Treating your patrons right over the phone is just as important as how you treat them in person. Always greet callers clearly and cheerfully, “Thomas University Library, how may I help you?” and refer to the following guidelines for various interactions:
Explain to the caller why their call needs to be transferred.
Whether they’ve reached the wrong person or department, or you simply do not have the resources or authority to answer their questions, be sure to explain why you must transfer them.
Give the caller your information before transferring the call.
It’s important that the caller has access to your information in case of a dropped call or disconnection. This will also make the caller feel important — knowing that while you couldn’t help them further, you are personally concerned about their situation.
Ask the caller for permission to initiate the transfer.
Asking a customer for permission to transfer their call gives them the opportunity to ask any additional questions. This aspect of phone etiquette gives customers a sense of control over the situation.
Speak to the party whom the caller is being transferred to first.
Speaking to the next party to relieves the caller from having to re-explain their situation. It will also give the other person time to prepare for the call. Now is also the time to pass any “insider” information that might expedite the situation.
Introduce the caller to the individual or department you are transferring them to.
First, make the introduction to the new contact. Next, ask if there is anything else you can do to help the caller, and thank them for their patience.
To transfer the call:
Place the patron on hold.
Dial the extension that you are transferring them to.
Tell the person at the extension that you are transferring <person’s name> to them for <reason for call>
Press the hold button, then choose the line that you want to take off hold. Press “transfer”, dial the extension, hand up.
When taking a message, either by phone or in person:
Ask the patron who they are calling for, their name, what the message is pertaining to
Pull up the email template for “phone messages”
Fill out the email template, be sure to include the name of the caller, the time of the call, and the subject of the message. You can include any additional information that the patron wants relayed in the message.