1. Answering the telephone and putting calls through (3 rings, giving your name, putting on hold)
Because your face cannot be seen, your voice and your words alone become the impression of the company. We firm up the pattern of answering, how fast you pick up, the first words, transferring, and putting on hold, as a set of steps.
One accepted guide is to answer a call to the company within 3 rings. If you go past that, add the words "omatase itashimashita" (thank you for waiting) before giving your name. If you give your name as though nothing had happened, the caller feels the time they waited has been treated as though it never was. For the opening words, follow "hai" with the company name, as in "Hai, Marumaru Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu." In business calls, "moshi moshi" is not used. It is taken as a casual way of calling out, and it also delays the naming, creating a stretch of time in which the caller does not know whom they have reached.
Preparation before you pick up the handset is, in fact, where it is won or lost. Keep notepaper and a pen permanently by the phone, and hold the handset in your non-dominant hand so your writing hand is free. If you go looking for a pen after picking up, those few seconds cost you the company name or the person's name. When the caller gives their name, repeat it back to confirm and give your greeting: "Marumaru Kabushiki-gaisha no Sankaku-sama de irasshaimasu ne. Itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu." Repeating back serves to prevent mix-ups even when you did hear correctly, so do not skip it.
When you put the call through to the person asked for, always put it on hold before you call out to them. Covering the mouthpiece with your hand can still let office conversation reach the caller, and once an internal remark like "so-and-so is visiting today" leaks out, there is no taking it back. When transferring, tell the person who the call is from before handing it over. About 30 seconds is the guide for a hold; if it looks like going beyond that, come back on once and either explain the situation with "moshiwake gozaimasen, mo sukoshi o-jikan o itadakemasu desho ka" (I am sorry, may I ask you for a little more time) or propose calling back. Left on hold, the caller cannot tell whether to hang up or to wait, and grows uneasy.
One more thing to watch in transferring is how you refer to your own company's people. Toward someone outside the company, your own superior is treated as a person of your own side, so using an honorific title or sonkeigo, as in "Tanaka-bucho wa seki o hazushite irasshaimasu," is an error. The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Guidelines for Honorific Language take up the situation of speaking to a client about your own Department Manager Tanaka, and explain that there is no problem in saying "Tanaka," that you may also show the rank and say "bucho no Tanaka," but that the form "Tanaka-bucho" is inappropriate because it is not a way of naming him as one of your own side. "Bucho no Tanaka wa, tadaima seki o hazushite orimasu" is the safe form.
What to say when answering a call (by situation)
Situation
What to say
Answered within 3 rings
Hai, Marumaru Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu (Yes, this is Marumaru Co., Ltd.)
Answered after more than 3 rings
Omatase itashimashita, Marumaru Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu (Thank you for waiting, this is Marumaru Co., Ltd.)
The caller has given their name
Sankaku Kabushiki-gaisha no Shikaku-sama de irasshaimasu ne. Itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu (You are Mr./Ms. Shikaku of Sankaku Co., Ltd. Thank you for your continued business)
Putting the call through to the person asked for
Tanaka de gozaimasu ne. Shosho o-machi kudasaimase (Tanaka, is it. One moment, please)
The person asked for is out
Ainiku Tanaka wa seki o hazushite orimasu. Juugo-ji goro modoru yotei de gozaimasu (I am afraid Tanaka is away from his desk. He is expected back around 15:00)
The number of rings taken as the guide for answering. If you exceed it, add "omatase itashimashita" to your opening words.
the person asked for, najibito (名指し人)
The person inside the company whom the caller has named as the one they want to speak to. Before transferring, tell them who is calling.
hold
The function that pauses the call and has the other person wait. The guide is about 30 seconds; if you exceed it, come back on once and explain the situation.
repeating back, fukusho (復唱)
Repeating the company name, personal name, date and time, and quantity you heard, to confirm them. Done even when you heard correctly, to prevent mix-ups.
uchi and soto (ウチとソト), inside and outside
The distinction between people of your own side and everyone else. Toward someone outside the company, your own superior too is treated as your own side and given no honorific title.
the opening words
The first words you say on answering. The basic form is "hai" followed by the company name; "moshi moshi" is not used in business.
Worked examples
You answered after the phone had rung 6 times. What are your opening words?
Answer and reasoning "Omatase itashimashita, Marumaru Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu." Touch on the fact that you kept them waiting, then give your name. Giving your name as though nothing had happened ignores their waiting time, and putting them on hold the instant you answer keeps them waiting even longer.
