Summary: Rules for conducting telephone conversations. Rules of telephone conversations.

Communication on the phone is a conversation between two blind people who, by voice, build an image of the interlocutor in their head. Who is calling? Who is calling? Is it possible for your interlocutor to talk? What if you pulled a person out of the shower? What do you think the director's reaction to such a call would be.

The main thing at the beginning of a conversation is to create a trusting relationship, and then conduct a conversation in accordance with the purpose for which you are calling. To do this, observe the following rules of communication by telephone.

Rule 1: PLAN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS

Before starting a conversation, think carefully about:

• convenient time for the call and its duration;
• clearly define the purpose of your call;
• make a plan for the conversation.

Consider answers to the following questions:

• What are you going to tell about yourself and the company you work for?
• What questions are you going to ask the interlocutor to find out his needs and create the necessary motivation for a further meeting?
• What objections might there be, and what are your possible answers?
• How are you going to end the conversation and set up a meeting?

Rule 2. PICK UP ON THE 3RD SIGNAL (in the event that you are called).

Telephone business etiquette normalizes communication with a client. By observing business etiquette, the client judges the corporate culture of the company. Pick up the phone on the 3rd call: on the first call - put things off, on the second - tune in, on the third - smile and pick up the phone. If you do not pick up the phone for too long, this indicates a low corporate culture of the company.

Don't fuss. A lot of people immediately pick up the phone. Any person needs at least a few seconds to concentrate and tune in to a conversation.

Rule 3. WHEN TALKING ON THE PHONE, BE SURE TO SMILE.

Remember, when you smile, your voice becomes more pleasant. So smile more often. Some telephone pros place a mirror in front of them so they can see their facial expressions while they are talking. All this allows you to control the presence of a smile on your face.

Rule 4. GREET THE SPEAKER.

Greet the interlocutor as kindly and energetically as possible. Think of several ways to say hello. Let you have different options for people of different genders and ages. It is better to start a conversation with a client with the words “Good afternoon (morning, evening)”. They are more lively and inviting than just "hello." Remember that on the other end of the wire, someone also wants to be respected, understood and, perhaps, helped him at this moment ...

By the content of the first words and the sound of your voice, the client determines your professionalism, chooses the style of communication with you. Your voice is clothing, hair color, temperament and facial expression. Remember that during a telephone conversation you will not be able to accompany words with facial expressions and gestures. Here, first of all, the sound of your voice is important, the ability to correctly express your thoughts and, of course, as an indispensable condition, respect for the interlocutor.

Rule 6. CALL YOURSELF BY NAME.

State your first and last name clearly. Then name the company you represent. ("My name is ... The Three Whales Company"). Here are options that can be called extremely harmful and unsuccessful: “Guess who is calling you”, “Don't you recognize me?”. These questions create psychological discomfort for the other person. Put yourself in the client's shoes and you will feel annoyed. Do not be surprised if the client resists your offers after such a greeting. An unsuccessful idea can be attributed to the turnover "You are worried about ...". After this phrase, the person on the other end of the wire begins to worry. Try not to think about the lame monkey. Is it possible? The “not” particle is erased, and the second part of the phrase is perceived. You also become the culprit of this "anxiety".

Rule 7. LEARN THE NAME OF THE SPEAKER.

To do this, use the phrase "My name is ... Sorryand how can I contact you. But do not rush to recognize the name of the client. It is better to do this after the buyer adapts to the situation. In the future, when communicating, periodically call the client by name. To pronounce a name means to show respect for a person. You should not pronounce it in a tongue twister, it is better with feeling and at the same pace as the conversation is going on. If a client has an unusual or interesting name, comment on it with a bias in good side(Tell the person they have an interesting name, most people will like it.)

The following options can be called unsuccessful: “Who am I talking to?”, “Who is this?”, “Who is at the device?”. And do not try to guess: “Is this Ira? Not? Tatyana Lvovna? Not? And who then? Or even worse: “Where did I go?”. To which there is a standard response, said in an annoyed voice: “Where are you calling?”.

You can come up with many different options, such as "Can I talk to Alexander Sergeevich?".
If you've forgotten the name of the last person you spoke to, it's best to ask, "Could you remind me of your name?"

Rule 8. FIND OUT: CAN YOU TALK TO.

It is very important! It is possible that at this very moment your client is busy with a responsible and important business for him. Or your conversation this moment inappropriate for some other reason. Use the phrase "Are you (or better to call the interlocutor by name) convenient to talk now?". Remember, if you break this rule, you can lose a client forever. Your transaction failed. Call the right customers at the right time and with the right suggestions. Business calls are best made at the beginning or end of the working day.

Speak the first phrases slowly, calmly and clearly, do not pour a waterfall of information on the interlocutor - give him time to tune in to the conversation. Highlight with your voice meaningful words change your intonation. Use short messages: i.e. one sentence, one thought. Your voice, if possible, should be deep and “velvet”, however, observe the measure, do not overact. You can also adjust to the volume, rhythm, and tempo of the client's speech. The interlocutor will be pleased with this correspondence. The sound of your voice is determined by your posture, facial expression, posture. Tune in to the conversation – literally and figuratively. Speech is not just the movement of lips and tongue. The organs involved are the lungs, diaphragm, larynx, vocal cords, mouth, tongue and lips. Of course, a cigarette in the mouth, chewing gum, lollipop, coffee during a conversation, noise in the room, music - destroy the rapport of telephone conversations.

Rule 10. FOLLOW THE PLAN.

You have a purpose for the conversation and a prepared plan. Do not try to solve all problems at once over the phone. Especially avoid talking about the price of your products, money matters are best resolved at a meeting. Prepare necessary materials, handle, Blank sheet paper. Be specific and talk about the main thing. Listen carefully to the interlocutor. Ask the client questions, directing the conversation in the direction you want. Remember, your main goal is to arrange a meeting when you can discuss the details and sign the contract. To do this, you must create good motivation in the client.

Rule 11: USE ACTIVE LISTENING TECHNIQUES

They demonstrate your interest and involvement. “So…”, “Understood…”, etc. Control the conversation time. Don't let the client get sidetracked. Answer most questions with questions and lead the other person to the meeting.

Rule 12. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

When arranging a meeting, make sure that your interlocutor understands you correctly and writes down the day and hour of the meeting. Ask the interlocutor whether it is convenient for you to call him back the day before to make sure that the meeting will take place? All of these activities are useful so that your client can plan their time and adequately prepare for the meeting. When inviting the interlocutor to your office, name the exact address and tell in detail how you can get to you. Use the standard phrase: " Do you have a pencil handy, please write down how it would be most convenient for you to get to us"

Rule 13. THANK YOU FOR THE CALL.

Clients tend to emotionally remember what happened at the beginning of a conversation and take what happened at the end as a guide to action. At the end of the conversation, say goodbye to the interlocutor as kindly as possible. "If you have any questions, call us, we will be happy to help you." “Come, at any time convenient for you, we will be happy to help you”, “All the best”, “It was very useful to receive this information from you.” Thank you for your attention, interest in your company, wish you a pleasant rest of the day or the upcoming weekend. Remember that the caller ends the call. Remember that by talking you are laying the foundation for your personal meeting, so goodwill is above all.

Cold calls on the phone

Cold calling techniques

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» Business communication by phone

© David Lewis

Effective telephone communication.
Secrets of telephone communication.

It took the telephone a hundred years to develop into the largest and most complex network ever created by man. There are more than 700 million telephones in the world today. Despite the extraordinary complexity of the system, it is extremely simple to use. Often it is this simplicity that creates barriers to telephone communication, obscuring the need to learn how to use the phone correctly. However, your efforts will be rewarded a hundredfold. Knowing how to communicate on the phone can help reduce stress in the workplace, increase your efficiency and give you an edge in an extremely competitive business environment.

In fact, everything is simple, says American psychologist David Lewis. The secret to successful telephone communication is to control:

• With your emotions.
• The nature of the call.

Control over emotions Many people have a fear of telephone communication. As physical tension builds up, you begin to lose focus and your ability to communicate effectively decreases. Excessive muscle tension in the face, neck, and shoulders changes the sound of your voice. A tense man appears to the interlocutor as old, irritable and stubborn, and a tense woman is emotional and unpredictable. Before dialing, get rid of tension by relaxing mentally and physically. Here are some exercises that will help you do this quickly and discreetly, without getting up from your desk.

• Tighten your muscles. Clench your fists, tuck your toes in, pull your stomach in, and take a deep breath. Hold your breath and slowly count to five.
• Exhale slowly. Relax your whole body. Lower your shoulders, unclench your fingers, and lie back in a chair.
• Take another deep breath. Hold your breath for five seconds. While inhaling, make sure that your teeth are not clenched.
• Breathe calmly for the next five seconds. Feel how calmness and relaxation permeate your entire body.
• Finally, calm your nerves by imagining that you are lying on the golden, sun-warmed sand on the shores of a clear, blue ocean. Hold this image in your mind for a few seconds.

