Practice Quiz 95 | A2 - Elementary

Have you ever wondered about the effectiveness of your telephone skills? Most people today do a lot of business over the phone, but how effective are their phone skills?

Effective phone skills begin with a good attitude.

Steps:

1. Once you pick up the phone, you must remember to be professional and use your first name.

2. Try not to keep a caller on hold for a long time. Always ask the caller if he/she would mind being placed on hold.

3. Be patient and listen to what the customer is saying. (*Effective listening skills are very important.)

4. Try to resist distractions that will pull your attention away from the caller.

5. Develop note-taking skills; write down the caller's name, company and phone number.

6. Do not interrupt the caller, except to draw out his thoughts.

7. When you are about to end a call, it is a good idea to recap or summarize the caller's needs. Repeat the caller's name, company and phone number. This will assure the caller that he/she will receive the information he/she wanted to get. Also, let the caller know what actions will be taken, when you will be sending out the information, or when someone will be contacting him/her regarding his/her call. Finally, always thank the caller for calling.

Tip: Try to smile when you speak to people on the telephone. It will show up in your voice.

To All Employees

Please read the following information in order to be prepared in the unlikely event of a fire or other emergency:

■ On every floor, there must be two illuminated exit signs over each exit door at the end of the corridor. All employees should familiarize themselves with the location of these emergency exits. Elevators should never be used under fire conditions or any suspected fire conditions.

■ If a fire alarm has been activated, calmly evacuate the building via the nearest emergency exit. An alarm will sound as soon as the emergency exit doors are opened, alerting others in the building to begin evacuation. Do not waste valuable time by gathering your belongings to take with you. Leave all personal belongings at your desk.

■ If smoke is present, keep low to the floor. Take short breaths to avoid inhaling any more smoke than necessary.

■ Proceed to the evacuation control point on the ground floor of the east end stairwell (see attached map) and remain there to await any further instructions. Do not attempt to re-enter the building, nor allow others to do so, until the fire department has declared it safe.