A client says "Tanaka-bucho o o-negai shimasu" and Department Manager Tanaka is out. How do you put it?
Answer and reasoning "Ainiku bucho no Tanaka wa gaishutsu shite orimasu. Juugo-ji goro modoru yotei de gozaimasu" (I am afraid Tanaka, our department manager, is out. He is expected back around 15:00). Calling your own superior "Tanaka-bucho" to someone outside the company is not a way of naming him as your own side, so use the form "bucho no Tanaka," showing the rank.
You cannot find the person asked for, and the hold looks like reaching nearly a minute. What do you do?
Answer and reasoning Take the call off hold and come back on at around the 30-second mark. Let the caller choose between waiting and a call back: "Moshiwake gozaimasen, tadaima seki o kakunin shite orimasu. Orikaeshi o-denwa o sashiagete mo yoroshii desho ka."
Sources and basis: Council for Cultural Affairs report Keigo no Shishin (敬語の指針, Guidelines for Honorific Language), February 2 of Heisei 19 (2007), Chapter 3 Using honorific language in practice / ※ the rest is commercial practice with no public regulation
2. Handling calls when the person is out, message notes, and making calls
It is exactly when the person asked for is away that the one answering shows their skill. We cover how to say someone is out, the pattern of a message note, and the preparation for calling out yourself.
When the person asked for is away, first say that they are away and when they are expected back. The key is to pair the fact with a guide, as in "Ainiku seki o hazushite orimasu. Juugo-ji goro modoru yotei de gozaimasu" (I am afraid he is away from his desk. He is expected back around 15:00). There is no need to explain the reason for the absence in detail, and you avoid passing on private circumstances as they are, such as "he is out on personal business" or "she has gone to the hospital." Likewise avoid giving out the person's mobile number without permission; if it is needed, make it a call back instead. On that basis, ask whether they would like a call back, whether you may take a message, or whether you may hear the business on the person's behalf.
When you take a message, make a note that shows 5 things: when, from whom, about what, what they want done, and who took it. If any one of these 5 is missing, the person asked for has to go and ask someone in order to check, and the work is done twice. Numbers in particular, such as dates and times, quantities, amounts of money and telephone numbers, are easily misheard, so always repeat them back. For confusable ones like "1 o'clock" and "7 o'clock," rewording as "13:00, is that right" or "7 p.m., is that right" makes it certain. Finally, giving your own name with "watakushi, Sankaku ga uketamawarimashita" (I, Sankaku, have taken your message) reassures the caller, who then knows whom they spoke to.
It also matters not to let the note end at being placed on a desk. A note left there gets lost among the papers. When the person asked for returns, hand it to them and give the main points aloud as well. If the business is urgent, do not wait for them to come back; let them know first by mobile phone or chat. Even if they are in a meeting, check by when a response is needed and then find a form your workplace can act on, such as slipping a note in to them. If you settle on "they are in a meeting, so do nothing," you can end up missing the deadline.
When you make a call, before dialing, set out the business, the conclusion and the necessary figures as bullet points, and gather the materials to hand. Since you are asking for a slice of the other person's time, sorting out your thoughts while talking is best avoided. When you get through, give your company name and your own name, and when the person asked for takes over, give your name again and ask about their convenience with "tadaima o-jikan yoroshii desho ka" (do you have a moment now?) before going into the business. The time of day needs consideration too. Just after work starts, the lunch break and just before the end of the day are often busy, so avoid them, and avoid calling before work starts or after it ends, as that falls outside the other person's working hours. On hanging up, it is generally said that the caller hangs up first, but if the other person is a client or a senior, wait for them to hang up, then press the hook quietly with your finger before setting down the handset.
The 5 items a message note must always contain
Item
What to write
What happens if it is missing
Date and time taken
The month, day, hour and minute the call was taken
No way to judge whether it is urgent
The caller
Company name, department, personal name, telephone number
Cannot call back, or calls the wrong person
The business
What it is about. Dates, times and quantities as figures
The person has to ring back and ask all over again
What the caller wants
A call back, a message only, or they will call again
The two sides miss each other and the work is done twice
Who took it
Your own name
Nobody knows whom to ask when they want to check the content
A record for passing the content of a call to the person asked for. Write 5 points: the date and time it was taken, the caller, the business, what the caller wants, and who took it.
calling back, orikaeshi (折り返し)
Ringing the person back from your side. Check their number and a convenient time of day, and give a guide as to roughly when the call will come.
uketamawaru (承る), to receive
The kenjogo of "to receive" and "to hear." Saying "watakushi, Sankaku ga uketamawarimashita" makes clear who dealt with the call.
asking about their convenience
Checking with "tadaima o-jikan yoroshii desho ka" before going into the business. If they are tied up, call again another time.
easily misheard numbers
1 o'clock and 7 o'clock, 4 and 7, and the like. Repeating them back in reworded form, as "13:00" or "7 p.m.," prevents mix-ups.