How to overcome the fear of the microphone One of the reasons that makes it difficult for people to communicate on the phone is the fear of the microphone. Even the most resourceful and smart ordinary life men and women can be left speechless when asked to speak in live radio or television broadcast. The telephone can have exactly the same effect on a person. This fear can be overcome if you do not try to talk with the handset. Instead, imagine that the person you are calling is sitting across from you and address them directly. Imagine how the interlocutor reacts to your words: how he smiles at jokes and beams with pleasure when he hears a compliment. If you know what the interlocutor looks like, then mentally drawing his image is not difficult. For some people, the following technique helps: they put a photo in front of them and talk to it. When talking on the phone with a stranger try to imagine his appearance by his voice. If the voice is deep and resonant, then the interlocutor most likely has an impressive physique. Light and hesitant intonations probably indicate a fragile and slightly shy person. When communicating on the phone, use exactly the same body language as in person. If gestures and rich facial expressions are the norm for you, do not refuse them during a telephone conversation. When feelings are reflected on your face, your voice becomes freer, more confident and natural. Control over the nature of your calls If you have an important conversation and it cannot be avoided, if possible, call yourself, and do not wait for the moment when they call you. This gives you a psychological advantage over the other person. There are three reasons for this:

• You decide to take the time of the interlocutor, and he succumbs to your desire. Answering the call, the person allows himself, at least temporarily, to obey you.
• You have the ability to choose how to start a conversation, and you are more likely to steer the conversation in the right direction.
• By calling the interlocutor yourself, you can, without causing offense in him, end the conversation after you have conveyed your message.

Have a clear idea of ​​what you are going to say Before you pick up the phone, you should have a clear idea of ​​what you want to achieve with this call. Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my conversation with this person?” If you want to make an appointment and anticipate a possible rejection, keep a few reasonable hours and dates in mind. Question: "On Friday, the 23rd, at ten o'clock - does it suit you?" - you make the interlocutor think about whether he will be free at this time, instead of doubting the need to meet with you. Postpone the call until you have finalized your message. Delay, which usually results in a waste of time, can save your reputation in the following cases:

• When you are very angry or upset about something. By postponing the call, you give yourself time to calm down so that you can communicate your thoughts clearly, calmly, and effectively.
• When you feel too tired to successfully communicate. Postpone the call and take a break so you can have a better conversation.
• When it is important for you to make sure the facts are true, for example, if you are going to complain about something. Thinking through all the details before making a call will reduce the chances of you getting into trouble or letting the other person confuse you.

Make your phone message more authoritative This requires standing rather than sitting during a telephone conversation, which will literally increase your sense of power over the interlocutor and sharpen your mind. When we stand, all the systems of our body come into a state of combat readiness - both physically and mentally. Change ears to change interpretation If talking on the phone requires you to analyze complex facts and numbers, as well as a logical and objective assessment of information, try to bring the phone to right ear. Sounds entering this ear are transmitted to the left hemisphere of the brain a little faster than those that enter right hemisphere. This is because the speed of passage of impulses through the auditory canals leading to the opposite hemisphere is somewhat higher. Or, in scientific terms, contralateral inhibition nerve fibers weaker than ipsilateral. Due to the fact that in most people the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the analysis and logical processing of information, it is often better suited to assess the truth of ambiguous information during a telephone conversation. Righties can do it without special efforts, if they do not have to write something at the same time. If an incoming message is better to evaluate on an intuitive level, for example, when trying to determine emotional condition interlocutor, try moving the handset to left ear. This means that sounds will reach the right hemisphere of the brain a little earlier than the left. Since the right hemisphere of most people is responsible for imagination and intuition, this can increase your receptivity to non-verbal cues. Difficult calls There are phone conversations that we fear the most - when we get a call and when we need to call ourselves. Here is a special technique for you to deal with the most unpleasant phone conversations you have ever had to deal with. But first, here are five basic rules , which can be guided by any type of unpleasant phone calls. There is no way to make them pleasant, but these practical tips will make your life a little easier.

1. If possible, take the initiative and call yourself. This way you can prepare for the conversation without being caught off guard.
2. Get straight to the point. Never try to mitigate a problem by working around sharp corners. Start a conversation like this: "The reason for my call...", and then get to the point.
3. If you are taken by surprise, never respond immediately. Apologize and call back after you've thought about your answer.
4. Check your understanding of the outcome of the conversation. Before you hang up, repeat what you want to do. This is important because in the process of communicating on the phone, we tend to hear - especially with the slightest tension - what we expect, and not what was actually said.

Also, at appropriate moments, repeat the key points of your position. These repetitions are by no means a waste of time - on the contrary, they save us from an even more useless waste of energy. When talking on the phone, always remember the rule of three repetitions:

Rule of three repetitions during telephone communication

1. First, tell the interlocutor exactly what you are going to say.
2. Then tell him what you are going to tell him.
3. Then tell him exactly what you told him.

And then you might be heard.

Here are a few types of calls that are usually unpleasant to make.

Debt collection from an important client

The secret to success in such a conversation is tactful firmness. In such cases, there is no point in beating around the bush or pretending that you are only calling to inquire about his or her health. Such an opening not only sounds false, but also sets the wrong tone for the whole conversation. Best Tactic- it's businesslike and direct. If you don't like asking people for money, then it might be a good idea to write down the main points of your message. It is especially important to be accurate when presenting facts, when specifying the account or order number, date, etc. If you know from your experience with a client that he is an unsurpassed master of financial tightrope walking and uses any excuse to delay payment until the very last minute, rehearse his reaction to the interlocutor’s possible tactics so as not to make a mistake from the very beginning. If, for example, he uses the classic excuse: “Bank account has already been paid,” which is considered one of the three most common forms of lying, it is best to accept this explanation, leaving yourself the opportunity to once again demand a debt when the money, according to your calculations, should already come. A good answer would be: "Could you tell me exactly when the payment was sent so we don't miss it?" This phrase requires more accuracy from the interlocutor. When answering: “A couple of days ago,” say that if the money does not come tomorrow, then you will assume that he did not reach the addressee and returned to the sender, and you have the right to expect a new check .Summary:

• Plan these conversations carefully, anticipating potential payment delay tactics.
• Mentally rehearse the call.
• Be polite on the phone, but be assertive.

Hearing valid claims Remain calm and do not succumb to provocations, no matter how aggressive the interlocutor is. Losing your temper will only increase his rage to the point where no reasonable dialogue is possible. Moreover, you will lose the client even if his complaints are ultimately satisfied. ”,“ Yes, of course ”, etc. Never let yourself be intimidated and do not immediately start apologizing. Get all the information you can to get as close to reality as possible and assess the scope and validity of the complaint. Dig deeper by asking open-ended questions, such as: “What other difficulties did you encounter?”, “Wasn’t the service team able to solve your problem differently ?”If you don't have the information you need at hand to respond effectively to a question or complaint right away, ask the person you're talking to for their phone number and tell them you'll call them back as soon as you understand the situation. telephone line browsing folders, consulting with colleagues, or searching for information on a computer. Waiting further irritates the caller. Even if you are able to give an immediate answer, sometimes it is useful to tell the client that you will call him back. Not only will this give it time to cool down, but it will also give you an advantage as you will be the one calling this time. Psychologically, the client will feel that they owe you because you have already done something for them. If you are wrong, admit your fault, and then apologize politely and sincerely - without humiliating yourself or making your organization in a bad light. that you will do everything in your power to rectify the situation. State your name, give your telephone number, and offer to contact you directly if there is any difficulty. Establishing a friendly relationship will not only make it safe to complain, but will also allow your company to acquire a satisfied customer who may make new orders in the future. in fact, if handled skillfully, a complaint can be turned into a sales opportunity. Summary:

• Be polite, but don't be demeaning when you apologize.
• Find out all the facts before choosing a strategy of action.
• Call the client back. This tactic will put you in an advantageous position.

Claims Before dialing a number, determine for yourself what you want to achieve with this call: a refund, a replacement for defective goods, better service, or something else. Check the facts carefully. Before calling, make sure you have all the evidence to support your point of view. A phone call is better than a letter. People are much more willing to respond to a claim made by them personally, and besides, even a short conversation can be more informative than the longest letter. This means that with polite persistence you will repeat your demands over and over again until you achieve their satisfaction. As in a record that has stuck, the phrase must be pronounced every time with the same intonation. There should be no "metal" or "poison" in your tone of voice. Try not to get personal or lose your temper. Be polite but firm. Always talk to your boss. The higher you apply, the faster your complaint will be dealt with.Summary:

• Plan your call carefully. Check the facts and set a clear goal for yourself.
• Be polite and don't get personal.
• Talk to the leader of the highest rank.

