How to effectively conduct business negotiations over the phone

Rules for communicating on the phone in business

At the beginning of a conversation, you cannot use the words: “hello”, “listening”, “speak”. The first and elementary rule: introduce yourself kindly when answering the call. For example: “Good afternoon. Manager Tatyana. .
Negotiations should be brief. You cannot discuss a transaction or other matter on its merits. To do this, you must schedule a personal meeting.
Passing the phone many times during a conversation is bad manners.
Negotiations are conducted only with decision makers.
The promise to call back should be fulfilled immediately, as soon as the problem is resolved, or within 24 hours.
If a specialist is absent from the workplace, it is possible to exchange information with the help of another employee or assistant manager. The content of the message via third parties or to an answering machine must be planned in advance, observing the rules of telephone communication. Ask the secretary to organize the transfer of data and ensure that it reaches the addressee in any case.
Recording on an answering machine begins with a greeting, indicating the date and time of the call. After a short message there are words of farewell.
Telephone calls should not be left unanswered, as any call can help obtain important information or close a deal. Pick up the handset quickly until the third ring.
Of course, you cannot answer two phones at the same time.

How to conduct an effective business conversation over the phone...

Business communication over the phone is specific and requires special preparation. The following practical recommendations will help you achieve success in telephone conversations. To save your own and other people’s time, stick to a rational composition of a business conversation, which is easy to remember as the “Seven Ps”.

Any communication has some purpose.

For example, in ordinary, interpersonal communication, this is most often the discovery of new information. The purpose of business communication is most often to establish business contacts or solve any production problems. Business communication over the phone is specific and requires special preparation. A participant in a business conversation over the phone must clearly understand what his interlocutor wants to achieve and what he himself wants to get from this communication.

If you have an important telephone conversation, you need to prepare for it in advance and think through everything. Sometimes thinking alone is not enough: during a discussion of a complex topic or intense communication, thoughts, figures or facts that are needed at the moment may disappear from your memory.

To prevent this from happening, even at the stage of preparing for the conversation, be sure to make notes, write theses, key thoughts, arguments or numbers. In addition, having key facts or documents at hand during a telephone conversation will significantly reduce the risk of misstatements or misstatements of certain arguments.

When making a plan for a future telephone conversation, try to think through all possible options for its passage, as well as ways to solve possible problems. If you do not think through the answers to the most problematic questions in advance, this may later cause difficulties in communication. Hearing only your voice, your interlocutor may interpret these hesitations as unprofessionalism and unpreparedness, which can turn him against you.

The call time should also be convenient for both the client and the person working with him on the phone.

Try not to allow a situation where your telephone conversation distracts your interlocutor from an important matter. An incorrectly chosen time for conversation will be an obstacle to establishing a business contact. Also, you should not combine telephone communication with other matters.

Telephone conversations that are too long are a common mistake for many people. You must always remember that business communication over the phone should not last longer than 4-5 minutes. In addition to the length of the conversation, it is important to ensure that a two-way dialogue is maintained throughout the conversation. To do this, you can from time to time ask your interlocutor questions about whether he understood what is being discussed, what is his opinion on the issue under discussion, etc.

Another mistake that people who are used to communicating in person often make is using gestures. When talking on the phone, they can express their agreement or disagreement with the speaker, nod, frown, wrinkle their forehead and smile, in a word, demonstrate the whole range of ordinary gestures, understandable to any person, which their interlocutor cannot see.

Strive to ensure that not a single telephone conversation is wasted.

Insufficient specification of agreements is a fairly common mistake in telephone conversations. If any important task is being solved, it is necessary to make sure that the results obtained are clear and equally perceived by both interlocutors.

The following practical recommendations will help you achieve success in telephone conversations.

1. Prepare thoroughly for the conversation. You should not act impulsively as soon as the thought of calling arises. You should clearly define the purpose of the conversation, highlight the main thing in it and think through the content of the conversation.

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When preparing for a conversation, think about whether your interlocutor is ready for this conversation, whether he has time for it; Are you confident in the successful outcome of the conversation, what outcome of the negotiations will suit you (or not); what methods of influencing the interlocutor can be used during a conversation; what is the strategy of behavior in the event that your interlocutor strongly objects, switches to a raised tone, and does not respond to the arguments presented; will show distrust of information; is it possible to do without this conversation, etc.

To prepare for a business conversation over the phone, you can prepare a form in which the future conversation is recorded taking into account the predicted answers.

2. You should always keep in mind the names, surnames, dates and numbers of documents, official materials related to the conversation. If necessary, you can record the list of topics on paper. Try to foresee the interlocutor’s possible reaction to the information, that is, think through your answers to all his possible questions. If you have to discuss several provisions, then it is better to consistently finish discussing one and move on to another.

