CHAPTER 25

MENDING FRAYED NERVES

Telephone talk, whether you spend eight hours or eight minutes on the phone, is stressful. With over half of your normal communication information (the nonverbals) missing, you need to concentrate doubly hard to understand and to make yourself understood.

In addition to the mental concentration, telephones can cause physical stress. Do a quick check in your own office. How many people do you see talking on the telephone slumped down in their chairs, cradling the handset between their chins and shoulders, while they try to type or shuffle papers? Probably too many.

MANAGING PHYSICAL STRESS

If you spend a lot of time on the telephone, consider trading in your handset for a headset. They aren’t expensive, they plug into your existing phone equipment, and they can cure a pain in the neck. They also keep the mouthpiece in position so your voice doesn’t fade out as you move. (If you use a speaker phone to give you freedom of movement, consider whether or not a headset with a long cord might serve you equally well.)

There is no law that says that you have to sit to use the telephone. In fact, some salespeople report better results when they stand during calls. Why? It’s easier for your voice to work when you are standing. And the act of standing, and maybe walking a few steps, can give you energy that is transferred to your phone voice.

Be sure to pause during busy phone days to stretch your muscles—especially those shoulder muscles. Try rolling your shoulders forward five times, and then backward five times. Then put your hands on your shoulders and massage those muscles at the base of your neck. Feels great, doesn’t it!

MANAGING MENTAL STRESS

Even the most pleasant customers demand your full attention and concentration if the service encounter is to be successful. Try to take short stress-breaks. You can use this time to catch up on paperwork while you get away from the ringing phone. (Make sure, however, that you’ve arranged for someone else to take those customer calls.)

Sometimes the mental stress of telephone talk comes because we are uncomfortable making or receiving calls from customers. If that’s the case for you, consider using Mental Visualization (see the chart on the next page). You’ll find that visualizing phone calls in a positive and safe setting will take the fear and anxiety out of telephone talk.