How to Convince Your Boss He's Wrong Without Sacrificing Your Career Scheduling this call depends on the nature of your boss as well as your relationship. Some bosses prefer a businesslike approach and will respect your directness and frankness. In such cases, the conversation can be as open as you wish. Remain calm, show perseverance and self-confidence. This can be achieved if you are thoroughly prepared, absolutely sure of the facts, and ready to face any possible objections. If your boss is likely to fly into a rage at the slightest hint that he is wrong, you should adopt a more subtle and cunning strategy. First of all, you need to convince your boss that he was the one who came up with the plan that you advocate. How to achieve this goal depends on how different your proposals are. If your points of view have a few things in common, start by highlighting the similarities in those key areas and praising his suggestions. When you get to the point where you think your boss is wrong, try saying something along the lines of: “Frankly, I didn’t quite understand this moment. I guess your strategy is...” and then lay out your suggestions. After the phrase “Because it will allow us...”, describe the benefits that will come from accepting this idea, or the difficulties that you will encounter in rejecting it. If the boss has even a shred of insight, he will immediately see weakness in his plan and will gladly accept your suggestions for his own intentions. An honest boss will even admit that you are right and that his initial approach was wrong. Summary:

• Determine exactly why and what exactly the boss is wrong.
• You must be sure of the facts before challenging the boss.
• If your boss can't stand it when he's wrong, try to convince him that your ideas are his own.

Rejection of a supplier with whom you have a close relationship Most people want to be liked by others, and therefore we don't like to report something unpleasant or upsetting. But if the supplier continues to deceive you even after a clear warning, you may have to choose one of two things: say goodbye to him or your business. Here, as with any important call, great value has pre-training. It may be worth rehearsing a conversation with one of your colleagues to relieve stress. Call a colleague and play the situation with him, predicting the possible reaction of the supplier based on knowledge of his character. The colleague imitates the most likely reaction of the interlocutor, giving you the opportunity to polish your answers. No need for long prefaces - get straight to the point. You should say something like this: "Usually in such cases I send a letter, but given close relationship that we have developed over the past couple of years, I thought it best to tell you this in person. We are going to refuse your services because...” and then list your grievances. and again, without allowing yourself to be sidetracked. Before you call, decide which of the three possible goals you are going to achieve:

1. Get rid of him forever.
2. Give him a final warning, but be ready to give him another chance.
3. Give a "warning shot" to his positions in the hope of improving quality or meeting deadlines.

The most dangerous trap: start with point 1 and end with point 3. The supplier will further strengthen his opinion that you are a spineless person. Summary:

• Know what you want to achieve.
• Rehearse the call with a colleague by role-playing it.
• Use the “broken record” tactic to avoid being dragged into a discussion of secondary issues.

Debt collection Fear of rejection prevents many people from claiming their rights, and this fully applies to the legitimate demand for repayment of a debt. For such conversations, the telephone is the ideal medium. In this case, the conversation is quite personal, which reduces the likelihood of rejection compared to a letter, but at the same time is not associated with the stress of talking face to face. First, you need to find out if the person you are calling can arrange for return of debt. It makes no sense to talk, for example, with the secretary, if only the head of the sales department is authorized to return the money to you. Therefore, you need to start the conversation with finding out who in this organization is responsible for these issues. If you are dealing with big company, then it is likely that there is an employee who, on duty, does just that. After connecting with the right person, ask him to give his name. This will allow for a more trusting and friendly conversation. Explain that you are calling about a refund, and make sure the person on the other end of the line has the authority to resolve your problem. Calmly and clearly explain the reason for your call. You should have all the necessary facts and figures at hand, such as delivery date, order number, etc. Your ability to quickly and accurately answer such questions will greatly increase the respect of the interlocutor for you. If you demand repayment of a debt, state it firmly from the very beginning and do not allow yourself to be swayed into compromise offers. When faced with a rejection, continue to insist for a while, and then ask the interlocutor to connect you with his boss. Any agreement must be confirmed by letter or fax immediately after the call.Summary:

• Make sure that the interlocutor has enough authority to repay the debt.
• Explain your question accurately and punctually.
• Never lose your temper, even when faced with initial rejection.

Cold calls to establish business contacts Most people do not like cold calls (i.e. unprepared, without prior agreement). But if you're used to rejection, it can be quite effective way setting up a new business. The first step is to connect with the person you need, which often means overcoming the resistance of the secretary. The clerk may require you to tell the business you are calling about. There are two tried and true ways to overcome this barrier. The first way: “My name is ..., I am a partner (or someone else). I'm calling about your company's forthcoming financial statement and I need to speak to... Would you be so kind as to put me through to him. The second way is shorter, but usually more effective: "I'm calling from a distance. Please, connect me with…” After connecting with the right person, you have no more than 15 seconds to pique the interest of a potential client. Therefore, it is important here to grab the attention of the interlocutor from the very first words. Tried and reliable methods include provoking questions, for example: “Is your firm interested in additional profits of $ 10,000 a month?” - or references to other people: “I'm calling you on the advice of Bill Jones. He thinks that you could benefit from our offers. ”Also, you can make an offer that the interlocutor simply cannot refuse:“ I would like to tell you about a method that allows you to increase profits by 75 percent. It is already being used by most multinational companies.” Summary:

• Do not choose a time of the day when the person you need is especially busy.
• Get ready that secretaries and assistants will try to interfere with you.
• Use an eye-catching first phrase. The longer you chat, the better your chances of closing a sale or setting up a meeting.

Selling ideas As noted above, people pay attention only to those messages that - as they think - offer something positive for them personally. To sell an idea to a colleague, you first need to see how it looks from his point of view. Then you should determine which approach is most likely to make a colleague see a personal benefit in your proposal, for example, the opportunity to produce good impression on the boss with the efficiency of their work, reduce the time spent on routine work, increase the level of sales, etc. Clearly and enthusiastically describe these benefits. To convince the interlocutor, you yourself must radiate conviction. Choose your time to call carefully; avoid moments when you know for sure that a colleague is extremely busy. Summary:

• Look at your proposal through the eyes of the interlocutor.
• Present your idea in such a way that the interlocutor immediately sees his personal benefit in it.
• Show enthusiasm. If you don't have conviction in your tone, you will never be able to convince others.

Criticism of an enthusiastic but inattentive subordinate

Use the PIN (Positive-Interest-Negative) technique to keep the other person's enthusiasm while correcting their mistakes.

Start by celebrating and praising everyone Positive aspects his or her activities. This will make the interlocutor listen more carefully to your words. If you start with criticism, he will stop listening to you pretty quickly. Then point out Interesting aspects his approach to the problem. This will help him see how he can improve his work. These neutral remarks, inserted after praise, bring him down from heaven to earth, without leading to a weakening of attention. And only after the completion of the first two stages should one consider Negative aspects activities of your employee. However, this should be done in a constructive manner, explaining in detail how and why the error occurred and what can be done to avoid its reoccurrence in the future. If possible, call immediately after the event, as the sooner progress is assessed and errors are identified, the more likely it is that that your call will have the desired impact. Summary:

• Call as soon as possible.
• Start by appreciating the positives.
• When pointing out mistakes, offer practical suggestions to improve the work. Tips should be specific, not general.

Acceptance of complaints Never take complaints about your company personally. If the caller is aggressive, try to remain calm. Just listen, occasionally inserting vague interjections like "um" and "uh" until the interlocutor's anger subsides. It is useless to try to argue with an angry person or interrupt the flow of his words - even if he is wrong. Most of his anger will disappear if you listen to him sympathetically. The ability to listen can turn you from an enemy into a friend. Just like in a face-to-face conversation, you must ensure that the caller states all his complaints before proceeding to address any of them. This will eliminate the situation when the interlocutor says something new at the moment when you already feel that the problem has been solved. Never use terms such as "problem" or "complaint" that only increase the annoyance of the interlocutor. Instead, use expressions such as “this situation” or “a similar approach.” Restate the complaint in your own words. This clarifies key points and helps to get rid of the emotional aspect that the interlocutor brings. Never try to reassure the caller with promises that you are not able to keep. If you're not sure which path to take, promise the person you're talking to to call back later when you have a complete picture of the situation. In this case, you must definitely call back. Summary:

• Remain calm even if you are being yelled at.
• Listen carefully and sympathetically. It can turn you into a friend.
• Never make promises that you cannot keep. This exacerbates the original error.

"Communication" with an answering machine Some people refuse to speak to the automaton, while others are suddenly speechless when they hear a distinctive signal. Perhaps that is exactly how you feel. Never waste time hanging up or leaving a message that doesn't contain at least part of what you wanted to say.Here are a few practical advice for communication with any answering machine:

• Ignore the fact that your voice is being recorded on tape. Imagine that there is a person on the other end of the wire.
• State the date and time of your call. This will reduce the chance that your call will be missed.
• Speak more slowly than usual so that your message can be easily understood the first time the tape is played. People get annoyed when they have to rewind a tape to listen to a slurred message a second or third time.
• Repeat last names, addresses, or phone numbers. They are sometimes difficult to understand the first time.
• Keep your message short.

1. Be sure to start a business call with a greeting: good morning, good afternoon, etc. This is not only a courtesy act, but it also gives the other person time to figure out who you are and focus on the possible purpose of your call.