Worked examples
The person asked for is out all day and the caller wants a call back. What do you find out?
Answer and reasoning The number to call back on and a convenient time of day. If you can also hear an outline of the business, the person can prepare before calling back. Finish by giving your own name: "watakushi, Sankaku ga uketamawarimashita."
You are told "10 units on the 20th at 14:00." How do you confirm it?
Answer and reasoning Repeat it back with the figures separated: "On the 20th at 14:00, 10 units, is that right." Numbers are the most easily misheard of all, so confirm by repeating back even though you are taking notes.
You want to call a client. What times of day should you avoid?
Answer and reasoning Just after work starts, the lunch break and just before the end of the day. The other person is likely to be busy. Before work starts and after it ends fall outside working hours, so avoid those too.
Sources and basis: ※ There is no public regulation on this. It is an organized summary of widely accepted business practice
3. Difficult calls (complaints, hard to hear, mobile phones, wording)
Complaints, callers you cannot make out, mobile phones, wrong numbers. The worse a situation goes, the more you need a pattern. We also sort out the traps of manual honorifics.
A complaint call is largely decided by the first response. First listen through to the end without interrupting, and note down the main points. If you point out partway through that "that is a misunderstanding," the caller feels they were not heard and things get tangled. Once you have heard it all, apologize for having caused them unpleasantness. This is separate from admitting responsibility in full; it is the part you can say even at a stage where the facts are not yet known. On that basis, confirm the facts in the order of when, what, and what happened, and separate what you can answer on the spot from what needs checking. Answering by guesswork what you cannot answer is the most dangerous thing of all: it later needs correcting and makes the problem bigger. Give the deadline for the call back and the person who will handle it, give your own name, and share it with your superior and the department concerned immediately after the call.
When the caller's voice is hard to make out, avoid wording that makes them the subject, such as "your voice is too quiet to hear," and use wording that puts the cause on the line: "osore irimasu, sukoshi o-denwa ga toi yo desu" (excuse me, the line seems a little faint). Pretending you heard and pressing on is the worst thing, as the content is then fixed in a wrong form. When you do not know the characters of a name, ask on the spot too: "osore irimasu ga, dono yo na ji o o-kaki ni narimasu ka" (excuse me, how is it written?). Surnames with several possible spellings, such as Saito, especially need checking, since writing a guess makes a record addressed to a different person.
When you call someone's mobile phone, you cannot tell from your end whether they are travelling or in a meeting. Give your name and then check with "tadaima o-hanashi shite mo yoroshii desho ka" (may I speak with you now?) before going into the business. If they do not answer, avoid ringing again and again with no interval; leave some time, or leave your company name, your name, an outline of the business and a call-back number on the voicemail. When a wrong number comes in, too, since it is a call to your company, the impression of how it is handled becomes the impression of the company. If the caller says the number, compare it with yours and tell them the difference; do not hang up in silence or blame the caller's carelessness.
Finally, wording. Among what are called manual honorifics there are phrasings that sound polite but are in fact off in meaning. The "...no ho" in "tantosha no ho ni o-tsunagi shimasu" is properly a way of indicating a direction, or one side out of several, so using it to blur the object is best avoided. The "...ni narimasu" in "kochira ga shiryo ni narimasu" is a way of expressing change, so it does not suit explaining something that does not change. "Yoroshikatta desho ka" is also regarded as unnatural, in that it uses the past tense for something you are about to confirm. The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Guidelines for Honorific Language likewise cite "go-chumon no shina wa o-soroi ni narimashita desho ka" as an example of a manual honorific, explain that the sonkeigo form "o-...-ni naru" mistakenly raises up the goods, and state that saying "soroimashita desho ka" and the like will do. Note that a form with "o" attached to your own action, such as "o-machi shite orimasu," is kenjogo I raising up the other person, so it is no problem.
