Part One and Part Two dealt with making a call. Today we deal with handling an incoming call, or you can think of it as what the person at the other end of the line was saying in Part One.
Part Three Answering the Phone and Transferring the Call
1.名乗る
(phone rings - pick it up within 3 rings)
お電話ありがとうございます。XXでございます。
-Before 10am you can start with:
おはようございます。XXでございます。
-If the phone rings more than 3 times you should say:
お待たせいたしました。XXでございます。
-Saying thank you at the beginning has two purposes: (1) if you dive into announcing your company/division etc the caller may not be ready, and miss what you say; (2) saying thank you acts as a buffer and starts proceedings on a friendly note.
-Answer the phone as quickly as possible - within 3 rings is OK, but 2 is better.
-Always have pen and paper ready to take a message. Don't just have them sitting on your desk somewhere, when you pick up the phone you should also grab a pen and be ready to write.
-Speak cheerfully and clearly
2. 相手を確認する
(the caller gives their name and company)
YYのZZ様でいらっしゃいますね。
-If the caller doesn't announce themselves:
恐れ入りますが、どちら様でいらっしゃいますか?
-Make sure you confirm whom the caller is - it is sloppy if you just put the call through and say "It's someone from Toyota" and means that the next person has to ask again.
-You already have a pen in your hand - use it. Get into the habit of writing down the caller's name and company every time
3.あいさつをする
いつもお世話になっております。
-Say it with feeling!
-It doesn't matter if you have never done business with this company before - just use the set phrase! (you don't actually mean "God be with you" when you say goodbye in English - same principle)
4.名指人*を確認
AAでございますね。かしこまりました、少々お待ちくださいませ。
-If there are two people in your company with the same name, confirm which of them its is by offering the personal name of the most likely candidate:
鈴木由香でございますね。
5.取次ぎ
AAさん、YYのZZ様からお電話です。
-Hit the 保留 button
-Stay in polite mode when transferring - the last thing you want is to screw up the transfer and have the caller hear you say "鈴木さん、NTTのやつだよ“
Tomorrow - Part Four - dealing with the caller when the person requested isn't available.
*名指人 (なざしにん)
This is really helpful, Will. I have recently been expected to answer the phone and take messages while all of the teachers are in conferences. It's...well...a daunting task to me.
Posted by: Deas | October 09, 2007 at 11:56 AM
"鈴木さん、NTTのやつだよ“
LOL
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