If you get a call, be aware that the person waiting for you to pick up the phone is distracted - even if it lasts for three rings (the answer threshold set in many organizations). As a result, he often cannot concentrate in the first few seconds of a conversation. If you immediately pronounce the name of your organization, the subscriber may not catch it, and he will be ashamed to ask again. This results in a waste of time - his and yours - and this situation is easy to avoid. After saying hello, name your organization and / or phone number so that the subscriber makes sure that he got to the right place. The error is detected immediately, and this saves time. Finally, by naming yourself, you establish a positive relationship with the interlocutor from the very beginning. At the same time, both your organization and you yourself seem to him more welcoming and friendly. Never ask a stranger: “How are you?” This sounds fake. Never say to the interlocutor: "You do not know me." This indicates a lack of self-confidence.2. Choose your business calls carefully. The most unfortunate hours are early in the morning or late in the evening. Be sure to ask: “Do you have a minute for a short conversation or should I call back at another time?” Suggest a time to talk if the person is currently unable to talk to you: “Is 10 o’clock okay?”3. Make sure you are being listened to with the VAR method. This acronym consists of the initial letters of the key elements of a successful call. AT. Attention. You must force the interlocutor to concentrate and listen to your words, so as not to become a victim of his absent-mindedness. And. Interest. To keep the interlocutor's attention, your message must take into account the interest factor. AND. A wish. Your words should awaken desire in the interlocutor. D. Action. Your message must end with a clearly articulated action plan.4. Be sure to call the interlocutor by name. If you have just met, try to get his name imprinted in your memory. This can be achieved by repeating it to yourself several times, and using it often. Remember that people are most interested in their own person! American researchers analyzed 500 phone calls and found that the pronoun “I” occurs in them more than 4,000 times! At the end of the conversation, write down the name of the interlocutor, as well as other information about him obtained during the conversation, for example, the names and ages of his children. Keep these records carefully. They will help you establish an even warmer relationship on subsequent calls.5. Smile while on the phone. Smiling not only helps convey your enthusiasm to the interlocutor, but also energizes you. Smiling promotes the production of brain chemicals that increase feelings of self-confidence and optimism.6. Be sure to make "thank you" calls when you have been provided with a service. They are very useful for future cooperation. The faster your reaction, the more effective such calls.7. Try to imagine the mind of the interlocutor. This is not an easy task, but there are ways to make it easier.

• Do not try to perform an objective analysis based on the voice of the interlocutor. For the left hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for logic, there are too many unknown quantities in this situation. Instead, listen to your intuitive right brain. Relax as you listen to the other person and let impressions and sensations form in your brain. Such natural impressions can be remarkably accurate.
• A high rate of speech (in the event that the content is quite meaningful) indicates intelligence above average.
• Hesitation, stuttering and pauses often betray excitement or indecision.
• Depending on the content, underlining certain phrases can indicate the corresponding subconscious likes and dislikes.
• By the style of the interlocutor, try to determine what type of personality you are talking to: with the "leader", "mother", "mechanic" or "motivator".

The "leader" should explain how your suggestions will contribute to his success or facilitate the achievement of his goals. Convince the "mother" of the value of your proposals by emphasizing how they will benefit people. When talking to the "mechanic", use facts and figures, and the message for the "motivator" should be as entertaining as possible.8. Encourage cooperation with the phrase: "Do you agree?" This will allow you:

• Cause a positive reaction of the interlocutor to your message.
• Engage them in conversation anytime you need feedback on how your ideas are being received, or when you want to highlight key points in your message.
• Slightly push him to accept your point of view by answering your question in the affirmative. This is the most likely answer, since people tend to take the easiest route. Only a very stubborn person can answer such a friendly question in the negative. And the more affirmative answers you hear during the conversation, the higher the chances that your proposals will be accepted.
• Reach agreement at the end of the conversation. If you have already used this phase several times, repeating it will increase the likelihood that a larger request will also be granted.

In some cases, people like this phrase so much that they even copy the intonation and voice of the one who says it.9. Never reply to phone call when you eat, drink or talk to someone else. Never cover the handset with your hand to address the person next to you. This betrays your extreme unprofessionalism.10. Be sure to say goodbye to the interlocutor: the ability to effectively end a conversation on the phone is no less important than the ability to convey your thoughts to the listener. Too long a conversation can cause embarrassment, boredom or annoyance of the interlocutor. To properly end the conversation, use the PTZ (politeness-firmness-finality) technique: Be polite. If you are dealing with a stranger, include their name in your last sentence. If you want the interlocutor to remember certain facts, repeat them immediately after parting. Be firm. Don't let yourself be drawn into an irrelevant discussion. If you find it difficult to do this, have a few plausible excuses on hand, for example: "I'm sorry, my name is on another phone." Usually - if your tone is friendly - the interlocutor will take the hint that it's time to say goodbye. End the conversation. Just be sure to let the other person hang up first. If you do this, then the conversation will end on a psychologically not very friendly note.

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..3

Chapter 1. Specifics of telephone conversations:

1.1. The difference between telephone conversations and other types of conversations………..5

1.2. Planning telephone conversations…………………………………...7

1.3. Laws and rules of telephone conversations and sales…………10

Chapter 2. Features of organizing and conducting telephone conversations:

2.1. Incoming call. Professional product presentation over the phone………………………………………………………………………….15

2.2. Outgoing call. What to say when you call your client?.....18

2.3. Preparation and conduct of negotiations with foreign partners…..24

Chapter 3. Recordings of telephone conversations……………………………………..26

Chapter 4. Conclusion……………………………………………………………….30

Chapter 5. List of used literature……………………………………....32

Introduction.

Telephone conversations - modern world the fastest and most convenient business contact.

Telephone communication is an important factor in maintaining business negotiations, since this is the easiest way to establish contact; faxes and new means of information transmission, such as telexes, teletypes, only supplement it. Skill business people conduct telephone communication affects their personal authority and the reputation of the company, organization they represent.

I believe that my work in this period of time is especially relevant, since in the conditions of the crisis and financial instability in the country, many people have to conduct telephone conversations - this helps to save time and at the same time solve important issues. In addition, a lot can be done by phone: to establish contact, give orders, state a request, etc. Very often, the first step towards concluding a business contract is a telephone conversation.

Despite this, some professionals in the business world are not trained to conduct telephone conversations and negotiations, very often reception secretaries do not have it, although answering telephone calls is their primary duty. AT recent times abroad, intra-company short-term courses on mastering the basics of working with office equipment are widely practiced, where Special attention given to telephones. Mastering the conversation on the phone is seen as an integral part of the formation of "white collars" of the new formation. It is estimated that each telephone conversation lasts an average of 3 to 5 minutes. Consequently, in total, for example, a leader spends about 2-2.5 hours a day on telephone communication, and sometimes from 3 to 4.5 hours. About 60% of conversations on the office phone occur in the first half of the day. In this regard, not only the ability to conduct a short conversation is required, but also to instantly reorganize, mobilely responding to different partners and different topics.

object study of this term paper is the study of telephone conversations and their records.

Subject for this course work served as the strategic and tactical principles of telephone conversations.

aim my job is to review and classify the rules of telephone conversations and their recording.

To do this, I set myself the following tasks :

1) determine the specifics of telephone conversations

2) learn the features of organizing and conducting telephone conversations

3) review the records of telephone communications.

Chapter 1. Specificity of telephone conversations.

1.1. The difference between telephone conversations and other types of conversations.

Business conversations, business meetings and telephone conversations can be considered as independent types of business communication. They differ from each other in the goals for which they are held, the form of contact and the number of participants, which predetermines the socio-psychological characteristics of their organization and conduct.

And in comparison with other types of speech communication, telephone communication has the following advantages:

Information transfer rate (gain in time); immediate establishment of communication with a subscriber located at any distance;

Direct exchange of information in the form of a dialogue and the ability to reach an agreement without waiting for a meeting;

Contact privacy; paperwork reduction;

Saving money on organizing contacts of other types.

Quick response to the statements of the interlocutors, contributing to the achievement of goals;

Increasing the competence of the manager by taking into account, critically checking and evaluating the opinions, suggestions, ideas, objections and criticisms expressed in the conversation;

The possibility of a more flexible, differentiated approach to the subject of discussion and understanding of the context of the conversation, as well as the goals of each of the parties.

A conversation is not a monologue, but a dialogue, therefore it is necessary to formulate questions, definitions, assessments so that they directly or indirectly invite the interlocutor to express their attitude to the stated opinion. Thanks to the effect feedback, a telephone conversation allows the leader to respond to the partner's statements in accordance with a specific situation, i.e. taking into account the purpose, subject and interests of partners.

But you also need to carefully prepare for a business telephone conversation. Poor preparation, the inability to highlight the main thing in it, concisely, concisely and competently express one's thoughts leads to significant losses of working time (up to 20-30%) [A. Mackenzie, 2005 p. 57]. A. Mackenzie among the 15 main reasons for the loss of time by a businessman, a manager, he put telephone conversations in first place. Psychologists note that the duration telephone conversations depends on their emotional coloring. Excessive emotionality creates the prerequisites for speech fuzziness, inefficiency of phrases, which increases the time of a telephone conversation.