You can end the discussion of each situation using standard phrases: “So, we have reached an agreement on this issue?”, “Can I assume that we have agreed on this issue?”, “How did I understand you (in this question), can we count on your help? etc., which will help save time and also demonstrate your politeness and tact.

3. Keep it short. Conversation lasting more than 4-5 minutes. - rather an exception than a rule. To save your own and other people’s time, adhere to the rational composition of a business conversation, which is easy to remember as the “Seven Ps”:

P1. Greetings. P2. Performance. P3. Reason (explanation of the purpose of the call). P4. Problem (discussion of the issue). P5. Summing up the discussion. P6. Appreciation: Expressing gratitude. P7. Parting.

Think through your words and your partner’s possible reaction at each stage of the conversation. In telephone communication, it is good to use so-called “closed questions”, which require monosyllabic (“yes”, “no”, “I don’t know”) answers from the interlocutor. It is also recommended to end the conversation on each topic discussed with similar answers.

4. The most common telephone greeting options are “yes”, “hello”, “listening”. These words are identical and impersonal in their information content; they can be called neutral. In business communications, replace neutral greetings with informative ones: start the conversation by introducing yourself and your organization. People like to know who they are talking to.

Find any friendly greeting formula that you like (how you would like to be answered). If your interlocutor has not introduced himself, it is appropriate to politely ask who you are talking to. This is best done at the beginning of the conversation.

5. Remember the rules of conversation. Always try to speak evenly, restrain your emotions, listen to your interlocutor without interrupting him. At the same time, confirm your participation in the conversation with short remarks. Otherwise, your interlocutor may think that you are distracted from the conversation and are not listening to him or that the connection has been interrupted. If there is a disconnection due to technical reasons, then the person who called will call back.

6. If disagreements arise, try to resolve them tactfully. Don’t give free rein to your emotions: the effectiveness of a business telephone conversation also depends on the person’s emotional state. Excessive emotionality creates the preconditions for speech inaccuracy, incorrect phrases, and increases the conversation time.

Even if your interlocutor talks in a raised voice or makes unfair reproaches, be patient and do not respond in kind, and if possible, move the conversation in a calm direction. State your arguments briefly and clearly. Your arguments must be correct in essence, convincing and literate in form.

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7. Remember about intonation, tone and timbre of your voice: they carry up to 40% of the information in a conversation. Loud speech on the phone is often less intelligible because the microphone and phone settings are set for normal, average volume levels. In case of poor hearing, you should not raise your voice yourself, but ask the person calling you to speak louder, and at the same time ask how he hears you.

8. If you receive a call during a conversation with a visitor or employee, remember that the rules of conversation dictate that you should not interrupt the conversation with telephone conversations. You should first apologize to the interlocutor for the need to interrupt the conversation and only then pick up the phone. Next, your actions could be as follows:

ask the caller to wait a little (if your face-to-face conversation is close to completion and someone younger in age or position is calling you);
arrange to be called back in a few minutes (if you are not currently ending the conversation and it is not a higher-ranking official calling);
write down the phone number of the caller and agree that you will call him back at a time convenient for both of you.

Your face-to-face interlocutor will also see that you put off other things to talk with him. This will show that you treat your visitor with respect. If you interrupt a conversation by talking on the phone, in most cases this may be perceived negatively by your face-to-face interlocutor.

9. Keep a pen, paper or any electronic device next to your phone with which you can save the necessary information (computer, smartphone, etc.) In order not to miss important details of the conversation, train yourself to take notes during the conversation or immediately after its end. During the conversation, write down important details such as new names, numbers, and basic information that you or your colleagues and subordinates may need later.

10. The initiative to end the conversation belongs either to the caller or to the senior speaker by social status or age. It is very important to end the conversation politely. If you need to urgently end the conversation, it is better to use the most polite phrases: for example, “Sorry for interrupting you, but I’m afraid to be late for the meeting,” “It was very pleasant to talk with you, but I promised to call you back to another organization.” Can I call you later? You can also refer to being very busy, to the need to complete the work started. Sentences like “Thank you for calling,” “It was nice talking to you,” etc. will help you end the conversation politely.

11. After finishing a business conversation, spend a few minutes analyzing its content and style. Analyze your impressions. Find the weak spots in it. Try to understand the reason for your mistakes. All this will subsequently help you save time by reducing the duration of negotiations, as well as understand and correct possible mistakes made in telephone communication, which will have a very positive effect on both your image and the prestige of your company.

Author: Marina Alekseevna Izmailova, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Pedagogy, Psychology and Cultural Studies of the Russian Cooperation University.