Phrasings to avoid on the phone, and their replacements
Phrasing to avoid
Replacement
Reason
tantosha no ho ni o-tsunagi shimasu
tantosha ni o-tsunagi shimasu
"...no ho" indicates a direction or one side, and blurs the object
kochira ga shiryo ni narimasu
kochira ga shiryo de gozaimasu
"...ni narimasu" expresses change, and does not suit things that do not change
yoroshikatta desho ka
yoroshii desho ka
Using the past tense for something you are about to confirm is unnatural
moshi moshi, Marumaru desu
hai, Marumaru de gozaimasu
"Moshi moshi" is regarded as a casual way of calling out and is not used at work
go-chumon no shina wa o-soroi ni narimashita desho ka
go-chumon no shina wa soroimashita desho ka
"O-...-ni naru" is a sonkeigo form and ends up raising up the goods
The handling done by whoever first takes a complaint. Its 4 pillars are listening, apologizing, confirming the facts, and promising a deadline for the call back.
o-denwa ga toi (お電話が遠い), the line is faint
A set expression for when the caller's voice is hard to make out. Putting the cause on the line rather than on the caller keeps it from sounding like blame.
manual honorifics
A general term for phrasings that have spread as set patterns in customer service. They are taken up in the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Guidelines for Honorific Language too, and some are wrong as honorific forms.
humble language I, kenjogo I (謙譲語Ⅰ)
Honorific language that raises up the person your own action is directed to, such as o-machi suru and ukagau. Attaching "o" to your own action is not an error here.
voicemail
The function for leaving your business when the other person does not answer. Record your company name, your name, an outline of the business and a call-back number, concisely.
Worked examples
Partway through a complaint call you notice a factual error in what the caller says. What do you do?
Answer and reasoning Do not point it out on the spot; listen to the end. Having heard it all, apologize for the unpleasantness caused, and open the fact-checking with "nen no tame kakunin sasete itadakimasu ga" (just to make sure, may I confirm something). Interrupting worsens feelings and stops the information you need from coming out.
You can barely make out the caller's voice. How do you put it?
Answer and reasoning "Osore irimasu, sukoshi o-denwa ga toi yo de gozaimasu. Mo ichido o-negai dekimasu desho ka." Do not make the caller the subject with "your voice is quiet"; put the cause on the line. If it is still difficult, call them back from your end.
You have said "tantosha no ho ni o-tsunagi shimasu." How do you correct it?
Answer and reasoning "Tantosha ni o-tsunagi itashimasu." "...no ho" is a way of indicating a direction or one side, so avoid using it to blur the object. Politeness comes not from making words longer but from conveying things accurately.
Sources and basis: Council for Cultural Affairs report Keigo no Shishin (敬語の指針, Guidelines for Honorific Language), February 2 of Heisei 19 (2007), Chapter 3 Using honorific language in practice / ※ the rest is commercial practice with no public regulation
Check quiz
Q1 | How many rings
Which is an appropriate guide for how quickly to answer a call to the company?
Answer after the phone has rung 10 times
Wait for the ringing to stop once, then call back
Answer within 3 rings
Wait for the caller to give their name first, then speak
AnswerC. Answer within 3 rings
Answering within 3 rings is one common guide. If you exceed it, open with 「お待たせいたしました」 (o-matase itashimashita — "thank you for waiting"). Since the rule is that the person answering gives their name first, waiting for the caller to do so reverses the order.
Q2 | The opening words
Which is appropriate as the first thing you say on answering the phone?
もしもし、はい、○○です (moshi-moshi, hai, XX desu)
はい、どちら様でいらっしゃいますか (hai, dochira-sama de irasshaimasu ka — "yes, who is calling?")
はい、○○株式会社でございます (hai, XX Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu — "yes, this is XX Co., Ltd.")
もしもし、○○株式会社です (moshi-moshi, XX Kabushiki-gaisha desu — "hello, XX Co., Ltd.")
AnswerC. はい、○○株式会社でございます (hai, XX Kabushiki-gaisha de gozaimasu — "yes, this is XX Co., Ltd.")
On a business call you do not use 「もしもし」; you follow 「はい」 with the company name. Since the rule is that the person answering names themselves first, asking the caller's name before doing so reverses the order.
Q3 | When you were slow
You picked up after 6 rings. Which is appropriate as your opening line?
