Taking Messages

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When it comes to taking messages,
I follow the “Three GET’s” Rule:
get the message, get it right, then get it to the right person!
"He’s not available right now,"
I say, answering a colleague’s phone. Right away I offer:
“I’d be glad to take a message for him.’
"Tell him Jim called," says the caller.
Jim who?
"May I have your last name, please?"
"Matuschechek." Better safe than sorry.
Why don’t I ask him to spell it?
"Could you spell that?"
And it doesn’t hurt to double-check.
"Let me read that back to you.
M - A - T - U - S - C - H - E - C - H - E - K."
Now I need to find out what company he is with.
"And who are you with, Jim?"
And his phone number.
"At what number can he reach you?"
Then I double-check to avoid mistakes.
"That’s 222 - 555 - 0000..."
I don’t recognize the area code, so I ask:
"What city is that in?"
Could that be in a different time zone?
"What time is it there?"
Now - the message.
"And what’s the message?"
And a convenient time to call him back.
"When’s the best time to call you?"
That should be all.
"Thank you. I’ll make sure he gets the message."
Okay, what’s next? …
Oh yes, get it to the right person!

© 2009 Natasha Cooper

Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with it: Natasha Cooper, author of Power English System, helps international professionals to succeed by learning powerful communication skills. If you want to improve your English, then you’ll want to get Natasha’s F-R-E-E weekly Power English Minute E-zine by visiting www.englishskills.com.

This is she: how to identify yourself on the phone

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Let's say your phone rings, and the caller asks for you: "May I speak with Mary Smith?" How do you say it's you? One way is simply to say: "This is Mary Smith." But most often, Americans will answer in the third person: "This is she". Or if you are a John Smith, and the caller asks to speak to you, you'll say "This is he." or "This is John Smith". That's how Americans say it on the phone - and ONLY on the phone, besides the conventional "Speaking" of course. If you need to identify yourself in a face-to-face communication, let's say you are in a meeting and you answer the roll call, "Mary Smith?", you simply say: "Here".

© 2008 Natasha Cooper

Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Natasha Cooper, author of Power English System, helps international professionals and newcomers to America to succeed in the U.S. by learning American English and powerful communication skills. If you want tips on improving your English, then you’ll want to get Natasha’s F-R-E-E weekly Power English Minute E-zine by visiting www.englishskills.com.