and it is quite good to enjoy sightseeing!

As I have planned to make a break of a few days, I give you our next “rendez-vous” next Thursday. In the meanwhile, I propose you today two articles:

-          the first one related to the Business/commercial field – We will study the most important rules to have in mind before calling a company

-          the second one is another “coup de coeur” for a museum this time, the Jacquemart-Andre museum in Paris, a real treasure opened every day of the year!

HOW TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO A COMPANY? PART 1

Based on “Negociez par telephone” by Gilbert Rozes – Chotard et Associes Editeurs

) BEFORE CALLING A COMPANY, KEEP IN MIND THAT...

To get in touch by phone is more difficult than being face to face as:

1) the call “disturbs” the other person because nobody is waiting for your phone call. The bell cuts in current tasks, always considered as being more important than a call.

2) the lack of understanding is easier as we talk without watching the other person. The sign language (mimique) and gesture cannot give information on the meaning of sentences.

3) drawing the attention is more difficult as only one sense is requested (solliciter). The other person can be absent-minded (distrait) without you to notice it.

4) it is easier to say “no” as whatever pretext can be put forward (invoquer) to have done with (en finir avec) the conversation and hang up (raccrocher).

5) the interview is speeder as the greetings are not as long as when we are face to face. Moreover, we go straight to the point (aller droit au but).

6) there are more risks to fail as the human contact is short.

% To succeed in making a phone call, you need to be prepared before calling for an appointment for instance, before answering.

On the whole (en general), it is easier to control the situation when you call than when you are called.

( HOW TO PREPARE A PHONE CALL

First of all, do not forget preparing all the documents you will probably need such as a pen, some leaves of paper, your diary...

It is better to make the maximum of phone calls one after the other so that having the “calls rythm”.

Fix you a dynamic and coherent aim (“2” appointments, for example and not “2” calls).

If you are not in good form (etre en forme), stand up (se tenir debout) as the physical energy will influence your moral energy.

Think also about the kind of message you could leave on a answering machine (repondeur).

PRULES TO GET INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE PHONE LANGUAGE

1) SMILE as it is often said “the smile” is heard on the phone. It let the voice being attractive and friendly.

2) SPEAK CLEARLY (articuler)! No need of cigarette or chewing-gum as they can modify your elocution and make some unpleasant noises on the other person’s ears.

3) SPEAK SLOWLY! As the telephone is not a high-fidelity means of communication, let you a chance to be understood as you do not see the person you are talking to.

4) LISTEN  as when the other person is speaking to you, let him/her understand you are listening to him/her saying “yes, I see...”.

5) TAKE NOTES so that having clear ideas and avoid making the other person repeat his/her words.

6) EXPLAIN if you need to let the other wait a moment (patienter), explain him/her the reason why you need to.

7) USE COURTESY SENTENCES as they create a “link” on the conversation and improve the human contact. Do not pronounce them too fast!

8) SAVE TIME taking the phone off the hook (decrocher) at the lastest (au plus tard) after the third bell. If you promise someone to call him/her back, do it on due time (a echeance).

If someone has to call you back, be there for this call or let a message.

Ü HOW TO KEEP THE ADVANTAGE DURING THE PHONE CONVERSATION

There any miraculous solutions, just some tips (“tuyaux”). Among them:

1) ASK QUESTIONS to let the other person feeling “important” and “in safety”.

2) RECEIVE “YES” REPLIES so that the person is willing to (etre dispose a, pret a) continue speaking

3)  LISTEN CAREFULLY and show you are listening (yes, I see...)

4) SAY IT IN ANOTHER WAY as when you sum up (resumer) using other words what he/she has just saying, you catch his/her attention and avoid having misunderstandings (malentendus, quiproquos).

5) USE THE ALTERNATIVE PROCESS as it is more difficult to say “neither of them” (ni l’un ni l’autre) than saying “no” twice (deux fois). So you can ask: do you prefer the small or the big style?

6) THINK IN TERMS OF ADVANTAGE trying to think as if you were the other person (a la place de) laying stress on (en insistant sur) the service rather than on the features of the item.

7) SAY HIS/HER NAME as it is always a pleasure to be recognized and it is maybe the deepest lack on nowadays’ companies...

Hope these pieces of advise (conseils) –be careful as the verb “conseiller” is to advice with a “c”- will be helpful for you. We will continue studying this next week.

Wish you a long week-end and be on the air again shortly!

With best wishes,

Ceraulen