お電話ありがとうございます。少々お待ちくださいませ ("thank you for calling. One moment please")
はい、○○株式会社でございます ("yes, this is XX Co., Ltd.")
お待たせいたしました、○○株式会社でございます ("thank you for waiting, this is XX Co., Ltd.")
もしもし、遅くなりました ("hello, sorry I'm late")
AnswerC. お待たせいたしました、○○株式会社でございます ("thank you for waiting, this is XX Co., Ltd.")
Acknowledge the wait in a word, then give your company name. Naming yourself as if nothing happened ignores the time they waited, and putting them on hold the instant you pick up makes them wait longer still. 「もしもし」 is also not used at work.
Q4 | Reading it back
Which is appropriate after you have taken down the caller's company and name on the phone?
Ask them to give their name again just to be sure
Read it back to confirm, greet them, and then ask what the call is about
You heard it clearly, so skip confirming and move straight to the business
Write the record up all at once after the call ends
AnswerB. Read it back to confirm, greet them, and then ask what the call is about
Read the company and name back as 「○○株式会社の△△様でいらっしゃいますね」 to confirm. Even when you heard clearly, reading back is effective against mix-ups. Asking them to repeat their name puts the burden on them and suggests you were not listening.
Q5 | Transferring the call
Which is NOT appropriate in the procedure for transferring a call to the person asked for?
Read the caller's company and name back before putting them on hold
Tell the person who is calling before handing over
If the transfer looks like taking time, come back on the line and say how things stand
Instead of using hold, cover the handset with your hand and call the person over
AnswerD. Instead of using hold, cover the handset with your hand and call the person over
Even with your hand over the handset, office conversation can reach the caller, so always put them on hold before calling out. Reading back before holding, saying who is calling before handing over, and coming back on the line when there is a wait are all correct moves.
Q6 | How long to hold
Which is an appropriate guide for putting a caller on hold?
Once on hold, have them wait until they hang up
Take about 30 seconds as the guide, and come back on the line to explain if it will run over
Do not use hold; put the handset on the desk and go to fetch the person
There is no problem however long the hold lasts, since the caller cannot tell
AnswerB. Take about 30 seconds as the guide, and come back on the line to explain if it will run over
Left on hold a long time, the caller does not know whether to hang up or keep waiting and becomes uneasy. Come back at around 30 seconds, say how things stand, and ask whether they would like a call back. A handset left on the desk carries office conversation and noise down the line.
Q7 | Naming your own department head
A client calls asking for your Department Head Tanaka, who is away from his desk. Which wording is appropriate?
田中様は、ただいま席を外しております (Tanaka-sama wa … orimasu)
部長の田中は、ただいま席を外しております (Buchō no Tanaka wa … orimasu)
田中部長は、ただいま席を外していらっしゃいます (Tanaka-buchō wa … irasshaimasu)
田中部長は、ただいま席を外しております (Tanaka-buchō wa … orimasu)
AnswerB. 部長の田中は、ただいま席を外しております (Buchō no Tanaka wa … orimasu)
The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Keigo Guidelines (敬語の指針) explain that when speaking to a client about your own Department Head Tanaka, you treat him as your own side, so plain 「田中」 is fine and you may also state the rank as 「部長の田中」, but 「田中部長」 does not treat him as your own side and is therefore inappropriate. 「いらっしゃる」 is the mistake of using sonkeigo about a member of your own group.
Q8 | Titles for your own people
When telling an outside caller that a colleague is out, which is the appropriate way to think about how to refer to that colleague?
They are from your own company, so give the surname with no courtesy title
Add 「さん」 to the surname even for a colleague
Give the job title with 「様」 attached, along with the name
The caller does not know them, so do not give the name
AnswerA. They are from your own company, so give the surname with no courtesy title
The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Keigo Guidelines take up exactly this case of telling an outside caller that a colleague is out, and explain that on the uchi/soto view the colleague is on your own side, so it is better to give the surname with no honorific. Withholding the name is also inappropriate, since the caller then cannot tell who is meant.
Q9 | O-machi shite
Which is the correct explanation of saying 「お待ちしております」 (o-machi shite orimasu — "we look forward to seeing you") to someone due to visit?
