Have you ever called someone only to be told that, "Mr. Busyman is not available, would you like his voice mail?" Of course you have. In fact, Jeffery Mayer, in his informative book Time Management for Dummies, tells us that almost 80 percent of all business calls are not completed on the first attempt. If the vast majority of business calls require leaving a message, doesn’t it behoove us to know the best way to leave a voice mail message? Even more importantly shouldn’t we know the best way for us, and our staffs, to take messages?

In today’s competitive business environment we cannot afford to offend any customers by failing to return calls. We must be able to communicate with our clients and our vendors in the most efficient manner possible. Here are a few tips to use with voice mail:

( When leaving a message, or recording a greeting, always take a deep breath. This will give your voice more volume and will help slow down your speed of conversation. It is very important that you speak slowly, with a clear, strong voice.

( When leaving a message, always say your name and phone number at the beginning and at the end of your message. You should also spell your last name and any other words that may have an unfamiliar spelling, such as cities, streets, or company names.

( Always smile while talking on the phone. Believe it or not it really comes through the telephone.

( Tell the callee when you will be available for a return call. This helps eliminate telephone-tag.

( Leave as much detail as possible. For example, "This is Joe Prospect at Wannabuy Company, (352)378-7730. I am calling in reference to your proposal #780. We would like to know how much it would cost to add two more telephones to this quote. I will be in until 5:00 P.M. today. Joe Prospect, P-r-o-s-p-e-c-t at Wannabuy Company, (352)378-7730." This message would allow the callee to have the pertinent information at hand when the call is returned, saving both parties time.

( If at all possible, when setting up a voice mail system, leave the caller an easy way to speak to a person. "At any time you may press ‘0' to speak to an operator." This will avoid customers being trapped in your system, otherwise known as Voice Mail Jail. If customers get trapped in Voice Mail Jail too often, they tend to escape by going to your competitor.

( Use announcement boxes on your system. Always let the caller be able to choose an announcement box that has routine information such as mailing address, fax number, business hours, etc. . . . This saves the caller and your company time.

( Change your message often. If you are going to be out of the office until Thursday of next week, put that on your message. Let the caller know when he or she can best reach you. If possible, tell the caller to talk to your assistant if the message is urgent.

( Always call into your voice mail system to see how it sounds. Is the voice good and strong? Is the voice speaking at a good speed? Are the menu options logical?

( Most importantly--return your calls. Check your mailbox regularly and return the calls promptly. After all, how many times will you leave a voice mail message to someone who fails to return your call?)

Telephone etiquette doesn't just lead to more pleasant telephone conversations, it can also lead to more business for companies that realize courtesy sells.

Many people form an opinion of a company during the first four to six seconds on the phone with a company representative. In fact, more than 82 percent of business people say the way a phone is answered influences their opinion of a company significantly. That impression could be based on something as simple as a receptionist answering the phone with, "Good morning, North Florida Communications. This is Leslie. How may I help you?

Some specific guidelines can be followed to sharpen telephone skills:

1) Answer the phone promptly. Seems pretty basic, but when you are juggling several pressing tasks it can be tempting to let the phone ring too many times before picking it up.

2) Put your best manner forward. How the phone is answered is even more important than how quickly it's answered. Generally, start with a pleasant opener, such as "Good morning" or Thank you for calling." These few words of greeting "warm" the call. Always use the company's name; this sets a professional tone and wastes less time for everyone if it's a wrong number. State your name, to give the call a personal touch. When appropriate, add a "How can I help you?" offer. There's no need to ask "May I help you?" That's a given. Asking how you can help reinforces the "ready-and-waiting-to-assist" image you want to convey.

3) Be prepared to get and give information. Always have easy access to information callers may want from you. Think about the questions your callers might ask. If the answers aren't in your head, make sure they are written down near the phone. Also keep a staff directory handy so the call can be transferred to another employee at a moment's notice.

4) Make the most of messages. Always keep message forms and pens next to every phone. Everyone should treat message-taking as an opportunity to provide customer service. If you say "May I take a message?" and get "No" for an answer, you have lost the call. Instead, try saying, "Let me have your name and number and I'll see that Ms. Jones gets your message." After taking the caller's number, go the extra mile and ask: 1) the best time to return the call; 2) how the person who'll be getting the message can help the caller; and, 3) whether there is anything you can do to help in the meanwhile.

5) Use "Hold" sparingly. No one likes being put on hold. It is an option that should be used sparingly and with courtesy. Always ask callers for permission to put them on hold and wait for a response. If you must ask someone to wait while you get information, be honest about the amount of time it will take and ask if they would rather get a call back. Consider a Message-On-Hold player for your telephone system to inform callers about your products and services.

6) Say "goodbye" gracefully. It's always best to let the caller bring the conversation to a close. But sometimes you get hooked up with a chatterbox. When this happens, try bringing the caller back to the original point of the conversation to make sure you haven't missed something important before you gently wrap up.

Larry Nazworth