In Australian workplaces, answering the phone politely and clearly is one of the first impressions you make. This lesson will walk you through what to say, how to listen, and what to do when you can't understand the caller.
Answering the phone
When you pick up the phone at work, say three things in order:
- Your workplace name. "Good morning, Tasman Aged Care."
- Your name. "Sina speaking."
- An offer to help. "How can I help you?"
Together: *"Good morning, Tasman Aged Care, Sina speaking. How can I help you?"*
When you don't understand
It is perfectly normal to ask the caller to repeat themselves. Do not pretend you understood. Pretending leads to mistakes.
Polite ways to ask:
- "Sorry, could you say that again please?"
- "I didn't quite catch that — could you repeat it?"
- "Could you spell that for me?"
Taking a message
If the person the caller wants isn't available, take a message. Write down:
- The caller's name (ask them to spell it)
- The caller's phone number (read it back to confirm)
- A short message — what they want
- The time they called
What to avoid
- Don't eat or chew while on the phone.
- Don't put the phone down loudly.
- Don't say "yeah" or "nah" — say "yes" or "no".
- Don't transfer a call without telling the caller who you're transferring them to.
Practice activity
Find a partner — your aiga member, a friend, or your teacher — and role-play three phone calls. Use the script in this lesson. Swap roles after each one.
When you're ready, mark this lesson complete and we'll move on to Handling difficult conversations in English.