Business English - Professional Telephone English: Calls, Voicemails, and Conference Calls

Activity 1: Let's Get Started! (Warm-up)

Why is professional telephone etiquette still crucial in today's business world, even with the prevalence of email, instant messaging, and video meetings?
What are some common challenges or difficulties you face when communicating over the phone in English, especially if it's not your first language (e.g., understanding different accents, taking clear notes while listening, handling poor connections or background noise)?
Can you recall an example of a particularly good or a notably bad experience you've had with a business phone call, voicemail, or conference call? What specific aspects made it stand out for you?

Activity 2: New Vocabulary words and phrases

Let's explore some essential terms and phrases related to professional telephone communication, including calls, voicemails, and conference calls. Understanding these will help you communicate more effectively and confidently over the phone.

1. Hold the line (phrasal verb/phrase): To ask someone to wait on the telephone, especially while you try to connect them or find information.

Example: "Could you please hold the line for a moment while I check that for you?"

2. Put someone through (phrasal verb): To connect a telephone caller to the person they want to speak to.

Example: "One moment, please, I'll put you through to Mr. Smith's office now."

3. Voicemail (noun): An electronic system that can record and store messages from telephone callers when the recipient is unavailable.

Example: "I wasn't able to reach her, so I left a detailed voicemail asking for a call back."

4. Conference Call (noun phrase): A telephone call in which three or more people in different locations can participate at the same time.

Example: We have a weekly conference call with the international team to discuss project updates.

5. Mute (verb/button) (noun): (verb) To temporarily silence a microphone on a phone or during a conference call; (noun) The button or function that achieves this.

Example: Please mute your microphone when you're not speaking to reduce background noise during the conference call.

6. Speakerphone (noun): A telephone feature or separate device with a microphone and loudspeaker that allows users to speak and listen without holding the handset, often used for group participation in one room.

Example: The team gathered around the speakerphone in the meeting room to join the conference call.

7. Get cut off (phrasal verb phrase): To have a telephone conversation interrupted or stopped suddenly and unintentionally, usually due to a technical problem or poor connection.

Example: We were discussing an important point when we suddenly got cut off; I'll try calling him back.

8. Follow up (phrasal verb): To contact someone again after a previous communication (like a phone call or meeting) to give them more information, check on progress, or pursue an earlier discussion.

Example: I'll send an email to follow up on our phone conversation and summarize the key points we discussed.

Activity 3: Reading - Navigating a Busy Day of Calls

Read the following passage about Anna, a project manager, as she handles various telephone communications throughout her workday. Notice the use of related vocabulary.

Anna, a busy project manager, started her day with an important incoming client call. When the client requested specific data that Anna didn't have immediately at her fingertips, she politely asked them, "Could you please hold the line for just a moment while I retrieve that for you?" Later, when trying to reach a key supplier who wasn't available, Anna left a very clear and concise voicemail. In her message, she stated her name, her company, the specific reason for her call regarding an urgent order, and politely requested a call back, providing her direct number and the best times to reach her. She knew a good voicemail was crucial for a prompt response.

Her afternoon schedule was dominated by a critical international conference call with several stakeholders from different time zones. Before speaking, she always remembered to unmute her microphone, and then diligently used the mute function again whenever she was just listening to minimize any potential background noise for the other participants. One of the remote teams was using a speakerphone in their meeting room, which made their audio a little distant at times, but the call facilitator managed the discussion well to ensure all points were heard. Unfortunately, midway through a critical discussion about project timelines, another important participant seemed to get cut off abruptly due to what sounded like a poor internet connection in their region. The team quickly agreed that Anna would follow up with that individual via email immediately after the call, sharing the missed discussion points and any decisions made. Just before the end of her workday, Anna needed to contact a new potential vendor; the receptionist was very professional and efficiently offered to put her through to the correct sales department without any delay. It was a demanding day, but Anna felt she navigated all her telephone communications effectively and professionally.