Negotiations are a significant part professional activity business people, entrepreneurs, managers, professionals different levels, social workers, political leaders, etc. In the "Dictionary of the Russian language" S.I. Ozhegov, the most popular at present, negotiations are defined as - an exchange of views for a business purpose. "However, in order to distinguish them from business conversations and meetings, one important clarification needs to be made. verbal communication between interlocutors who have the necessary authority from their organizations (institutions, firms, etc.) to establish business relations, resolve disputes or develop a constructive approach to their solution. This means that, unlike business conversations and meetings held within an organization (institutions, firms, etc.) between its employees, telephone conversations are a process whose participants are representatives of at least two parties (institutions, firms etc.), authorized to carry out relevant business contacts and conclude contracts. The value of business telephone conversations cannot be overestimated. It is such negotiations (interpersonal or group) that involve the discussion of a specific subject with a Specific goal. Achieving the goal of negotiations is always associated with the development of a joint program of action in some area of ​​activity.

1.2. Planning of telephone conversations.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, telephone conversations have many advantages over other types of negotiations, but they should also be well prepared for effective interaction between partners.

Before starting a conversation, think carefully about:

1) convenient time for the call and its duration;

2) clearly define the purpose of your call;

3) Make a plan for the conversation.

Consider answers to the following questions:

1) What are you going to tell about yourself and the company you work for?

2) What questions are you going to ask the interlocutor to find out his needs and create the necessary motivation for a further meeting?

3) What could be the objections and your possible answers?

4) How are you going to end the conversation and arrange a meeting?

Start a phone conversation with a smile. Remember, when you smile, your voice becomes more pleasant. So smile more often. Some telephone pros place a mirror in front of them so they can see their facial expressions while they are talking. All this allows you to control the presence of a smile on your face.

For effective communication on the phone, in the absence of eye contact, when the main means of influencing the interlocutor is the voice, especially important role acquires the ability to control this natural and unique instrument. By the content of the first words and the sound of your voice, the client determines your professionalism, chooses the style of communication with you. Your voice is clothing, hair color, temperament and facial expression. During a telephone conversation, you will not be able to accompany the words with facial expressions and gestures. The sound of your voice is important, the ability to correctly express your thoughts and, of course, an indispensable condition is respect for the interlocutor.

You can tell a lot about a person by their voice. For example? You can determine the emotional state of the interlocutor, his nationality, social status and status, health status, educational and cultural level, approximate age.

Feel free to ask questions. By asking questions, you can achieve a variety of goals: save your working time and working hours of the subscriber, having correctly found out the purpose of the call and promptly connecting it to the right employee or service. Another goal, which is easily achieved by questions, is a demonstration of attention to the subscriber and his information. It is pleasant to each interlocutor. The third goal is to seize and hold the initiative in a conversation. The conversation is controlled not by the one who speaks, but by the one who asks.

Let's try to sketch out a plan for a short telephone conversation. Let's assume that 3 minutes are allotted for the conversation;

1. Mutual introduction - 20±5 seconds;

2. introduction of the interlocutor into the know - 40 ± 5 seconds;

3. discussion of the situation, problems - 100±5 seconds;

4. final summary - 20±5 seconds.

The skill of a concise interview is acquired over time, as conversations are repeated in strict regulations.

Telephone business etiquette normalizes communication with a client. By observing business etiquette, the client judges the corporate culture of the company. Pick up the phone on the 3rd call: on the first call - put things off, on the second - tune in, on the third - smile and pick up the phone. If you do not pick up the phone for too long, this indicates a low corporate culture of the company. Don't fuss. A lot of people immediately pick up the phone. Any person needs at least a couple of seconds to concentrate and tune in to a conversation.

Greet the interlocutor as kindly and energetically as possible. Think of several ways to say hello. Let you have different options for people of different sex and age. It is better to start a conversation with a client with the words "Good afternoon (morning, evening)". They are more lively and inviting than just "hello". Remember that on the other end of the wire, someone also wants to be respected and understood.

1.3. Laws and rules of conducting telephone conversations and sales.

The ability to negotiate is one of the most important for a manager. Knowing how this is done, you can communicate with the client simply and easily. Undoubtedly most of abilities will come only with practice, but these few tips are universal in any negotiation.

Don't trust everything you hear. Accept and memorize all the information you receive before, during, and after the negotiation, but don't let anyone draw conclusions for you. If you do not understand something, you can, even should ask a question in order to dispel your doubts. Please note: in such cases, you do not need to show your emotions, it is likely that your interlocutor simply expressed himself unsuccessfully, instead of: “You should not do this,” it is better to say “Our company is not satisfied with such an offer.”

Listen carefully. A good negotiator is a good listener. Ask questions and listen carefully. Even if your interlocutor is silent - pause, he may want to add something that he did not dare to answer. With your silence, you cheer him up, because any person is pleased when they listen to him. The 80/20 rule applies here too. 80% listening, 20% talking.

Get ready to negotiate. Collect available information about your potential client. What are their needs? What are the plans? What are the possibilities? Answers to these and similar questions are very important for the success of the negotiations.

Set higher goals. A successful negotiator is usually an optimist. He sets high goals and gets the maximum result. If you are a buyer, then offer a price less than what you expect, if a buyer - do not be afraid to raise the price, remember only that you must know for sure under what conditions you can lower it.

Don't take the first step. The best way find out what your client is willing to pay - force him to take the first step. It is possible that his needs are higher than you think. If you are the first to voice your conditions, you can offer more than necessary.

Disagree with the first offer. The first offer in a negotiation is the starting point, usually the most disadvantageous offer for you. Even if the first offer is more profitable than you expected, then you will not lose anything if you offer to negotiate all the conditions.

Don't make concessions without getting something in return. Always link these conditions: “I give you a 10% discount, subject to advance payment (ordering service, paying in cash, etc.)”

Get ready to leave. If you feel like you're being pressured and getting nothing in return. If you see that the negotiations have no options, then it is best to refuse such a partner. Believe me, it will be cheaper. The ability to say “no” is valued more than the ability to say “yes.”

Now let's take a closer look at the structure of telephone conversations.

Telephone conversations consist of five phases:

1. start a conversation;

2. transmission of information;

3. argumentation;

4. refutation of the arguments of the interlocutor;

5. decision making.

Tasks of the first phase of the conversation:

Establishing contact with the interlocutor;

Creating a pleasant atmosphere for conversation;

Drawing attention to the subject of the interview;

Awakening interest in the conversation;

Seizure of the initiative (if necessary).

Transfer of information to the interlocutor. The information transfer phase logically continues the beginning of the conversation and at the same time is a "springboard" for the transition to the argumentation phase.

Next phase business conversation- argumentation. In this phase, a preliminary opinion is formed, a certain position is taken on this issue, both on the part of the initiator of the conversation and on the part of the interlocutor.

Decision-making. Before the end of the conversation, it is necessary, or should, acting according to the circumstances, arrange a meeting. When arranging a meeting, make sure that your interlocutor understands you correctly and writes down the day and hour of the meeting. Ask the interlocutor whether it is convenient for you to call him back the day before to make sure that the meeting will take place? All of these activities are useful so that your client can plan their time and adequately prepare for the meeting. When inviting the interlocutor to your office, name the exact address and tell in detail how you can get to you. Use the standard phrase: "Do you have a pencil handy? Please write down the best way to get to us."

Write down the general attitude of the client to the information that you gave him, the agreement on the place, date and time of the meeting or call, who should call whom, as well as the key points that sounded in the conversation.

The main tasks to be solved at the end of the conversation are as follows:

1. Achievement of the main, or at the very bad case, spare (alternative), purpose.

2. Providing a favorable atmosphere at the end of the conversation, regardless of the presence or absence of mutual understanding.

3. Stimulating the interlocutor to perform the intended actions.

4. Maintaining (if necessary) further contacts with the interlocutors and their colleagues.

5. Drawing up a detailed summary of the conversation, understandable to its participants, with a clearly defined main conclusion.

Clients tend to emotionally remember what happened at the beginning of a conversation and take what happened at the end as a guide to action. At the end of the conversation, say goodbye to the interlocutor as kindly as possible. "If you have any questions, call us, we will be happy to help you." "Come at any time convenient for you, we will be happy to help you", "All the best", "It was very useful to receive this information from you." Thank you for your attention, interest in your company, wish you a pleasant rest of the day or the upcoming weekend. Remember that the caller ends the call. Remember that by talking you are laying the foundation for your personal meeting, so goodwill is above all. Experienced business people usually think over two or three groups of final words in advance, so that later, depending on the conversation, decide which of them - softer or harder in form - to pronounce.

A short list of what not to do and what to do when the phone rings in your office.

It does not follow

Should

1. Do not pick up the phone for a long time. 2. Say "hello", "yes" when starting a conversation. 3. Ask: "Can I help you?". 4. Have two conversations at once. 5. Leave your phone unattended, at least for a little while. 6. Use scraps of paper and calendar sheets for notes. 7. Transfer handset many times. 8. Say: "everyone is having lunch", "no one is there", Please call back.

1. Pick up the handset before the fourth ring of the phone. 2. Say "good morning (afternoon)", "say", introduce yourself and name your department. 3. Ask: "How can I help you?" 4. Focus on the conversation and listen carefully. 5. Offer to call back if it takes time to clarify the details. 6. Use forms to record telephone conversations. 7. Write down the number of the caller and call him back. 8. Write down the information and promise the client to call him back.

