Phone Etiquette

Talking on the phone might seem very natural, but today’s world of mobile phones and conversations happening all over the place, following some simple phone etiquette rules can help you present a polished and professional manner on the phone.


Here are some tips from “20 Business Telephone Etiquette Tips for Customer Service.” Whether you’re in customer service per se, some of these tips apply to home-based businesses and at-home workers.

Always answer the phone in a pleasant manner. Don’t bark “hello” into the receiver. Don’t answer while chewing anything—gum, food, ice, etc. Do identify yourself and your company. Make sure you have a quiet place to talk in your house, whether it’s your office or bedroom, to mute the sounds of home when you’re talking to a client. I usually head to my bedroom and close the door whenever a source or client calls unexpectedly. When I do scheduled interviews, I make sure the children are otherwise occupied away from the office.

Set up your answering machine or voice mail in a professional way, even if you use your home phone number for business. For example, I use my home phone for my freelance business and my message reflects that: “You’ve reached the Hamakers and the home office of Sarah Hamaker, freelance writer and editor. Please leave a message after the tone and we’ll return your call as soon as possible.”

Return messages promptly. Make it a practice to return calls within 24 hours. There’s nothing more annoying than leaving messages and never receiving a call back.

Until next time,

Sarah