Phrases & expressions to use during a business call in English

Starting a Call

When the person you are calling is someone you know well, start by saying “Hello!” Use his/her first name, give your own first name, where you are calling from and ask how the other person is:

Hello, Paul! This is James in London. How are you?

When the relationship with your business contact is more formal, then you could start like this:

Good morning, Mr Collins! This is Jame Vince calling from XYZ Company in London. How are you?

After introducing yourself and asking how the other person is, it is also important to say why you are calling.

You can say one of the following:

The reason I’m calling is…

I’m calling about…

I’m calling to…

By using these prompts, your contact will have time to focus on the subject.

Answering a call

It is important to know if the call is an international one. Then you need to answer clearly with your organization’s/company’s name and then your name. For example, you can say this:

Credit Suisse. James Vince speaking.

In case you know who is calling, then you could say:

Hi Paul! What can I do for you?

In case the caller asks, “Sorry, do you speak English?”, you can say:

Yes, I do. How may I help you?

Yes, a little-if you speak slowly (in case you worry that you may not understand the caller, and ask him/her to speak slowly)

In some cases, a caller you do not know will ask for you: “Could I speak to Mr Vince, please?” Then, what you need to say is: “Speaking”

Ending a call

1. Confirm

Summarize the key points discussed on the phone. Remember to get confirmation from the other person before ending the call.

So, I’ll find out about….and send you an e-mail by…OK? Is that right? Good. Is there anything I’ve left out?

2. Thank

Say “thank you” and show the other person that you had a successful telephone conversation.

Well, thank you very much for taking the time to discuss about… with me. I think that now we clarified any aspects in relation to/…. and we both know what the next steps are.

3. Look forward

Look forward to the next time that you will contact your business partner again. Be specific about times and dates:

I look forward to hearing from you in the first week of May, then.

4. Be positive

End on a positive note, and, if appropriate, with a personal comment:

Have a nice weekend.

Have a good time at the game tomorrow.

Give James my regards.

5. Say goodbye

Make it clear that the call is over:

Right, then! That’s all, I think. Nice talking to you. Goodbye!

DO’s & DON’Ts

Here are some extra valuable tips to keep in mind, before and during an important business phone call.

#1 Put on a smile before making or answering a phone call. Trust me, this can take away a lot of negative emotions like shyness and stress. Take a deep breath, smile and pick up the phone. It works wonders!

#2 Don’t interrupt them when they are talking. It is rude.

#3 Adjust your voice volume to the appropriate level. Don’t talk too low or they won’t hear what you are saying. But also, don’t speak very loud either. Stay focused and balanced. 

#4 Don’t use slang. There are many reasons why not to do it. It is likely the other side doesn’t know a slang term you are saying or even worse, misunderstand it. Keep it simple and clear.

#5 Hang up the phone gently. Thank the other side for their time, show appreciation and end the call gently, without banging the phone set or tapping on the “End call” button abruptly.

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I could share many more phrases and tips, but these are the handiest ones you can use in almost any business phone call. 

They help you create an open, inviting and relaxed environment in which you can communicate with the person at the other end of the line. Be it clients, your team members, colleagues, boss or important stakeholders.

Here at ProEnglish, this is my end goal. To empower non-native, highly- skilled professionals like you to claim what they deserve in their career by breaking down the language blockage in a safe, kind and trustful environment.

I am Vera Daskalaki, your mindful English coach. You, being here and reading this, really means a lot to me. Let me know if anything above hit a nerve, and feel free to send me any questions. 

If you want to talk about your personal goals with speaking English and create a customized plan, just like we did with Marta, book a free discovery call by clicking below.

It’s a free 30-min call, during which we will get to know each other and see if and how I can help you reach your career goals as a non-native English-speaking professional.