The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-19

ing and lecture voice much as training in swimming is an assistance to better running or skating.
 Nearly every one has had an op- portunity of observing the manner in which the telephone should be used properly, and yet how few have prof ited by their observations. For a model, listen to the girl who conducts any telephone pay station. She speaks scarcely above a whisper, and though you are standing but a few feet away you cannot follow her end of the con- versation. Experience and instructions have taught her that a low tone, well directed Is sufficient to throw the voice to any point near or distant. She not only does her work, but by her easy control of speech saves herself from weariness and fatigue.
 Then low soft voice Is pretty sure to have a polite sound. The loud, strident voice is suggestive of impa- tience if not of anger. Nothing Is more irritating than to be answered sharply or brusquely. When this happens face to face, the manner of the offender often modifies the appar- ent asperity of hls tongue; but over the telephone the offensive voice can not be softened or corrected by glance or a smile. Hence the very great care that should be exercised by those who deal with the public by telephone. Indifference or inattention to calls or an impatient reply may drive away a customer. In business, therefore, a good voice used iutelli- gently. politely and persuasively is a commercial asset.
 Business men are coming to recog- nize this fact. Thus the head of a big store in a Western city has for some time made a practice of giving to all new employees who are likely to have to perform telephone service printed instructions as to the manner in which this duty should be attended to. over each telephone instrument in his es- tablishment appears the following card;
 The manner in which a person uses telephone Indicates his character to a great extent, and makes either a good or bad impression. And this im- pression Is reflected directly upon the establishment from which such mes sage comes.
 Tt is a pleasure to do business with a house which performs every detail in clean-cut satisfactory manner; but 1t leaves a sting to be answered ab- ruptly or discourteOusly over the tele- phone. It is a folly to lose ones tenn per because one does not get imme- diare connection. This Is rarely ever the fault of the telephone operators, who are nearly always courteous and prompt
 When one Is called to the telephone he should respond quickly, and the person calling should not be left to hold the wire too long-something de- cidedly irritating and often unneces- sary.
 Let us throughout the whole house strive to excel in satisfactory telephon- ing"
 This practical business man has dis , covered that the effectiveness of the | telephoning in his store greatly con- cerns the success Of the business. As a writer in the Electrical Review said recently, The telephone which is rap idly coming to be the most important door to the business office Is all too freuuentily put into the hands of in- competent, impolite and ignorant per sons. The matter is one of really great importance AS it progresses and the use of the telephone becomes more general. more and more of the worlds business is being done over it, and 1t Is becoming more important that the per son answering telephone calls should be competent to give clear and intelli- gent calls and give them politely"
 The telephone companies are natur- ally very much alive to considerations of the voice in choosing and training their employees. Good speaking Is wanted in every department of the