Comprehension Questions:

After reading the passage, answer the following questions:

What polite phrase did Anna use when she needed the client to wait while she found some information during their call?
What key information did Anna make sure to include in the voicemail she left for the supplier to ensure clarity and encourage a response?
Describe two specific actions Anna took to maintain good etiquette and clarity during the international conference call.
What common telephone problem occurred during the conference call, and how did Anna and her team plan to follow up with the affected participant?

Activity 4: Role Play - Arranging a Conference Call

Read the following dialogue with a partner. One person can be Mark, and the other can be Lisa, two colleagues on a phone call trying to schedule an important conference call with an international client.

Mark: Hi Lisa, it's Mark calling. I'm trying to arrange that crucial conference call with the K-Tech team in Seoul for next week, and I wanted to coordinate with you.

Lisa: Hi Mark. Right, that's a high priority. What time are you proposing for the conference call? We definitely need to consider the significant time difference carefully.

Mark: Exactly my thought. I was thinking 9:00 AM our time, which would be 5:00 PM for them in Seoul. Do you think that works before they get cut off for their evening or end of their workday?

Lisa: That should be acceptable for them. I'll draft an invitation. Should we also offer a backup dial-in number in case of connection issues, or perhaps suggest they use a good quality speakerphone if multiple people are joining from their main meeting room?

Mark: Including a backup number is a very good idea. Also, I tried calling Mr. Park, their team lead, earlier today to give him a heads-up, but I had to leave a voicemail. I really hope he gets the message promptly.

Lisa: To be safe, let's also follow up with a detailed email to him and his assistant, confirming the proposed time and providing all the dial-in details for the conference call well in advance.

Mark: Okay, good plan. If Mr. Park calls back while I happen to be on another line, could you possibly ask our receptionist to put him through to you directly, or at least ask him to hold the line for a moment until I'm free?

Lisa: Of course, I can do that. And during the actual call, we should gently remind all participants at the beginning to mute their microphones when they are not speaking to ensure audio clarity.

Mark: Definitely. That helps minimize background noise significantly. Hopefully, we won't have anyone get cut off this time, unlike our last multi-region call which had some technical glitches!

Lisa: Agreed! Okay, I'll prepare and send out the formal invitation for the conference call with all those details and considerations included. Let's aim for a productive session.

Discuss Together:

After reading or performing the dialogue, discuss the following with a partner:

Mark and Lisa are planning an international conference call. What are at least three potential challenges they are trying to preemptively address in their planning, and what solutions do they propose?

Activity 5: Let's Practice - Telephone English Essentials

Objective: Practice using key terms and phrases related to professional telephone communication.

Scenario: Maria (a supervisor) is reviewing some best practices for handling telephone calls with Tom (a new receptionist).

Maria: Tom, as you're settling into your role, let's review some best practices for handling calls professionally. If you need a moment to find some information for a caller, what can you politely ask them to do?

Tom: I can ask them to please for a moment while I check that information for them.

Maria: Good. And if a caller asks to speak to Mr. Smith in the Sales Department, and he is available to take the call?

Tom: Then I would say something like, "Certainly, one moment please, I'll you to Mr. Smith now."

Maria: Perfect. If Mr. Smith isn't available and the caller wants to leave a message, what system allows them to record their message for him?

Tom: They can leave a detailed message on his if he has that set up.

Maria: What do we call a telephone call where several people in different geographical locations can all talk at the same time as if in one meeting?

Tom: That's generally known as a .

Maria: And during such a call, what should participants ideally do with their microphones when they are not actively speaking to help reduce background noise?

Tom: They should their microphones until it's their turn to speak.

Maria: What if a whole team in one office wants to listen and contribute to a call without everyone needing to huddle around a single handset?

Tom: They might use a device called a , which has a built-in microphone and loudspeaker.

Maria: If a telephone call suddenly ends without warning, perhaps due to a bad mobile signal or a technical issue, we often say the call might ______.

Tom: The call might unfortunately in that case.

Maria: And after any important call, especially if specific actions were discussed or if a message was left unanswered, it's often good professional practice to _______ later, perhaps with an email or another call, to ensure everything is clear or has been resolved.

Tom: Yes, it's definitely professional to to confirm details or check on progress.

Try to fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases from Activity 2.