It is sonkeigo and so cannot be used towards the other person
It must be rephrased as 「待たせていただきます」
It is kenjōgo I, which elevates the other person even though the action is yours, so there is no problem
It is wrong because 「お」 is attached to your own action
AnswerC. It is kenjōgo I, which elevates the other person even though the action is yours, so there is no problem
The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Keigo Guidelines say that even for your own actions, 「お」 or 「御」 may be attached where the form is kenjōgo I elevating the person the action is directed at, and cite 「お待ちする」 as an example. What you must not attach it to is a case like 「私のお考え」, where you would be elevating yourself.
Q10 | Sasete itadaku
Which is the correct explanation of using 「させていただく」 as in 「明日お電話させていただきます」 ("I will call you tomorrow")?
It is always ruder than saying 「いたします」
It must never be used to a senior
It is basically for cases where you act with the permission of the other party or a third person and receive a benefit thereby
It sounds polite in any situation, so the more often you use it the better
AnswerC. It is basically for cases where you act with the permission of the other party or a third person and receive a benefit thereby
The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Keigo Guidelines explain 「させていただく」 as a form used where there is a fact or a feeling of acting with the permission of the other party or a third person and receiving a benefit thereby. Where no element of permission is present it becomes somewhat wordy, and 「いたします」 is regarded as more concise.
Q11 | Ready to take a call
Which is NOT appropriate as preparation or posture for answering the phone?
Hold the handset in your non-dominant hand so you can write
Put the handset down only after confirming the caller has hung up
Look for paper and a pen after picking up the handset
Keep paper and a pen permanently beside the phone
AnswerC. Look for paper and a pen after picking up the handset
Get your notepad ready before the phone rings. Hunting for it after picking up costs you the few seconds in which the company and the caller's name are said. Freeing your writing hand, and hanging up after the caller, are both basics.
Q12 | First response when they are out
Which is NOT appropriate when the person asked for is unavailable?
Say that they are unavailable and when they are expected back
Give out the person's mobile number on the spot
Check whether the matter is urgent
Ask whether they would like a call back, to leave a message, or for you to deal with it
AnswerB. Give out the person's mobile number on the spot
Avoid giving out someone's mobile number without their permission; if it is needed, arrange a call back instead. The basics are to give the fact of the absence together with an expected return time, and to ask whether they want a call back, to leave a message, or for you to handle it.
Q13 | How to say they are out
Which is NOT appropriate when telling an outside caller that the person asked for is out?
山田は本日、私用で出かけております ("Yamada is out today on personal business")
山田は外出しており、15時に戻る予定でございます ("Yamada is out and is expected back at 3 p.m.")
あいにく山田は席を外しております ("unfortunately Yamada is away from his desk")
山田は本日、終日外出しております ("Yamada is out all day today")
AnswerA. 山田は本日、私用で出かけております ("Yamada is out today on personal business")
There is no need to give the reason for an absence in detail, and personal reasons in particular should not be passed on. Saying they are out or away from the desk, with a guide to when they will be back, is enough.
Q14 | Calling back
The caller asks for a return call. Which is NOT appropriate for the person taking the call?
Confirm the number to call back on, out loud, with the caller
Give your own name clearly: 「私、△△が承りました」 ("I, so-and-so, have taken this")
Also ask what time is convenient for the return call
Do not ask for the number, since it should be on their business card
AnswerD. Do not ask for the number, since it should be on their business card
Even if you know the number, always ask, so as to confirm the number they want to be reached on. Checking a convenient time, and giving your own name so responsibility is clear, are equally essential.
Q15 | The message slip
Which combination of items belongs on a telephone message slip?
Only the caller's company and the subject; not the date and time or your own name
Only the caller's name and number; not the subject or the date and time
The date and time taken, who called, the subject, what they want, and the name of whoever took the call
Only the subject and the name of whoever took the call; not the caller's name
AnswerC. The date and time taken, who called, the subject, what they want, and the name of whoever took the call
A message slip should show when, from whom, about what, what they would like done, and who took it. If any of these is missing, the person called has to ask again to find out, doubling the work.
Q16 | Confirming numbers
Which is an appropriate way to confirm a message that contains a date, a time and a quantity?
Skip reading it back, since you are taking proper notes
Read it back: 「20日の14時に、10個でございますね」 ("the 20th at 2 p.m., 10 units, is that right?")
Just tell the person verbally after the call has ended
Confirm only when the caller seems to have got something wrong
AnswerB. Read it back: 「20日の14時に、10個でございますね」 ("the 20th at 2 p.m., 10 units, is that right?")
