Telephone and Reception Skills Course 2026

This course is for receptionists, front-desk staff, office assistants and anyone who answers a business phone in Canada. It covers greetings, holds and transfers, spelling names and numbers, taking messages, voicemail, difficult callers and scams, and visitor sign-in, privacy and accessibility. Listening questions play short calls aloud. Study each lesson, try its topic quiz, then take the timed final assessment and score 80% or more to earn a certificate of completion.

  • Formation
  • Canada
  • 100 questions
  • Vérifié le 13 octobre 2026
  • Vérifié (faits) le 13 octobre 2026

En bref

Ce cours gratuit comprend environ 150 minutes de leçons, 6 quiz thématiques sans limite de temps (100 questions au total) et une évaluation finale chronométrée de 35 questions tirées au hasard. Obtenez 80 % ou plus à l’évaluation finale pour télécharger une attestation de réussite (privée, non accréditée). Vérifié à partir des sources officielles le 13 octobre 2026.

Commencez par les leçonsTelephone and Reception Skills Course: Lessons : environ 150 minutes de lecture. Chaque question du test est traitée dans les leçons.

Ce que vous allez apprendre

  • Answer business calls and greet visitors with a clear, professional greeting
  • Put callers on hold, transfer calls and screen calls politely
  • Spell names and email addresses with the NATO phonetic alphabet and say numbers clearly
  • Take complete, accurate messages and use voicemail well
  • Handle upset and abusive callers, spot phone scams and respond to threatening calls
  • Sign visitors in, protect personal information and serve people with disabilities, including relay calls

Obtenez 80 % ou plus pour télécharger votre certificat.

Votre plan d’étude

Lisez chaque leçon, faites son quiz thématique (sans limite de temps, avec explications), puis l’évaluation finale chronométrée. Un nouveau mélange de questions est tiré à chaque fois. Votre progression est enregistrée dans ce navigateur.

  1. Lire les leçons6 leçons, environ 150 min
  2. Quiz thématique 1 : Greeting callers and visitors16 questions
  3. Quiz thématique 2 : Holding, transferring and screening calls16 questions
  4. Quiz thématique 3 : Spelling names, numbers and email addresses17 questions
  5. Quiz thématique 4 : Taking messages and using voicemail17 questions
  6. Quiz thématique 5 : Difficult callers, scams and threats17 questions
  7. Quiz thématique 6 : Visitors, privacy and accessibility17 questions
  8. Examen final35 questions, 35 min · Obtenez 80 % ou plus

Quiz thématique 1 : Greeting callers and visitors

  1. Question 1 sur 16

    What three things should a business phone greeting include?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. A greeting, the organization's name and your name with an offer to help

    A clear three-part greeting tells callers they reached the right place and who is helping them.

  2. Question 2 sur 16

    Why should you smile when you answer the phone, even though the caller cannot see you?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: D. It changes your voice and makes you sound friendlier

    Callers judge you only by your voice. A smile changes the sound of your voice and makes you sound warmer.

  3. Question 3 sur 16

    Which greeting is the most professional?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: D. "Good afternoon, Lakeview Clinic, this is Omar. How may I help you?"

    It has all three parts: a greeting, the organization's name, and your name with an offer to help.

  4. Question 4 sur 16

    Which is the most professional way to ask for a caller's name?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. "May I ask who is calling, please?"

    "May I ask who is calling?" is polite and clear. Short questions like "Who's this?" can sound rude.

  5. Question 5 sur 16

    A caller asks for your manager, and you do not know where she is. What is the best thing to say?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: D. "She's not available. May I take a message or help you?"

    Give a neutral reason and offer something useful, such as a message or your own help.

  6. Question 6 sur 16

    In federal government offices, what is the purpose of a bilingual greeting such as "Hello! Bonjour!"?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: D. It invites the public to use either official language

    The active offer is an open invitation to the public to use English or French with the federal government. A greeting like "Hello! Bonjour!" is an example.

  7. Question 7 sur 16

    You are on a short call when a visitor walks up to your desk. What should you do first?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. Look up, smile and signal that you will be with them shortly

    Visitors should never wait without being noticed. Eye contact and a quick signal show you have seen them.

  8. Question 8 sur 16

    You are helping a visitor when the phone rings. What is the best way to handle it?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. Excuse yourself, answer, and ask the caller to hold or offer a callback

    Answer the call politely but keep it short, then return to the visitor you were already serving.

  9. Question 9 sur 16

    Which habit helps callers understand you clearly?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. Speak a bit slower than usual and say names clearly

    On the phone there are no visual clues, so a slightly slower pace and clear words help callers understand you.

  10. Question 10 sur 16

    A caller says she is Dr. Amira Haddad. How should you address her?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: C. As Dr. Haddad, unless she asks you to use her first name

    Use the title and last name the caller gives you. Switch to a first name only if the caller invites you to.

  11. Question 11 sur 16

    Why should you avoid eating or chewing gum while you are on the phone?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: C. The sounds carry and seem unprofessional

    Phone microphones pick up small sounds. Eating or chewing makes you sound careless.