Chapter 2. Features of the organization and conduct of telephone conversations.

2.1. Incoming call. Professional product presentation over the phone.

Customers themselves call firms and find out about products and services because they need this product or service. Therefore, a telephone conversation with a manager should be remembered by the client, inspire disposition and trust in the company and the proposed product.

The client should not wait a long time until they pick up the phone, should not get tired of waiting until he is switched to right person, and even more so until they answer question asked. In telephone conversations, the time factor plays much more value than during face-to-face negotiations. If the manager paused during a telephone presentation, then deathly silence quickly begins to put pressure on the ears of the interlocutor, the situation becomes very uncomfortable.

The manager answering the customer's questions should not be distracted by anything, and he should be well versed in the product or service he offers.

Correct presentation is very important. It is so significant because the effect of the first impression persists no matter what. The first impression is formed in the first 4 - 60 seconds of communication. Therefore, exercise maximum courtesy, speak with average speed, to have a pleasant solid timbre of voice means to add points to yourself in favor of establishing good contact.

The best impromptu, as you know, is the one that is prepared in advance. Therefore, it would be good to work out not only the voice and intonations, but also greeting phrases. They should be short, understandable and conducive to communication.

You need to start with a greeting: “Good afternoon” is a capacious, cheerful, businesslike phrase. It cannot be compared with any "Hello", "Hello" or "I'm listening to you." She is the only one who sets up business communication and adds solidity to the speaker.

After the introduction, you need to name your company. There are at least two strong arguments for saying the company name right after the salutation. The first of them - the client must make sure that he did not make a mistake with the number. The second argument is that by naming the company first, and then his own name, the manager automatically connects himself and the company in the mind of the client. And this means that, when calling back, the client will ask to connect him with the person with whom he spoke for the first time. And this makes it easier to establish contact between a specific manager and a specific client.

Particular attention should be paid to the process of issuing information about the product and service requested by the client by the manager. Often a client calls, not yet fully understanding what exactly he needs and how much money he is willing to pay for it. At this stage, it is very important to draw the attention of the client to the following: price categories and what features the product at a given price includes

The presentation of each product should be prepared in advance, because if there is no clear plan for presenting the facts about the product, then there is confusion in the story, there are unnecessary pauses in the selection the right words, intonations change from solid to tense. All this in combination causes distrust of the client and to this product, and to the manager, and to the company as the seller of this product.

Also, speech cannot be a large number terms. All words should be clear even to an absolute beginner in studying the characteristics of a product or service. Sometimes it is quite difficult to exclude all professional terms from a presentation speech, but it is necessary, since there is no guarantee that the client will understand them all, but few will dare to ask questions. He will not pay money for the product, the characteristics of which the client does not understand. Therefore, after these negotiations, he will definitely call another company, and if they explain it better, then he will pay them the money. This is not the goal of the work of a manager of a particular company, which means that the explanation of complex terms in simple words should be included in every presentation.

At the end of telephone conversations, the client should have a clear understanding of what money, what product he will receive. What are its advantages in relation to a cheaper product, what are its disadvantages in relation to a more expensive one. He must clearly understand what steps he needs to take to make a purchase - where to come, or where to call, or how to place an order. It is better if the name and Contact phone numbers remain with the manager. So it will be easier to navigate if the client calls again.

Throughout all telephone conversations, one must remember about politeness, measured speech, solid intonation, but in the last minutes of telephone communication they are especially important, since the first and final phrases and intonations are best remembered. In order for the client to have the best impression of the negotiations, the parting should be as businesslike and positive as the whole conversation.

2.2. Outgoing call. What to say when you call your client?

Come up with several ways to say hello, but all of them must be corporately acceptable, that is, polite, pleasant to the ear, friendly and correct (“Good afternoon”, “Hello”, “Greetings, Sergey Nikolaevich”, but not “Hello ”,“ Kind Day ”and the like). Greetings can be different for people different ages and gender.

"How are you doing?" - this phrase, like no other, will immediately betray you as a person involved in telemarketing or sales, especially if it is pronounced insincerely, as mandatory question. And 80% of your competitors ask it that way.

If you want to outperform your competitors and improve good contact with a prospective client, after you have introduced yourself and provided your company name, try one of the following techniques:

1. "Can you hear me well?" - such a conversation starter has several advantages. Firstly, this question causes a positive answer, and secondly, by answering positively, your interlocutor begins to really listen to you. A good way to start a conversation.

2. "Nice day, isn't it?" - this question at the beginning of the conversation immediately establishes contact with the interlocutor and makes him join the conversation.

3. “You too it's raining? (“the sun is shining”, “hot”). If you start a conversation with a potential client with a non-sales question, it gets him talking and takes the pressure off.

4. “I'm so glad I got through to you! I need your help. Tell me, are you doing…?”. A great technique, because you immediately make the interlocutor feel important. Works flawlessly.

5. "How is your day?" Alternative to "How are you?" It only works if you ask the question sincerely and really listen to how the person goes through the day. Listen and respond appropriately.

So here they are, five ways to stand out when cold-calling potential customers.

If you know the person you are calling, be sure to call him by his first name (first and middle name). Say your name. A person needs to identify your voice as quickly as possible so that he can use one of the ready-made models for negotiating on the phone. If a person does not know who he is talking to, then he is lost, which causes an unpleasant sensation. In addition, a long-term misunderstanding of who the person is talking to gives rise to aggression towards this person, due to the fact that there is a feeling of wasting time - the person is busy, or he is thinking about something, and then he is forced to play "guess-ku". “You don’t recognize me?”, “Hi, so how are our business under that agreement?”, “Good afternoon. I’m calling to clarify the time of our meeting, is it more convenient for you tomorrow or Friday?” - such questions at the beginning of a telephone conversation can spoil the interlocutor's attitude towards you very quickly. In addition to irritation, such phrases do not cause anything.

The phrase itself should be positive or neutral in emotional charge. “You are worried”, “My name is Olga. Would you give me a few minutes of your time”, “I wanted to talk to you about our project, it won’t take you much time” - phrases of this type have a very negative effect on the well-being of another person. Our brain does not catch the “not” particle, but it catches affirmative sentences as affirmative sentences, and does not catch the subtext that we put into them.

“You are worried” - is perceived by the brain, that yes, they really bother me, that is, they tear me away from business and unbalance this call.

"My name is Olga. Would you give me a few minutes of your time, ”I want to answer,“ I won’t. What is the question - such is the answer, on the machine, if, moreover, a person was busy with calculations or thought deeply, then the ability to capture additional contexts for a while is reduced to zero.

"Good afternoon. My name is Olga, company…, I'm calling to confirm the time of our meeting. Do you prefer tomorrow or Friday?” (this is if the conversation is scheduled to be short).

“Good afternoon, Sergey Ivanovich. My name is Olga, I'm the company's update manager… is it convenient for you to talk now?”

Even if you call five times a day, you still need to introduce yourself every time.

Clarification of the name of the interlocutor. Good afternoon. May I speak to Sergei Ivanovich? Good afternoon. Is this Sergei Ivanovich? Hello, my name is Olga, I am a customer service manager of the company.

Not the best option, if you, introducing yourself, ask a question like: “Is this Sergey Ivanovich?”, “Sergey Ivanovich, is that you?” - because there is a possibility of making a mistake, and then the response phrase: "No, this is Ilya" - will cause irritation on the other side of the tube. Firstly, you did not recognize the person, and he has the right to express negative emotions for this. Secondly, the utterance by the interlocutor of words with a negative connotation implicitly spoils his attitude towards us.

Questions: “Who am I talking to?”, “Who is this?” - cause a response full of negativity: “Who do you need? Where are you calling?

Long introductory phrases "Can I speak to Sergei Ivanovich?" can be very useful if during the time we were recruiting telephone number Forgot who we're calling. While we say smoothly and measuredly: “Good afternoon. Connect me, please, with ... ”there is time and opportunity to remember who we are calling or look at the application sheet by which we dial the number.

In addition, any person is so pleased to hear his name. And if we can please the client by calling him by his first name, why don't we just do it for the sake of it.

Clarification of the availability of time for a conversation with the interlocutor.

Highly important point in developing a good long-term relationship with the client. We invade a person's life with our call. He can be busy with anything, from important business negotiations to an enthusiastic conversation on mobile phone with a friend. And what the person on the other end of the wire does may be much more important to him than this call, at least at the moment that we have chosen for the call. In addition, the phone is good because we are not visible, and a person may simply not want to violate this privacy. There can be a thousand reasons why a person picked up the phone, but is not ready to talk seriously with us. Such an attitude absolutely cannot help us to establish relations with this person. And if we don’t ask about the availability of free time, then we risk that either they will listen to us half an ear, or they will frankly say: “You know, I’m busy now, please call me back in a week and a half.” "Can I borrow two minutes from you?" - to take away is equal to take away, but I do not want to be taken away from me.

At the same time, if we asked a person: "Do you have a minute to talk to me?" - then he will no longer be able to just round off the conversation with us, if suddenly the topic of the conversation is not very relevant for the interlocutor. And say as an excuse: "Oh, I'm so busy right now, let's get back to this in a couple of months" - after saying a minute ago that "yes, I'm free to talk to you now."

