Telephone and Helpdesk Skills, 2014
A Guide to Professional English
Guides to Professional English Series

If you are a non-native English speaker and make telephone calls as part of your work, then this book is for you. By applying the suggested guidelines, you will stand a much greater chance of making an effective telephone call. You will learn how to:

• prepare for a call both psychologically and from an English language point of view
• receive calls (if you work on reception)
• leave messages
• find out about another company and talk about your own company
• chase people (i.e. people who have not followed up your requests)
• deal with difficult calls and callers, and improve your telephone manner
• use the telephone while working on a help desk or helpline
• resolve language difficulties (i.e. when you cannot understand the other person's English)
• improve your pronunciation
• use resources on the Internet to improve your listening skills

The book concludes with a chapter of useful phrases. There is a brief introduction for trainers on how to teach telephone and helpdesk skills within a Business English course.

Preparing for Calls.- Making a Call.- Leaving a Message with the Switchboard Operator.- Voicemail and Answering Machines.- Receiving Calls.- Finding Out About Another Company, Giving Information About Your Company.- Chasing.- Dealing with Difficult Callers and Unhelpful Staff.- Improving Your Telephone Manner.- Working on a Helpdesk: Key Issues.- Helpdesk: Dealing with Customers.- Calling a Helpdesk.- What to Do and Say if You Don't Understand.- Using the Web and TV to Improve Your Listening Skills.- Pronunciation: Word and Sentence Stress.- Example Telephone Dialogs.- Useful Phrases.