Learning Objectives
Show Talking on the phone or producing an audio recording lacks an interpersonal context with the accompanying nonverbal messages. Unless you use vivid language, crisp, and clear descriptions, your audience will be left to sort it out for themselves. They may create mental images that don’t reflect your intention that lead to miscommunication. Conversations follow predictable patterns and have main parts or stages we can clearly identify. While not every conversation is the same, many will follow a variation of a standard pattern composed by David Taylor and Alyse Terhune:
Table 15.1 “A Five-Stage Telephone Conversation”1 provides an example of how a conversation might go according to these five stages. Table 15.1 A Five-Stage Telephone Conversation
Cell phones are a part of many, if not most, people’s lives in the industrialized world and, increasingly, in developing nations as well. Computer users can also utilize voice interaction and exchange through voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) programs like Skype. With the availability of VoIP, both audio and visual images are available to the conversation participants. But in our discussion, we’ll focus primarily on voice exchanges. Figure 15.1
Telephone conversations in business require skill and preparation. Since you lack the nonverbal context, you need to make sure that your voice accurately communicates your message. Your choice of words and how you say them, including spacing or pausing, pace, rhythm, articulation, and pronunciation are relevant factors in effective delivery. Here are five main points to consider:
You don’t have to slow down your normal pattern of speech by a large degree, but each word needs time and space to be understood or the listener may hear words that run together, losing meaning and creating opportunities for misunderstanding. Don’t assume that they will catch your specific information the first time and repeat any as necessary, such as an address or a phone number. Feedback, the response from the receiver to the sender, is also an essential element of phone conversations. Taking turns in the conversation can sometimes be awkward, especially if there is an echo or background noise on the line. With time and practice, each “speaker’s own natural, comfortable, expressive repertoire will surface” *Mayer, K., 1980). Key TakeawayA telephone conversation typically includes five stages: opening, feedforward, business, feedback, and closing. Because telephone conversations lack nonverbal cues, they require additional attention to feedback. Exercises
1Adapted from Taylor, D., & Terhune, A. D. (2000). Doing e-business: Strategies for thriving in an electronic marketplace. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471380652.html. ReferencesMayer, K. (1980). Developing delivery skills in aral business communication. Business Communication Quarterly, 43(3), 21–24. Taylor, D., & Terhune, A. D. (2000). Doing e-business: Strategies for thriving in an electronic marketplace. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471380652.html. Which of the following are the basic stages of a telephone conversation?A telephone conversation typically includes five stages: opening, feedforward, business, feedback, and closing. Because telephone conversations lack nonverbal cues, they require additional attention to feedback.
What is a telephone conversation?What is a telephonic conversation? A telephonic conversation is a way of communication or sharing of information between two people where they are not present face to face. It is a medium of interaction to discuss various matters and exchange valuable thoughts and ideas with each other.
What type of communication is reflected in the telephone conversation?Verbal communications take place over the phone or in person. The medium of the message is oral. Let's return to our printer cartridge example. This time, the message is being conveyed from the sender (the manager) to the receiver (an employee named Bill) by telephone.
What is the importance of telephone conversation?Phone calls create stronger relationships, foster clear communication, and allow you and your customers to save time by getting the answers you need in real time. Telephone calls are most effective in a few different types of conversations.
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