After you have properly greeted, you need to continue the conversation in the same rhythm, so the next words are very important.

The phrase "I would like to offer you ..." should not be present in your dictionary. For a potential client, this means: "We are calling to sell you our product ...". There is no need for the client to think that he is being “sold” something. The client must want to buy our product.

“I wanted to talk to you about our project, it won’t take you much time” - this phrase is read by a tired brain as “this will take you a lot of time.” Accordingly, there is no desire to discuss the project.

The impression that the interlocutor forms about us is formed, basically, for the first time for several minutes of communication, and if the person at the other end of the wire has a tension associated with us and with our voice, then it will be difficult to overcome it later.

Instead, say, “Our company does (summary of your company's activities). I'm calling to discuss how interesting this might be for you, ”or“ Our company does (what the company does). Can I negotiate with you on this issue?”. “Discussion” and “negotiating” do not threaten the client with financial costs. Therefore, there is a high probability of continuing the dialogue. Although it is possible that in this case we may be refused.

The client is psychologically unprepared for negotiations. The result can be emotional resistance, and from the first seconds we are faced with impenetrable objections: “We don’t need anything”, “We have already covered all the needs”, “We have been working with suppliers for a long time and everything suits us”. You should not start convincing the client and arguing the benefits of your commercial offer, this is a common mistake. The result may be the end of the conversation. If the client is not ready to perceive the information, then he simply will not hear you.

There are two ways to avoid this difficulty:

1. From the very beginning, do not give rise to objections. Talk less and ask more, and if you talk, be interested in the situation of the interlocutor, his pressing concerns, which can be resolved with the help of your proposal.

2. In case objections nevertheless arise, it is easy to answer them, aiming not to “press” the interlocutor from the first minutes of the conversation, but to arouse interest in continuing the conversation.

Here, by the way, it is very convenient that we speak on the phone, since we can easily use auxiliary materials, the Internet, reference books and the help of specialists, which is quite difficult to do in person.

2.3. Preparing and conducting negotiations with foreign partners.

Each nation has its own customs, traditions, culture, political and state structure. All this affects the characteristics of business relations and accepted rules behavior. So, open doors workspaces are perceived by North Americans as the norm, and by Germans as the highest degree of disorder. Americans and Japanese are accustomed to working in large rooms where everything is in sight, while the Germans, on the contrary, closed doors. A loud conversation by an American or Italian can be perceived by an Englishman as a sign of bad manners. The maximum approach to each other of the interlocutors-Latin Americans causes the desire to move away from the British, etc.

In the process of preparing and conducting business negotiations, national characteristics are manifested in the nature of the formation of the delegation, the mechanism and degree of independence in decision-making during negotiations, the value orientation of the participants, the peculiarities of perception and thinking, the most characteristic tactics.

Ignorance national characteristics business etiquette can make an undesirable impression on partners, complicate interaction both at the stage of the negotiation process and in the implementation of certain joint projects.

The features of business etiquette and business culture as a whole are based not only on traditions, but also on the features of the national character.

The translator, as a rule, is not only a philologist, but also a country expert, which gives grounds to use his knowledge and experience not only for translation work, but also for building trusting relationships with partners. Professional translator plays key role in establishing a spirit of cooperation, especially when negotiation processes are carried out with representatives of peoples and cultures, whose worldview, moral attitudes and features of business etiquette are significantly different from those adopted in the West.

When communicating via a conference call through an interpreter, the following rules must be observed:

Speak slowly, clearly formulating thoughts, avoiding the possibility of an ambiguous interpretation of what was said;

You should say no more than one or two sentences in a row, considering what to keep in memory and translate large quantity material completely and correctly the translator is not able to. In addition, some languages ​​are grammatically directly opposite to Russian. For example, in Persian, the predicate always completes the sentence, and does not stand in its middle, as in Russian, English and other languages;

You can not accompany your speech with sayings, idiomatic phrases and, moreover, quoting poetry. Translating them into another language requires a lot of work and is impossible during a dynamic conversation. An incorrect translation can spoil the atmosphere of negotiations, since our proverbs and sayings in another language can acquire an ambiguous meaning, and sometimes even an offensive meaning;

It is necessary to take into account the reaction of partners and take immediate action if there is a feeling that they misunderstand you. The interpreter, in turn, may, if necessary, ask either party to explain the idea in simpler words or repeat the phrase again;

Before negotiations, it is necessary to allocate sufficient time to work with an interpreter in order to familiarize him in as much detail as possible with the range of issues raised, and to clarify the terminology used. The report, speech at the presentation and other written materials should be handed over to the interpreter for review a day or two before the speech. And lastly, there are no translators who, without training, operate equally well with medical, technical, and any other terminology.

Chapter 3. Recordings of telephone conversations.

AT writing hard to convey shades of emotion. The same words, uttered with different emotional overtones, can have completely different meanings. During verbal contact, the amount of information in the word/meaning ratio may differ several times in favor of the meaning. The interlocutor said almost nothing, but you understand everything, or vice versa, you don’t want to talk to him.

Meaning is the third aspect of conversation, along with verbal and non-verbal characteristics.

When negotiating, you need to carefully analyze your words and the words of the interlocutor. In the “question-answer” scheme, you need to find the basis that is not uttered by you and your opponent.

Consider the standard dialog:

Good afternoon, company X, we sell cartridges for office equipment, which are distinguished by increased reliability, resource and build quality.

Thank you for calling, we are not currently considering such offers.

Leader's order.

Can I call you in a month?

Call...

1. The manager offers his product. He is sure that this offer may be of interest to the buyer and immediately declares all his characteristics (by the way, the mistake is also that you need to sell the benefit that the buyer will receive after the purchase, but this is not about that)

2. The buyer politely cuts off this call. The reasons why he does this may vary. Maybe there really is an order from the manager, maybe he is just tired, or they recently made a big purchase, but they don’t want to let strangers know about it.

3. The seller is rather abruptly trying to find out the reason for the refusal ...

4. And gets an equally harsh response

5. "Drain counted!"

What was wrong?

Unwillingness to understand the client's problems. Perhaps the seller was tired and acted on the machine. However, in this case, it is better not to work, reschedule the meeting and get in touch only when you are ready.

Sharpness in question. Asking an open-ended question is a good idea, but remember that the client is not obligated to answer any, even the most elegantly asked question. Establishing contact is the first thing to achieve when starting a conversation.

Endless conversation. "I'll call you back in a month." Instead of figuring out the problem, he simply moved it further in time. Maybe in order to forget and look for more accommodating clients.

To summarize: the conversation should be about things that interest your interlocutor and he should feel it. The conversation should be easy and logical. And remember that words can have completely different meanings, try to understand the client.

Now let's look at four questions that will help convince a potential client about the need to buy.

This method is especially good in cases where you have to talk to a client who is completely unprepared. Usually in such situations, many salespeople become nervous and uncomfortable because they do not know how to carry on a conversation.

The point is to get as far as possible more information, and based on the data received, lead the client to the only reasonable decision - the purchase.

The first question to start with, once all the prelude is over, is:

What do you think is the most important thing about a product (or service)?

Client: "I prefer reliable cars"

This question aims to find out the needs and preferences of the client. The purpose of the question is to find bait, to find out vulnerable spot in order to subsequently hook the client. You need to listen carefully and memorize. Once you find a clue, move on to the next question.

What does … mean to you? (AT specific situation What does "reliable car" mean to you?

Client: First of all, this is a car equipped with all modern means security.

And again, you need to listen and remember. This question can be asked several times, just change it a little. For example: "What do you understand by the word ...?" or “What do you mean by…?” etc.

If you skillfully use these two questions in any situation, you can find out the weak point of the client. When you feel that you have learned everything you need, go on the offensive.

If I offer you ..., will you agree to the purchase? (in a specific situation - if you make sure that the car we offer is more than reliable and safe on the road, will you agree to cooperate with us?)

Here it is necessary to list all those important characteristics that you managed to find out? What do you think, will a person cooperate after you offer him everything that he wants? In most cases, you will hear a positive response.

But if the client still says no. We return to the very beginning.

What else is important to you in...?

And everything starts anew. With the help of these four "magic" questions, you can crack truly "hard nuts".

Now consider what it means to own a culture of telephone conversation:

Dial a phone number only when you are sure that it is correct.

Carefully prepare for a business telephone conversation, achieve maximum brevity.

Before especially responsible telephone conversations, make the necessary notes on a piece of paper.

If there is a long conversation ahead, ask the interlocutor if he has enough time and, if not, transfer the conversation to another, agreed day and hour.

Having achieved a telephone connection with the desired institution, name yourself and your company.

If you "got in the wrong place", ask for an apology, and do not hang up silently.

On an erroneous call, politely answer: "You have the wrong number" and hang up.

When working on an important document, turn off the phone or switch it to the secretary.

In business telephone conversations, "keep oneself in hand", even if before that he was annoyed with something.

When answering a phone call, give your last name.

During a long monologue of the interlocutor on the phone, from time to time confirm your attention with brief remarks.