  12. Question 12 sur 16

    Listen. What did the person answering the phone do wrong?
    Écoutez, puis répondez. La transcription s’affiche après votre réponse.
    Pas de son ? Lisez le texte

    Kim: Hello?
    Caller: Hi, um, is this Prairie Roofing?
    Kim: Yeah.
    Caller: Okay. I'd like to book an estimate for my roof.

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. She did not say the company name or her own name

    A professional greeting includes the organization's name and your name. "Hello?" and "Yeah" give the caller neither.

    Transcription

    Kim: Hello?
    Caller: Hi, um, is this Prairie Roofing?
    Kim: Yeah.
    Caller: Okay. I'd like to book an estimate for my roof.

  13. Question 13 sur 16

    Listen. What does the caller want?
    Écoutez, puis répondez. La transcription s’affiche après votre réponse.
    Pas de son ? Lisez le texte

    Lena: Good morning, Bow River Physiotherapy, this is Lena. How may I help you?
    Caller: Hi, Lena. I have an appointment on Thursday at three, but I need to move it to next week.
    Lena: Of course. May I have your name, please?

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. To move the Thursday appointment to next week

    The caller says she has an appointment on Thursday at three and needs to move it to next week.

    Transcription

    Lena: Good morning, Bow River Physiotherapy, this is Lena. How may I help you?
    Caller: Hi, Lena. I have an appointment on Thursday at three, but I need to move it to next week.
    Lena: Of course. May I have your name, please?

  14. Question 14 sur 16

    Listen. Which reply would be the best next step for the receptionist?
    Écoutez, puis répondez. La transcription s’affiche après votre réponse.
    Pas de son ? Lisez le texte

    Caller: Hi, I'm calling about the invoice you sent last week. I think the amount is wrong.

    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. "I'm sorry about that. May I have the invoice number so I can look into it?"

    A good reply shows you care and moves toward a solution by asking for the details you need.

    Transcription

    Caller: Hi, I'm calling about the invoice you sent last week. I think the amount is wrong.

  15. Question 15 sur 16

    What is the best way to end a business call?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: A. Sum up what will happen next, thank the caller and say goodbye

    A short summary confirms the next step. Thanking the caller and saying goodbye ends the call politely.

  16. Question 16 sur 16

    Two visitors arrive while you are on a short call. What is the best approach?
    Voir la réponse

    Réponse: B. Acknowledge both, end the call, then serve them in order of arrival

    Acknowledge everyone quickly, then serve people fairly in the order they arrived.

À savoir avant l’examen

  • In the NATO phonetic alphabet, A is spelled Alfa and J is spelled Juliett.
  • The Translation Bureau recommends writing Canadian phone numbers with hyphens and no parentheses, such as 819-555-5555, because the area code is now required in most of Canada, even for local calls.
  • The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada says an organization must inform customers when it records a call and should state the purpose clearly.
  • A TTY user dials 711 to reach a relay operator. To call a TTY user through the relay service, dial 1-800-855-0511.
  • SRV Canada VRS is a free video relay service in American Sign Language (ASL) and Quebec Sign Language (LSQ).
  • CCOHS lists working alone or in isolated areas, including an isolated reception area, as a higher risk for workplace violence.
  • The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warns about a "head office spoof", where a fraudster calls a franchise business, claims to be from head office and pushes staff to activate prepaid cards or send money.
  • Privacy commissioners for Canada, Alberta and B.C. say that looking at a driver's licence is usually enough, and photocopying or scanning it generally goes too far.

Questions fréquentes

What certificate do I get, and what is it not?

If you score 80% or more on the final assessment, you can download a PassEveryTest Certificate of Completion. It shows that you finished a general skills course. It is not an accredited qualification, and it is not a certificate from any employer, phone system vendor or government.

Who is this course for?

It is for receptionists, front-desk and office staff, concierge and customer service workers, and anyone who answers calls or greets visitors at work. It also helps people who are learning workplace English.

How do the listening questions work?

Your device reads a short call or conversation aloud, in a Canadian English voice if your device has one. Listen, then answer the question. The script is shown after you answer, so you can check what you heard.

Does the course teach a specific phone system?

No. Buttons and features differ between phone systems. The course teaches skills that work with any system. Ask your employer for the guide to your own phones and voicemail.

How does the final assessment work?

It has 35 questions picked at random from the course's question bank, and you have 35 minutes. You get a new mix of questions each time you try.

Do the privacy rules in the lessons apply to my workplace?

The lessons use federal guidance as examples. Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have their own private-sector privacy laws, and some workplaces, such as clinics, have extra rules. Follow your employer's privacy policy.

L’attestation est-elle accréditée ou reconnue officiellement ?

Non. C’est une attestation de réussite privée, uniquement pour vos connaissances. Elle n’est reconnue, accréditée ni approuvée par aucun gouvernement, organisme de délivrance des permis, autorité de réglementation ou établissement d’enseignement, et elle ne remplace aucun permis, aucune certification ni aucune formation exigés par la loi.

Sources

Tests associés