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Taboo, or What expressions should be avoided?

Unwanted expression	Rules for communicating by phone
"No"	This word, especially at the beginning of a sentence, “strains” the interlocutor and complicates mutual understanding. It is advisable to express disagreement correctly. For example, “We will accommodate you and replace the product, but it is no longer possible to return the money.”
"We can not"	Refusing a client right away means sending him to competitors. Solution: offer an alternative and pay attention first of all to what is possible.
“Call Back”, “Nobody’s There”, “Everybody’s at Lunch”	The potential client will not call again, but will choose the services of another company. Therefore, we need to help him solve the problem or arrange a meeting, invite him to the office, etc.
"You must"	These words should be avoided, using softer formulations: “The best thing to do is...”, “It makes sense for you...”
“I don’t know”, “I’m not responsible for this”, “It’s not my fault”	Undermines the reputation of the specialist and the organization. If there is a lack of information, it is better to answer: “Interesting question. Can I clarify this for you?”
“Wait just a second, I’ll look (find)”	Deceiving the client, since it is impossible to get things done in a second. It’s worth telling the truth: “Searching for the necessary information will take 2-3 minutes. Can you wait?
"Am I distracting you?" or “Can I distract you?”	Phrases cause negativity and complicate communication. These questions put the caller in an awkward position. Preferred option: “Do you have a minute?” or “Can you talk now?”
Questions “Who am I talking to now?”, “What do you need?”	Phrases are unacceptable because they turn negotiations into interrogation and violate the rules of telephone communication.
The question "Why..."	The interlocutor may think that you do not trust him.

Preparing for the call

Before dialing a number, you need to prepare for the upcoming call. To do this, it is important to remember some rules. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions, and then the conversation will take place on a calm wave.

If you are the initiator of a business conversation:

be sure to mentally prepare for the upcoming conversation;
clearly formulate the purpose of the conversation;
You can write a plan in advance, the course of the entire conversation. Answer questions that may be asked during the conversation;
prepare all documents, blank sheets, pens, etc. All the essentials;
All negativity must be left behind. Any dissatisfaction can affect business communication. Sometimes the outcome brings disappointment;
and another important point is to choose a convenient time for you and your interlocutor. It is best to agree on this in advance.

Your business partner calls you:

You must pick up the phone after calling again.
Don't forget to greet your interlocutor, introduce your company and say your name.
To continue the conversation, you need to find out the name of the interlocutor. If a person has not introduced himself, it is important to make cultural inquiries. For example: “Please introduce yourself.”
Answer questions clearly and energetically. In addition, it is important to quickly seek answers for further conversation.
If your partner made a call at lunchtime, then you should not pick up the phone with a mouth full of food. It’s better to let another employee answer for you.

When a client calls...

The client who gets through may not identify himself, but immediately begins to explain his problem. Therefore, it is necessary to tactfully ask: “Excuse me, what is your name?”, “What organization are you from?”, “Please tell me your phone number?”

The rules for communicating over the phone with clients are based on the fact that you should only convey accurate information if you have the necessary data. A client who does not wait for a clear answer will no longer contact your organization.

Sometimes you have to deal with an angry or nervous client. It is better to listen to his complaint and not interrupt. He will be capable of constructive dialogue only when he speaks out. When you hear an insult, you must hang up.

Cold calling scripts

A call script is a pre-thought-out or programmed sequence of a conversation with a client, established in the company. It is convenient to use ready-made modules when making an initial call to a client. There are rigid and flexible scripts.

Video - 24 tips on how to create your own cold calling script (part 1):

Hard - used when selling a simple product, where there are not many options for customer answers.
Such a script does not require a lot of knowledge and skills from the operator. Flexible - used for complex products that involve ambiguous offers. Such scripts require managers to be creative and prepared.

Video - 24 tips on how to create your own cold calling script (part 2):

When developing a script, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the industry and the characteristics of clients. Standard, familiar phrases irritate people and cause rejection, so you should develop a unique script, different from other organizations, that will arouse the interest of your opponent.

Making calls in public places or in a meeting

Meetings and business meetings are times when, according to the rules, you should refrain from calling. Live voice is a priority. Negotiations that distract the attention of those present are unacceptable.

Answering a call at a business meeting or meeting means showing your interlocutor that you do not value him and the time spent with him, that the person who called is more important.

There are also good reasons, for example, the illness of a relative, a large contract. The rules for communicating by telephone suggest that those present must be notified before the meeting or meeting and the receipt of the call must be coordinated with them. The conversation should be conducted very quickly (no more than 30 seconds), if possible in another office.

A person talking on the phone during a private meeting, in a restaurant, at a meeting looks uncultured and stupid.