Numbers — dates, times, quantities, amounts, phone numbers — are the most common thing to mishear, so always read them back even when you are taking notes. Where confusion is easy, as between 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock, rephrase as "13:00" or "7 p.m." to check.
Q17 | Preparing to call
Which is appropriate preparation before you place a call?
Work out what to say as you talk
Look for the documents you need after they answer
Deliberately leave it unorganised so you can raise things as they occur to you
Bullet-point the subject, your conclusion and the figures you need, and have the materials to hand
AnswerD. Bullet-point the subject, your conclusion and the figures you need, and have the materials to hand
A phone call takes up someone else's time, so organise the subject, your conclusion and the necessary figures before dialling. Searching for documents while talking leaves them waiting.
Q18 | Asking if it suits
Which is NOT appropriate once the person you asked for comes on the line?
Give your company and your name again
Judge from their voice whether they sound busy, and wait in silence
Ask 「ただいまお時間よろしいでしょうか」 ("is now a good time?")
If they are tied up, ask a convenient time and call again
AnswerB. Judge from their voice whether they sound busy, and wait in silence
Waiting in silence dumps the decision on them and stalls the call. Give your name again, ask whether it is a good time to talk, and if they are tied up, call again another day — in that order.
Q19 | When to call
Which shows appropriate consideration about when to telephone a client?
Keep redialling without a pause until they answer
Avoid just after the working day starts, the lunch break, and just before it ends
Call very early, since people are easier to reach before the working day starts
Call in the evening, since it is calmer to talk after hours
AnswerB. Avoid just after the working day starts, the lunch break, and just before it ends
Just after opening, the lunch break and just before closing are times when people are typically busy, so avoid them. Before opening and after closing fall outside their working hours, so those are times to avoid all the more.
Q20 | Who hangs up first
Which is generally appropriate about the order of hanging up?
The person who received the call hangs up first, and the caller puts the handset down after they do
The caller hangs up first, and the person who received the call puts the handset down after they do
It makes no difference who goes first, so the order need not be thought about
Both sides signal and put their handsets down quietly at the same moment
AnswerB. The caller hangs up first, and the person who received the call puts the handset down after they do
Generally the caller hangs up first. Where the other party is a client or a senior, however, wait for them to hang up and then set the handset down quietly. Pressing the hook with a finger before replacing the handset keeps the noise from carrying down the line.
Q21 | Passing the message on
Which is NOT appropriate after finishing a call?
Hand the slip over when the person returns and give them the key points verbally as well
For urgent matters, contact the person before they get back
Deal on the spot with matters you could handle, and record the outcome
Just leave the message slip on their desk and say nothing verbally
AnswerD. Just leave the message slip on their desk and say nothing verbally
A slip left on a desk gets lost among papers and overlooked, so hand it to the person when they return and give the key points verbally too. For urgent matters, get in touch without waiting for the slip to be read.
Q22 | Asking them to repeat
Which is NOT appropriate when you cannot hear the caller clearly?
Say 「恐れ入ります、少しお電話が遠いようでございます」 ("I'm sorry, the line seems a little faint")
Ask them to repeat: 「もう一度お願いできますでしょうか」
Say 「声が小さくて聞こえません」 ("your voice is too quiet, I can't hear you")
If it is still difficult, offer to call them back
AnswerC. Say 「声が小さくて聞こえません」 ("your voice is too quiet, I can't hear you")
Wording that makes the caller's voice or delivery the subject comes across as blaming them, so avoid it and use 「お電話が遠いようです」, which puts the cause on the line. Asking them to repeat and offering to call back are both fine.
Q23 | The characters in a name
Which is an appropriate way to check the kanji of a caller's name when you do not know them?
Have the person themselves check with the caller when they return
Leave the parts you do not know blank and pass the slip on as it is
Ask politely, prefaced with osore-irimasu ga, which characters the name is written with
Guess the most common characters yourself and write those
AnswerC. Ask politely, prefaced with osore-irimasu ga, which characters the name is written with
Asking politely on the spot — 「恐れ入りますが、どのような字をお書きになりますか」 (osore-irimasu ga, dono yō na ji o o-kaki ni narimasu ka, "may I ask which characters you write it with?") — is the sure way, and naming a radical or a compound word helps confirm it. Surnames with several possible spellings, such as Saitō, particularly need checking, and writing a guess produces a record addressed to a different person.
Q24 | First moves on a complaint
Which is appropriate as the first response to a complaint call?