Finishing a business conversation on the phone, thank the interlocutor and wish him success.

If the colleague being asked on the phone is not available, ask what to give him and leave a note on his desk.

Chapter 4. Conclusion.

Communication by phone takes up a significant part of the working time of many business people. This type of communication is convenient and, besides, modern technologies allow us to solve a lot of things with its help. But at the same time, talking on the phone is somewhat different from the communication that occurs in person.

It depends on how the telephone conversation takes place, whether communication with this client will be continued in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to make every effort so that the client remembers this particular conversation, so that he experiences positive emotions. They influence not only the desire of the client to deal with this particular company, but also, according to psychologists, they have a positive effect on the activity of the brain, contribute to the clarity of thinking.

A prerequisite for the appearance of the client positive emotions is good mood his interlocutor. It manifests itself through voice, intonation, manner of speaking.

Clear speech makes a good impression, helps the interlocutor tune in the right way. There is no need to rush - the time won on this will be lost due to misunderstandings and forced repetitions. The speed of speech should not exceed one hundred twenty-five words per minute. A person who pronounces all the words clearly, distinctly, calmly will never be perceived badly, on the contrary, they will be taken seriously. People willingly make contact with such a subject, especially when talking on the phone.

The culture of speech is very important when communicating on the phone. Actually, how appearance, hairstyle, behavior affect the image of a person in direct communication. The ability to beautifully and correctly build phrases, use words appropriately, insert idioms, proverbs, quotes, always come in handy. It's not just the ability to speak - it's a sign good manners, upbringing, culture.

The basic rule of business telephone communication is to be polite, sincerely wish to help the interlocutor, establish business contact with him. To do this, you need to choose the appropriate expressions, do not forget about the intonations that sound in your voice, and the mood with which certain phrases are spoken. At the same time, tact should not be confused with gentleness. A polite conversation does not mean at all that you should agree with the interlocutor in everything, yield to him in all respects, wanting to make a good impression. It is required to answer politely, but firmly, not to forget to defend your interests and take into account the interests of the client.

Practicing and pre-thinking a telephone conversation is, of course, a very serious procedure, but do not forget about the conversation itself, during which many mistakes can be made. After all, during a telephone conversation, information is perceived only by ear, therefore, all emotions must be expressed aloud, otherwise they simply will not be perceived. However, all emotions must be shown very thoughtfully and sparingly enough, excessive emotional saturation of the conversation is erroneous, because it interferes with business communication.

It must be remembered that the end of a telephone conversation does not mean the end of communication. If this conversation has developed successfully, then most likely it will continue, in any case, this is implied in most important telephone conversations. In this case, the subsequent short recording of telephone communication will be very useful, and its absence will be a significant mistake. The conversation record contains many interesting information not noticed directly during the conversation. It can be analyzed later.

Chapter 5. List of used literature.

1. Orlov V.I. Telephone conversations. Technique and psychology. – M.: Alfa Press. – 2007.

2. Baeva O.L. Oratory and business communication. - Minsk. - 2000.

3. Mananikova E.N. Business conversation ( tutorial). - M .: Publishing and Trade Corporation "Dashkov and K *". – 2009.

4. Titova L.G. Business communication (textbook for university students studying economics and management). – M.: UNITY-DANA. – 2008.

5. Smirnov G.N. Ethics of business, business and public relations. – M.: 2001.

6. Kuznetsov I.N. Modern business rhetoric. – M.: GrossMedia Ferlag Publishing House. – 2008.

7. Romanova E.V., Ushakov N.I. Etiquette. - M .: Publishing house Lukomorye. – 2000.

8. Woodcock M., Francis D. Liberated manager. - M .: Business. - 2001.

9. Filippov A.V. Work with personnel: psychological aspect. – M.: Economics. – 2001.

10. Khlopova T.I., Lebedeva M.M. Protocol and etiquette for business people. – M.: 2002.

11. Bramm I.N. Ethics business communication. – M.: 2005.

12. Izmailova. M.A. Business conversation. M.: Enlightenment. – 2001.

13. Borodina G.V. Psychology of business communication. Moscow: Aspect-Press. – 2000.

14. Andreeva G.M. The relationship of communication and activity // Communication and optimization joint activities. - M.: 2000.

15. Vlasov L.V., Sementovskaya V.K. Business communication: notes on official conversations, disputes. M.: Enlightenment. – 2000.

16. Debolsky M. Psychology of business communication. - M.: Knowledge. - 2002.

17. Yager D. Business etiquette: how to survive and succeed in the business world. - M.: 2004.

Telephone conversations are one of the important components of business. The telephone still has not lost its importance in the conduct of business: it is used to make appointments, conduct presentations of goods and services, decide contentious issues, maintain interaction with existing customers and find new ones. Therefore, the sales volume of the company and even its reputation often depend on how the company's employees negotiate by phone. The use of the telephone in sales is also extremely widespread. Well-known - politeness, informativeness, conciseness - are applicable both when conducting a normal conversation on the phone, and when communicating with partners or clients of the company. Conducting business negotiations has its own specifics, therefore, in business, they are supplemented with special techniques and methods of conducting a dialogue. Here it is not enough to be limited to the rules of etiquette: when negotiating, it is necessary to clearly formulate thoughts, and to be fluent in the methods of increasing sales efficiency. Rules for telephone conversations with clients and partners for incoming calls and outgoing calls have their own characteristics.

General telephone rules in business contacts:

- at the beginning of the conversation, it is necessary to say hello, introduce yourself, give your name, surname, position and company;

- use wording that clarifies whether the interlocutor has the opportunity to devote time to the conversation, if he is busy, specify the time when you can call back, or set him such a time;

- when talking, it is necessary to keep the average pace of speech, not to draw words and pauses, but also not to chatter;

- call the interlocutor by name, patronymic or by name, if he allows such treatment;

- you should not force yourself to wait by the phone, insist on talking with an interlocutor who is busy or does not want to continue the conversation;

- you can not talk with several people at once in the process of telephone conversations, unless, of course, this is a teleconference;

- you can not interrupt the interlocutor;

- negotiations are usually completed by the one who called;

- do not shout into the phone, if the connection is bad, call back later;

- Smile during a conversation - it has a positive effect.

Rules for telephone conversations when calling customers, making cold calls and selling by phone:

- make a plan of the conversation, outline the key points that need to be clarified;

- choose the right time to call;

- establish contact with the interlocutor, and only after that proceed to clarify his needs, commercial offers and appointment of a meeting regarding the sale of goods;

- convincingly, but calmly, without argument and irritation, refute the client's objections;

- do not worry if a refusal is received;

- make secretaries allies.

Rules for telephone conversations for incoming calls, in addition to applying the general rules for telephone conversations, they imply mandatory (if possible) assistance to the caller, switching the subscriber to a competent employee, using technology " active listening”, ending the conversation on a positive note.

Telephone conversations are one of the important components of business. The phone still has not lost its importance in doing business: it is used to make appointments, conduct presentations of goods and services, resolve controversial issues, maintain interaction with existing customers and find new ones. Therefore, the sales volume of the company and even its reputation often depend on how the company's employees negotiate by phone. The use of the telephone in sales is also extremely widespread. The well-known rules of telephone conversations - politeness, informativeness, conciseness - are applicable both when conducting a normal telephone conversation and when communicating with partners or clients of the company. Conducting business negotiations has its own specifics, so the rules of telephone conversations in business are supplemented by special techniques and methods of conducting a dialogue. Here it is not enough to be limited to the rules of etiquette: when negotiating, it is necessary to clearly formulate thoughts, and to be fluent in the methods of increasing sales efficiency. The rules for telephone conversations with clients and partners for incoming calls and outgoing calls have their own characteristics.

General rules telephone conversations in business contacts:

At the beginning of the conversation, it is necessary to say hello, introduce yourself, give your name, surname, position and company;

Use wording that specifies whether the interlocutor has the opportunity to devote time to the conversation, if he is busy, specify the time when you can call back, or set him such a time;

When talking, it is necessary to keep the average pace of speech, not to draw words and pauses, but also not to chatter;

Call the interlocutor by name, patronymic or by name, if he allows such treatment;

You should not force yourself to wait by the phone, insist on talking with an interlocutor who is busy or does not want to continue the conversation;

You can’t talk to several people at once during telephone conversations, unless, of course, this is a teleconference;

You can not interrupt the interlocutor;

Negotiations usually ends with the one who called;

Do not shout into the phone, if the connection is bad, call back later;

Smile while talking - it has a positive effect.

Rules for telephone conversations when calling customers, making "cold" calls and sales by phone:

Make a conversation plan, outline the key points that need to be clarified;

Choose the right time to call;

Establish contact with the interlocutor, and only after that proceed to clarifying his needs, commercial offers and making an appointment for the sale of goods;

Convincingly, but calmly, without dispute and irritation, refute the objections of the client;

Don't worry if you get a rejection;

Make secretaries allies.

The rules of telephone conversations for incoming calls, in addition to applying the general rules for telephone conversations, imply mandatory (if possible) assistance to the caller, switching the subscriber to a competent employee, using the “active listening” technique, and ending the conversation on a positive note.