When a phone call for a visitor comes in, ask the caller if you may take a message. If so, type it on a sheet of paper and hand it to the visitor as he leaves. However, if the person making the call says he or she must speak to the visitor at once, go into the office, catch your executive’s eye, apologize for the interruption, and tell the guest the name of the person who wants to speak to him. He can either take the call there or ask you to tell the caller that he will call back.
If there are several people in your executive’s office, hand the individual being called a typed message that there is a phone call for him and the question: “Would you like to take the call on my phone?” The visitor can then leave the conference room and take his call without disturbing everyone else.
Holding the Line