Top tips to tackle phone call anxiety

Does hearing the phone ring make you panic? Does the thought of making a call give you cold sweats? We’re rarely separated from our mobile phones these days, but many people would rather scoop out their own eyeballs than pick up a ringing phone, or make a phonecall.

Before texting was popular, humans frequently made successful, and perhaps lengthy, telephone calls to their friends, family and coworkers, but while the use of smartphones is growing across the world, actually making a phone call is something which many believe is becoming less common.

A survey of reality panelists revealed that 22 of the 49 respondents were either moderately uncomfortable (39 percent) or very uncomfortable (6 percent) talking on the telephone. Only nine respondents (18 percent) said they were very comfortable, while 18 people (37 percent) said they were moderately comfortable, while a 2019 survey of UK office workers found that 40% of baby boomers, and 70% of millennials, experience anxious thoughts when the phone rings.

However a phone is still one of the most used tools in modern business with over 25 million business calls being made every day in the UK and, according to the Harvard Business Review, voice communication is now more important than ever.

However the art of talking on the telephone appears to be dying, with many people under the age of 30 struggling with how to strike up a conversation over the phone.

Claire Brewerton is an expert on the etiquette of talking on the telephone and runs Wiltshire-based Virtual Business Centre.

She said: "At the Virtual Business Centre we receive and make calls for clients at a rate of around 3000 calls a week. Our business is still growing after 22 years and when we recruit or when we talk to younger members of staff within businesses it becomes clear they often struggle with the 'how' of making or answering a phone call.

"Conversation over the phone, which I took for granted as I was growing up, has now changed and these are skills which do need to be considered in the working world."

Here are a few of Claire's tips for telephone conversations, which are often, in the world of business, with complete strangers.

"When we deal with customers over the telephone, it is important to remember that it is a substitute for face-to-face conversations, therefore we cannot see facial expressions, manners, reactions, we cannot see what the other person is doing, we cannot lip-read what the other person is saying and we cannot use illustrations to help them understand," Claire said.

How to make effective telephone calls: 

• If you are right-handed, put your phone on the LEFT SIDE of the desk –this enables you to hold the phone and take notes at the same time (and vice versa if you are left-handed)

• Open a conversation with a stranger in a positive manner such as 'I wonder if you can help…' to set the 'helpful' tone of the conversation.

• If you cannot speak to the person you hoped for or expected, ask if someone else can help you, rather than leaving a message - you may be taken care of quicker by another person.

• If you have to leave a message say exactly what you need, how to contact you, and the best time to reach you. Be specific. Avoid vague phrases like 'call me as soon as possible'.

• If you are leaving a message with a human being, ask that person to REPEAT your message back to you to make sure they got it right. Do not do this as a demand. "Would you mind reading that back to me?" will often be met with a positive response.

How to return a missed phone call:

• Before you even pick up the phone, ensure your receptionist, PA, colleagues or staff are briefed on when you will return a call. Do not leave people hanging; this enables you to set callers' expectations. It might be "he/she will call you back tomorrow between 10am and 11am" and then ensure it is in your diary.

• Respect other people's time - gather all the information you need to take care of a request BEFORE you return a phone call.

• Beware the 'throwaway' statement as these can create a poor customer perception – such as "I'm sorry I didn't call you back. My boss had us in another meeting that lasted all morning" or "I'm sorry it took so long. Now what do you want?"

• Start the conversation positively with "thank you for your call yesterday/two days ago/this morning, how can I help?"

How to answer the phone effectively:

• Smile before you pick up the telephone - it may help to have a mirror on your desk, this way you will be able to see how you ‘sound’ on the telephone. It makes your voice positive from the start.

• Use the four answering courtesies of greeting the caller, stating your organisation or department, introduce yourself and offer to help.

• Show enthusiasm as it helps make the caller feel welcome.

• Use friendly phrases as part of your greeting such as "may I help you further?"

• Close the conversation positively – such as thanking the caller, thanking them for their business (if relevant), provide assurance that any promises will be fulfilled.

• Let the caller hang up first as this gives the caller a final chance to add something.