Preparing for Calls -- Making a Call -- Leaving a Message with the Switchboard Operator -- Voicemail and Answering Machines -- Receiving Calls -- Finding Out About Another Company, Giving Information About Your Company -- Chasing -- Dealing with Difficult Callers and Unhelpful Staff -- Improving Your Telephone Manner -- Working on a Helpdesk: Key Issues -- Helpdesk: Dealing with Customers -- Calling a Helpdesk.- What to Do and Say if You Don't Understand -- Using the Web and TV to Improve Your Listening Skills -- Pronunciation: Word and Sentence Stress -- Example Telephone Dialogs -- Useful Phrases.

If you are a non-native English speaker and make telephone calls as part of your work, then this book is for you. By applying the suggested guidelines, you will stand a much greater chance of making an effective telephone call. You will learn how to: prepare for a call both psychologically and from an English language point of view receive calls (if you work on reception) leave messages find out about another company and talk about your own company chase people (i.e. people who have not followed up your requests) deal with difficult calls and callers, and improve your telephone manner use the telephone while working on a help desk or helpline resolve language difficulties (i.e. when you cannot understand the other person's English) improve your pronunciation use resources on the Internet to improve your listening skills The book concludes with a chapter of useful phrases. There is a brief introduction for trainers on how to teach telephone and helpdesk skills within a Business English course. Adrian Wallwork is the author of over 30 books aimed at helping non-native English speakers to communicate more effectively in English. He has published 13 books with Springer Science+Business Media. Other books in this Professional English series: Email and Commercial Correspondence CVs, Resumes, and LinkedIn User Guides, Manuals, and Technical Writing Meetings, Negotiations, and Socializing Presentations, Demos, and Training Sessions.