How Do You Answer a Business Phone? 7 Examples
How should you answer a business phone? We asked business professionals to share their phone greetings to reveal what’s behind their answering techniques.
- Hello, This is [name], How May I Help You?”
- [Full Name + Position] Speaking, How Can I Help?
- How May I Assist You Today?
- This is DJ Will Speaking. How May I Help You Today?
- You’ve Got Through to {company Name} Customer Service
- Thank You for Calling the Smile Factory!
- Keep It Simple
Hello, This is [name], How May I Help You?”
An effective answer to a business phone call starts with a greeting that welcomes the caller to the company. This simple gesture can make the caller feel more comfortable and confident about the business. It also helps build a rapport with the caller, which can be crucial for a successful conversation or transaction.
I like to begin my greetings with “Hello, this is [name], how may I help you?” This greeting is simple, straightforward, and to the point, and it allows me to get to work on what I need to do without losing the caller’s attention. I also like to keep my greetings brief and professional, without any unnecessary chit-chat.
Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely
[Full Name + Position] Speaking, How Can I Help?
The logic behind my business phone answers is that whoever is calling, they should know who they are talking to right away, and such an answer requires them to introduce themselves right at the beginning as well without me awkwardly asking, “Who is this?”
It also strikes me as a good, professional-sounding response to a phone call that, upon replying, sets the tone of the conversation quickly and effortlessly.
Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing and Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
How May I Assist You Today?
“Thank you for calling XYZ Company, this is [Your Name] speaking, how may I assist you today?”
It’s important to listen actively to the caller and understand the reason for their call. This can help you respond quickly and accurately to their needs.
Additionally, asking how you can assist them is a good way to get a sense of what they are looking for and open a conversation. It’s also important to be patient; if the person on the other end is frustrated or upset, allow them to express themselves and try to understand their perspective.
If the person on the other end is an existing customer, try to pull up their account and review it, in order to provide them with the best possible service and be more prepared to understand the context of their inquiry. When you are able to help the person on the other end, be sure to thank them for calling and let them know that you’re happy to help.
Travis Lindemoen, Managing Director, Nexus IT group
This is DJ Will Speaking. How May I Help You Today?
Answering a business phone professionally is an important aspect of customer service. When answering the phone, it is important to greet the caller in a friendly and helpful manner. In this example, the greeting begins by introducing the speaker by name.
Finally, the greeting offers assistance to the caller, inviting them to ask for help with any questions or concerns they may have.
Will Gill, Event Entertainer, DJ Will Gill
Thank You for Calling the Smile Factory!
Our full greeting is “Thank you for calling The Smile Factory! How can we make you smile today?”
A play on words is memorable to customers, and we feel that this helps reinforce our brand personality as friendly and helpful.
Additionally, it’s important to confirm immediately to a customer that they’ve dialed the correct number, so they can skip the usual “Hi, is this The Smile Factory?” question they’d need to ask otherwise. Our second sentence gives customers the opportunity to go straight into how we can help them, thereby saving them time and giving the impression that we are efficient and helpful.
Hitesh Gupta, Dentist, The Smile Factory
Keep It Simple
When answering a business phone, I like to keep it simple and professional yet friendly. My go-to greeting is: “Good morning/afternoon! This is [Name] from [Business]. How can I help you?”
This particular phrase communicates to the caller that they have reached their intended destination, while also indicating that I am available and ready to assist them. It’s polite but straightforward, which establishes an appropriate rapport with the individual on the other end of the line.
I find this approach works especially well for customer service roles because it conveys a sense of professionalism without coming across as too formal or intimidating. Additionally, it encourages customers to feel comfortable enough to ask questions or share feedback about our products or services.
By being proactive in my telephone manner-using a warm greeting combined with not wasting any time getting down to business-I’m able to quickly get through calls efficiently.
Jamie Irwin, Head of Marketing, Privasee