Listen to the end without interrupting, and apologise for the discomfort caused
Point out and correct on the spot what you take to be the caller's misunderstanding
Listen in silence without even acknowledging, until the facts can be verified
It is not your responsibility, so transfer them to another department without listening
AnswerA. Listen to the end without interrupting, and apologise for the discomfort caused
With a complaint, first listen without interrupting and apologise for the discomfort caused. That is different from accepting full responsibility, and it can be said even before the facts are established. Pointing out errors partway through inflames feelings further; silence and an immediate transfer are also to be avoided.
Q25 | When you cannot answer
On a complaint call you are asked something you cannot answer on the spot. Which response is appropriate?
Just say you do not know and end the call
Answer on a guess for now and correct it later if it turns out wrong
Say what you do and do not know, and promise a deadline by which you will check and call back
Name your manager and make clear this is not your responsibility
AnswerC. Say what you do and do not know, and promise a deadline by which you will check and call back
Answering on a guess means a correction later and makes the problem bigger. Separate what you know from what you do not, promise a specific time by which you will call back, and keep to it.
Q26 | Their mobile
Which shows appropriate consideration when calling a client contact's mobile?
After giving your name, check whether it is all right to talk now before starting
It is a mobile, so you may assume they can always answer
If they do not answer, redial repeatedly with no pause
It is a more casual channel than the office line, so skip the preliminaries
AnswerA. After giving your name, check whether it is all right to talk now before starting
On a mobile the person is often travelling or out of the office and you cannot tell their situation. Give your name and check with 「ただいまお話ししてもよろしいでしょうか」. If they do not answer, leave time before trying again, or leave a voicemail with your company, your name, an outline of the matter and a number to call back.
Q27 | A wrong number
Which is NOT appropriate when a wrong number comes through to the company?
Point out their carelessness and hang up
Answer as usual, giving the company name
Politely tell them they have the wrong number
Give your number and check it against the number they dialled
AnswerA. Point out their carelessness and hang up
Since the call came to your company, the impression your handling makes is the impression of the company, so do not blame the caller or hang up in silence. Compare numbers, point out the difference, and tell them politely that it is a wrong number.
Q28 | Rephrasing
Regarding so-called manual keigo on the phone, which is an appropriate rephrasing?
Change 「担当者のほうにおつなぎします」 to 「担当者におつなぎします」
Change 「こちらが資料でございます」 to 「こちらが資料になります」
Change 「担当者におつなぎします」 to 「担当者のほうにおつなぎします」
Change 「よろしいでしょうか」 to 「よろしかったでしょうか」
AnswerA. Change 「担当者のほうにおつなぎします」 to 「担当者におつなぎします」
「〜のほう」 properly indicates a direction or one of several options, so avoid using it to blur the object. 「〜になります」 expresses change and does not suit describing something that is not changing. 「よろしかったでしょうか」, a past form for something yet to be settled, is likewise regarded as unnatural. The other three all run the rephrasing in the wrong direction.
Q29 | Elevating an object
Which is the appropriate reason why 「御注文の品はおそろいになりましたでしょうか」 is regarded as wrong?
There is not enough teineigo overall, and the ending is too casual
Because it is phrased as a question
「お……になる」 is the sonkeigo pattern, so it elevates the dishes, an object, rather than a person
Because no kenjōgo is used
AnswerC. 「お……になる」 is the sonkeigo pattern, so it elevates the dishes, an object, rather than a person
The Agency for Cultural Affairs' Keigo Guidelines explain that because 「お……になる」 is the sonkeigo pattern, this wording ends up elevating 「御注文の品」, and that you may instead say 「御注文の品は、そろいましたでしょうか」. Insufficient teineigo or the question form is not the reason.
Q30 | An urgent transfer
The person asked for is in a meeting and the caller says the matter is urgent. Which response is appropriate?
They cannot be interrupted, so do nothing until the meeting ends
Give the caller the number of the phone in the meeting room so they can call it directly
Check by when a reply is needed, and if necessary pass a note to the person in the meeting
Let the caller decide and have them come to the meeting room
AnswerC. Check by when a reply is needed, and if necessary pass a note to the person in the meeting
When told a matter is urgent, first check by when a reply is needed, then put it in a form your company can act on, such as slipping a note to the person in the meeting. Stopping at "they are in a meeting" can mean missing the deadline. Giving out the meeting room number disrupts the meeting.
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