Search results
May 2, 2016 · Check out our list of 58 common phrases for English business calls, including what to say when taking calls, asking for clarification, making requests and much more. Plus, read tips on how to remember and practice these phrases. You'll soon be making calls with confidence!
This guide provides easy to follow up dialogues, practical examples and targeted exercises to help you feel comfortable in your business telephone conversations.
- Starting A Phone Call
- Phrases For The Body of A Phone Call
- Ending A Phone Call
- Telephone Dialogues For Formal and Informal Settings
- Downloadable Pdf Content
- Frequently Asked Questions
Answering the Phone
Here are some common ways to answer the phone in formal and informal situations: Formal: 1. 1.1. “Good morning, ABC Limited. This is Alex speaking. How can I assist you?” 1.2. “Hello, this is Lisa from the Finance Department. How may I help you today?” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Hi, it’s George. What’s up?” 1.2. “Hey, it’s Lisa calling. How are things?”
Introducing Yourself
Formal: 1. 1.1. “My name is Francis Cripps. I work for JUPG PLC.” 1.2. “Hello, this is Julie Madison calling from Bright Communications.” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Hey Alex, it’s Francis again. Just wanted to follow up on that report.” 1.2. “Hi there, it’s Gerry from the dentist’s office.”
Small Talk Before Getting to Business
1. “How’s your week going so far?” 2. “Did you have a good weekend?” 3. “I heard that the weather’s been really nice there. Is that true?” These phrases are particularly useful for building rapport in both business and social calls.
Asking to Speak with Someone
Formal: 1. 1.1. “May I speak with Mr. Green, please?” 1.2. “Could you connect me to the Shipping Department?” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Is Jackson there?” 1.2. “Can I talk to your sister?”
Connecting Someone to the Right Person
Formal: 1. 1.1. “Please hold while I transfer your call.” 1.2. “I’ll check if she’s available. One moment, please.” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Just a sec, I’ll get him.” 1.2. “Hang on, I’ll put you through.”
Making Special Requests
Formal: 1. 1.1. “Could you please repeat that for me?” 1.2. “Would you mind spelling that for me?” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Can you speak up a bit?” 1.2. “Can you call me back? I think the line’s bad.”
Wrapping Up the Conversation
Formal: 1. 1.1. “Thank you for your time. I’ll send the information by the end of the day.” 1.2. “That’s been really helpful, thanks. I’ll speak to you soon.” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Okay, talk to you later!” 1.2. “Catch you later. Bye!”
Confirming Details Before Hanging Up
1. “Can I just confirm your email address?” 2. “I’ll make sure he gets your message.”
Polite Sign-Offs
Formal: 1. 1.1. “Thank you for your call. Have a great day!” 1.2. “I look forward to hearing from you.” Informal: 1. 1.1. “Thanks, talk to you soon!” 1.2. “Bye for now!”
Formal Dialogue Example:
Caller: “Good afternoon, this is Sarah Brown calling from TechCorp. Could I speak to someone in the IT department?” Receiver: “Certainly, please hold while I transfer your call.” Caller: “Thank you.” Receiver: “You’re welcome. One moment, please.”
Informal Dialogue Example:
Caller: “Hey Tom, it’s Lisa. Are you free for a quick chat?” Receiver: “Hey Lisa, sure! What’s up?” Caller: “I wanted to ask if you’re still on for the meeting tomorrow?” Receiver: “Yeah, all set. Let’s meet at the usual spot.” Caller: “Perfect. See you then!”
For a deeper dive into telephone conversations, you can download our FREE eBook. This practice material, including model dialogues, useful tips, and much more to help you perfect your telephoning skills in English. Telephone Conversation Dialogues PDF – download
How do I answer the phone professionally?
Always start by identifying your company and yourself. For example: “Good morning, this is Alex Case from ABC Limited. How may I assist you?”
What are some common phrases for ending a call politely?
Some great phrases for wrapping up a conversation include: 1. “Thanks for your help today. I’ll be in touch soon.” 2. “It’s been great talking to you. Take care and have a great day.” 3. “I appreciate your time. I’ll follow up with an email shortly.” 4. “Thank you for the call. I look forward to our next conversation.”
How can I politely ask someone to repeat something?
To request clarification or repetition in a courteous manner, use these phrases: 1. “I’m sorry, could you please repeat that?” 2. “Could you clarify that point for me?” 3. “Would you mind going over that again, please?”
First and foremost, a caller dials and starts a business phone call, while a receiver answers a business phone call. Starting a business phone call might appear to be as easy as dialing a phone number, but there's a bit more to the process than that.
Jun 15, 2011 · 1 comment. Telephone messages • Learn useful expressions for leaving messages during a business call. • Listen to business people taking and leaving messages. • Learn how to take down a message and check information in English.
Aug 26, 2024 · The following business telephone conversation example dialogue can be used as a role-play in class to introduce a number of standard phrases to practice telephoning in English.
People also ask
What is a business telephone conversation example?
What do students learn in a business call lesson?
How do business phone calls work?
What is a good introduction to a phone call?
Business English Phone Calls (+ Video) is part 3 of English for Business Communication by Preply. In this episode, we will cover everything you need to know about Business English phone calls and video too.
