For many customers, the phone line is the main, and maybe the only, entrance to your business. It is therefore amazing to me that so many companies put their newest, least trained employee answering the phone. Poor phone manners can undo all of your hard work promoting a powerful image of your company. According to a study by the Rockefeller Institute, of the 8% to 15% of a company's client base lost each year, 68% is due to indifference or negative phone treatment. Truly, your company's reputation is on the line every time someone answers your phone.

For the most part, telephone courtesy is a matter of common sense. Customers expect two things when they call in: responsiveness and assistance. Responsiveness is conveyed by ensuring that when you answer the phone your voice is pleasant and caring while assistance is provided by helping the customer in every way possible.

In today's world, many companies have an automated answering system, which is fine as long as the caller has a reasonable number of options to choose from, including an easy way to get to a live person. If I have to listen to more than about four or five options then I get irritated and feel this company is hard to do business with.

If you have a receptionist or customer service person answer the phones, their standard greeting should include four parts: a salutation, your company name, the first name of the person answering the call and an offer to provide assistance. For example, a proper greeting would be "Good Morning.....Office Plus USA.....this is Jim.....how may I help you?" I know one company that answers the phone with simply "Corporate Offices". The first couple of times I called, I was not sure whose Corporate Offices I had dialed.

To avoid a tarnished reputation, prevent hard feelings and lost customers, be sure everyone who answers the phone knows the following guidelines:

Make sure the phone is answered promptly and with a pleasant voice. Phones should be answered within three rings. If the primary person responsible for answering cannot cover the phones in that time, automatically have the call forwarded to a backup. It is an old saying, but put a smile on your face before you answer, that way your voice is sure to be pleasant.

Never reveal personal information. "He is not in his office - he went to the bathroom" is personal information that does not need to be revealed to a caller. Likewise, information on someone being out of town or gone on vacation should never be revealed to strangers.

Give customers an option if there is going to be a long wait. Let the customer decide if he or she wants to leave a message, leave a voice mail or wait on hold. If they want to hold, reconnect with them every 30 seconds to see if they wish to remain on hold.

Use good manners. In phone conversations, there is no body language to help the communication process, only the tone of your voice and the words you choose. It is hard to overuse the words "please" and "thank you" in your conversations. The tone of your voice, however, must be sincere.

By following a few simple guidelines, the phone can be used to build a positive company image. If you fail to follow these guidelines, your phone may stop ringing altogether.

ACTION TIP OF THE MONTH: Pick up a copy of Total Quality Customer Service by Jim Temme and check out Chapter 11 for a nice list of telephone skills.

(Jim Patterson is Vice President of Office Plus USA and a business consultant. Feel free to email any questions or comments to Jim at jpatterson@WoosterOffice.com.)