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- Slick and Confident Telephone Management Techniques (2 days)
Slick and Confident Telephone Management Techniques (2 days)
Everyone who answers your phones handles every call – routine, difficult or urgent – clearly, correctly and in control.
For many customers your telephone is the organisation. A call answered late, transferred into silence or ended with a message that never reaches the right person costs sales and goodwill. A caller given information they should not have creates a POPIA risk, and an abusive or threatening call handled badly leaves staff shaken and the organisation exposed. This telephone skills training prepares receptionists, switchboard operators and front-line staff to handle all of it with confidence.
Day one builds professional call handling: voice and first impressions, answering a switchboard compared with a direct line, transferring and holding calls, keeping callers informed about delays, taking and relaying accurate messages, preparing for outgoing calls and finding numbers, voicemail and everyday etiquette. Day two deals with the calls that go wrong or matter most: deciding what may be disclosed and to whom, handling queries and complaints, calming angry callers, setting limits with abusive callers, responding to emergency and threat calls, and getting the best out of your telephone system. Both days are built around realistic call practice with feedback.
Why this course
For your organisation
- A consistent, professional first impression on every call
- Fewer lost messages and dropped transfers
- Less POPIA risk from careless disclosure over the phone
- Staff prepared for abusive, threatening and emergency calls
- Better use of the switchboard or VoIP system you already have
For your delegates
- Confidence and control every time the phone rings
- A clear routine for transfers, holds and messages
- Simple rules for what you may and may not disclose
- Techniques to calm angry callers and end abusive calls properly
- An emergency and threat-call checklist for your desk
What delegates will be able to do
- Answer incoming calls professionally on a switchboard and on a direct line
- Transfer calls, place callers on hold and keep them informed of delays
- Take accurate messages and make sure they reach the right person
- Prepare documents, information and equipment before making outgoing calls
- Use standard etiquette, a clear voice and positive body language on calls
- Decide whether information may be disclosed, in line with company policy and POPIA
- Handle queries and complaints through to a clear next step
- Calm angry callers and deal with abusive callers in line with company procedure
- Respond to emergency and threat calls using a set procedure
- Use the main features of your telephone system with confidence
Who should attend
Receptionists, switchboard operators, call and contact centre agents, personal assistants, secretaries, administrative staff and anyone whose job includes answering the organisation's phones. Supervisors of front-desk and call teams also benefit. It is especially useful where staff deal with sensitive information, high call volumes or members of the public.
Course outline
Day 1 – Professional call handling
The voice of the organisation
- Why telephone skills shape the organisation's image
- First impressions in the first ten seconds
- Tone, pace, clarity and phrasing
- Body language and posture the caller can hear
- Removing distractions while on a call
Answering and directing incoming calls
- Answering a switchboard compared with a personal line
- Greeting, identifying the caller and the reason for the call
- Transferring calls without losing the caller
- Placing callers on hold and keeping them informed of delays
- Internal and interoffice calls
Taking and relaying messages
- What every message must contain
- Checking spelling, numbers and urgency
- Getting messages to the right person promptly
- Following up on unreturned messages
- Voicemail greetings and leaving clear messages
Making outgoing calls
- Preparing documents, notes, equipment and information before dialling
- Finding telephone numbers and the right contact
- Stating who you are and why you are calling
- Ending the call with clear next steps
Telephone etiquette in practice
- Courteous language and words to avoid
- Saying what you can do rather than what you cannot
- Telephone dos and don'ts
- Call practice with feedback
Day 2 – Difficult, sensitive and urgent calls
Confidentiality and disclosure
- Disclosable and non-disclosable information
- Verifying who the caller is before sharing anything
- Company policy, POPIA and personal information, as general guidance
- Polite ways to decline a request
Queries and complaints
- Questioning techniques to establish the caller's need
- Listening and building rapport
- Resolving the query or agreeing a clear follow-up
- Logging calls and following through
Angry and abusive callers
- Staying calm and letting the caller be heard
- De-escalation language that works
- Setting limits with abusive callers
- When and how to end an abusive call
- Recording incidents and looking after yourself afterwards
Emergency and threat calls
- Recognising an emergency call
- Following your organisation's emergency procedure
- Bomb threats and other threat calls: the call checklist
- Who to alert and what to record
Telephone technology and final practice
- Switchboard, PABX, VoIP and softphone features
- Call queues, call recording and voicemail systems
- Keeping up when new telephone technology is introduced
- Recorded call role-plays and personal action plan
How it is delivered
Two days, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Workbook, call-handling checklists, a message template and a threat-call checklist included; scenarios can be based on your own callers and procedures. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
★★★★★ 4.8 on Google from 790+ reviews · word-for-word quotes from signed letters of reference, from clients on this and/or related BOTI courses
“The training was practical, engaging and relevant to our workplace environment, providing participants with valuable knowledge and practical skills that could be applied in their respective roles.”
“The sessions … were exceptionally well-organized and seamlessly integrated into our schedule. We were highly impressed by the calibre of the training and the deep expertise demonstrated by the facilitator.”
“…the general feedback received was that the course was very informative and participative. The training and the facilitator was of a high quality. We highly recommend BOTI for training services.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. Front-desk teams often train together so that everyone follows the same call standard.
Is it accredited?
No. It is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
What is the difference between the one-day and two-day courses?
The one-day course covers everyday call handling and etiquette. The two-day course adds a full day on sensitive and difficult calls – information disclosure and POPIA, abusive callers, emergency and threat calls and telephone technology – with more practice time.
Can it be tailored to our switchboard and procedures?
Yes. Share your call-handling standards, disclosure policy and emergency procedure, and the facilitator builds them into the role-plays.
Does it cover telephone sales?
No. It focuses on service and call handling. For selling by phone, see Professional Selling Over the Phone.
Related courses
Ask a consultant for a written quote
A BOTI consultant emails you a written quote, usually within 15 minutes (Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00). After hours, we reply on the next working day. To speak to someone now, call 011 882 8853.
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