Dometria Before & After: Smiling on the phone can make a huge difference in your calls.

By Dometria Coleman, Administrative Assistant

My first professional office job was as a receptionist in a personal injury law firm. A job answering the phone – now this should be easy … or so I thought.

“Good morning, this is Dometria. How may I direct your call?” I must admit, it was the most boring, unexciting, flat greeting I’d ever heard, and that was coming from me!

I never thought about how the way you answer a call could guide the conversation.

The seasoned receptionist training me said, “You know they can hear you smiling when you answer the phone.” I looked at her real crazy. I wasn’t getting it. It’s just answering the phone. Why would I need to smile? They can’t see my face.

When I finally stopped questioning her and tried it, I answered the phone as I had before, and the person on the other end gave back what I gave her – weak, boring, who-cares conversation.

The second call was different. I smiled when I answered the phone, and I could hear the difference in my voice, and the caller’s voice coming back was upbeat and pleasant. Wow! And all because I smiled when I said “Good morning.”

I’ve learned that a smile, no matter if it’s in person or over the phone, can truly change the outcome of your conversation. As an added bonus, you might just feel a bit happier at the end of your work day if you’re smiling. Try it for yourself and let us know how it works!