Have you ever called a place of business and had the person on the other end simply answer with “hello?”  It’s jarring and surprising and usually leads you to ask if you’ve called the wrong number.

The reason for this is that we expect businesses to employ different phone etiquette than our best friend.  Using the appropriate business phone etiquette makes you come across much more professionally and is a lot less likely to annoy your potential customers.

Here are  ten things to keep in mind:

1. Always answer the phone pleasantly, and include the name of the business in your greeting.
2. Don’t allow the phone to continue to ring.  If you can’t get there within the first three rings, it is probably better for the caller to go to voicemail, as you’re too busy to give him or her the appropriate attention anyway.
3. Check voicemail regularly, and return calls right away.  If you don’t the caller may just find someone else to answer her question or sell her a product.
4. When taking a message, ask the caller if they’d prefer you write it down or send them to voice mail.  If you are writing the message down, read the number back to ensure the call will be returned.
5. Ask permission before placing the caller on hold.  If you continue to be busy, return to the caller and ask if they prefer to continue to hold or if it is preferable for you to call them back.  Don’t expect them to call you again; it’s your job to return the call.
6. If you receive personal calls at work, discontinue them when customers are present.  It is highly unprofessional and will turn people off.
7. Do not make business calls to customers early in the morning.  
8. Avoid eating or chewing gum while on the phone.  The person on the other end can hear it and will feel like they are imposing you with their call.
9. If you are rushed, the person on the other end of the phone should not know it.  If you are just too busy to take the call, it is OK to say that you can’t give their matter your full attention, and request to call them back.  This is preferable to rushing them through the call because you have other things you need to do.
10. If you must deal with an unhappy customer on the phone, do it out of earshot of those who might be in your place of business. 

Being pleasant, helpful, and attentive on the phone will make your business look so much more professional, in addition to being more productive.