Effective Meetings (Part 1)



Effective Telephoning (Part I)

1. Preparing to make a telephone call (1)

Background preparation (Reading)

Desk preparation

Relevant documentation

Notes

Correspondence received

Computer files on screen

Pen and paper

Diary

2. Preparing to make a telephone call (2)

How much time do you need?

How much time do you have?

What are your objectives?

Find out information?

Give information?

Who do you want to speak to?

Do you have an alternative strategy if the person is not available?

Call back, be called back, when?

Leave a message?

Speak to someone else?

Write or fax or email information?

3. Preparing to make a telephone call (3)

Introduction:

Do you need to refer to:

A previous call?

A letter, order, invoice, fax, email?

Someone else? (Who?)

An event? (What? When?)

4. Checklist – opening a call

• Introduce self

• Ask for connection

• Check name of person you are calling

• (Small talk)

• Introduce subject of call

• Listen actively to responses

5. Language Focus: Identifying yourself

Good morning, Yasmine speaking (person receiving call)

Hello, this is Yasmine Alcide from Spike British School. (caller)

Hello, my name is Yasmine Alcide. I’m calling from Spike British School. (caller)

Hi, it’s Yasmine from Melbourne. (caller, informal)

Hi, Yasmine here. (caller, informal)

6. Language Focus: Saying who you want to speak to

I’d like to speak to Mr. Jones, please.

Could I have the Accounting Department, please?

Could you put me through to Mrs. Weaver, please?

Could I have extension 234, please?

Could I speak to someone in the Accounting Department?

Is Mr. Robinson there, please?

7. Language Focus: Leaving a message

Could you give him/her a message?

Can I leave him/her a message?

Please ask him/her to call me back. My number is…

Please ask him/her to ring me back.

Please ask him/her to get back to me.

8. Language Focus: Explaining the purpose of your call

I’m phoning about…

The reason I’m calling is…

I need some information about…

It’s in connection with…

I’d like to…

I’m ringing to….

9. Sample Phone Dialogue 1: Formal

Receptionist: Howard Engineering. How can I help you?

Caller: This is James Harvey. Could I speak to Joshua Reynolds?

Receptionist: I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.

Caller: James Harvey.

Receptionist: Could you tell me what it’s about?

Caller: It’s in connection with a new order.

Receptionist: Just a moment, I’ll put you through.

10. Sample Phone Dialogue 2: Informal

Max: Max speaking.

Leslie: Leslie Taylor here. How are you?

Max: Fine, and you?

Leslie: Not too bad. Pretty busy actually.

Max: I know what you mean. So, what can I do for you?

Leslie: The reason I’m calling is to try and fix a meeting early next month.

11. Preparing for incoming calls

• If you are expecting a call:

Try to think of what the person will be talking about

Try to predict what the person might say

Try to anticipate what the person might ask

Think about what you need to ask

Check possibly relevant information before the call

• If you are not expecting the call:

Say you will call back

Prepare for the call

Call back when you are ready

12. Telephone terminology (1)

• People:

Caller

Switchboard operator

Operator

• Numbers:

Local, national, international code

Extension

Direct line

Home number, office/work number

• Calls:

Long distance

Local

International

Collect (USA) / Reverse charge (UK)

Problems:

Bad line

Engaged (busy)

Cut off

Off the hook

• Actions:

Pick up

Put down

Hold on

Hang up

Dial / redial

13. Language Focus: Asking for repetition

Sorry, I didn’t catch your name / your number…

Sorry, could you repeat your name / number / etc.

Sorry, I didn’t hear that.

Sorry, I didn’t understand/get that.

Could you spell that?

14. Language Focus: Acknowledging repetition

Ok, I’ve got that.

(Ms. Ventura.) I understand.

I see, thank you.

15. Language Focus: Saying someone is not available

I’m sorry, he/she is not available (right now).

Sorry, he/she’s away for the week.

Sorry, he/she’s not in.

I’m afraid he/she’s in a meeting (at the moment).

He/she’s in Paris. He/she won’t be back until Monday.

16. Language Focus: Taking messages

Can I take a message?

Would you like to leave a message?

If you give me your number I’ll ask him/her to call you later.

Shall I ask him/her to call you back?

17. Language Focus: Offering to help in other ways

Can anyone else help you?

Can I help you perhaps?

Would you like to speak to his/her assistant?

18. Spelling

Be careful of the pronunciation of the letters A, E and I

How do you spell your name and address?

How do you give your phone number?

19. Grammar Focus: Modals Verbs (1)

We can use shall + infinitive to offer help and to make suggestions

Offering help:

Shall I take a message?

Shall I ask him to call you back?

Making suggestions:

Shall we meet next week, then?

Shall we set up another appointment?

Note that we can only use Shall I …? and Shall we …? in this way. (*Shall he, *shall you, *shall they would not be possible.)

20. Grammar Focus: Other ways of offering help or making suggestions

There are other phrases we can use in English to make suggestions:

Would you like me to ask him/her to call you back?

Why don’t I ask him/her to call you back?

What if I ask him/her to call you back?

Can I get him/her to call you back?

What can I do for you?

Can I put you through to his/her assistant?

21. Grammar Focus: Modals Verbs (2)

We use can, could, will, and would to ask people to do things:

Can you give him a message for me?

Could you give him a message for me?

Will you give him a message for me?

Would you give him a message for me?

Note that can and will are more direct than could and would.

22. Grammar Focus: Modals Verbs (3)

We use can, could and may to ask for permission:

Can I leave a message? (= ‘is it possible’)

Could I leave a message? (= ‘would it be possible’)

May I leave a message? (= ‘do you give me permission’)

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download