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.

  • Cursus
  • Canada
  • 100 vragen
  • Gecontroleerd op 13 oktober 2026
  • Feiten gecontroleerd op 13 oktober 2026

Kort antwoord

Deze gratis cursus heeft ongeveer 150 minuten lessen, 6 themaquizzen zonder tijdslimiet (100 vragen in totaal) en een getimede eindtoets van 35 willekeurig gekozen vragen. Haal 80% of meer op de eindtoets om een bewijs van deelname te downloaden (privé, niet geaccrediteerd). Gecontroleerd aan de hand van officiële bronnen op 13 oktober 2026.

Begin met de lessenTelephone and Reception Skills Course: Lessons: ongeveer 150 minuten leestijd. Elke testvraag wordt in de lessen behandeld.

Wat je leert

  • 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

Haal 80% of meer om je certificaat te downloaden.

Je studieplan

Lees elke les, maak de themaquiz (zonder tijdslimiet, met uitleg) en daarna de getimede eindtoets. Elke keer wordt een nieuwe mix van vragen gekozen. Je voortgang wordt in deze browser opgeslagen.

  1. Lees de lessen6 lessen, ongeveer 150 min
  2. Themaquiz 1: Greeting callers and visitors16 vragen
  3. Themaquiz 2: Holding, transferring and screening calls16 vragen
  4. Themaquiz 3: Spelling names, numbers and email addresses17 vragen
  5. Themaquiz 4: Taking messages and using voicemail17 vragen
  6. Themaquiz 5: Difficult callers, scams and threats17 vragen
  7. Themaquiz 6: Visitors, privacy and accessibility17 vragen
  8. Eindexamen35 vragen, 35 min · Haal 80% of meer

Themaquiz 1: Greeting callers and visitors

  1. Vraag 1 van 16

    What three things should a business phone greeting include?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 2 van 16

    Why should you smile when you answer the phone, even though the caller cannot see you?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 3 van 16

    Which greeting is the most professional?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 4 van 16

    Which is the most professional way to ask for a caller's name?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 5 van 16

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

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 6 van 16

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

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 7 van 16

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

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 8 van 16

    You are helping a visitor when the phone rings. What is the best way to handle it?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 9 van 16

    Which habit helps callers understand you clearly?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 10 van 16

    A caller says she is Dr. Amira Haddad. How should you address her?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 11 van 16

    Why should you avoid eating or chewing gum while you are on the phone?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: C. The sounds carry and seem unprofessional

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

  12. Vraag 12 van 16

    Listen. What did the person answering the phone do wrong?
    Luister en antwoord daarna. Het transcript verschijnt na je antwoord.
    Geen geluid? Lees de tekst

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

    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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.

    Transcript

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

  13. Vraag 13 van 16

    Listen. What does the caller want?
    Luister en antwoord daarna. Het transcript verschijnt na je antwoord.
    Geen geluid? Lees de tekst

    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?

    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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.

    Transcript

    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. Vraag 14 van 16

    Listen. Which reply would be the best next step for the receptionist?
    Luister en antwoord daarna. Het transcript verschijnt na je antwoord.
    Geen geluid? Lees de tekst

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

    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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.

    Transcript

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

  15. Vraag 15 van 16

    What is the best way to end a business call?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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. Vraag 16 van 16

    Two visitors arrive while you are on a short call. What is the best approach?
    Toon antwoord

    Antwoord: 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.

Wat je moet weten voor het 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.

Veelgestelde vragen

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.

Is het certificaat geaccrediteerd of officieel erkend?

Nee. Het is een privé bewijs van deelname, alleen voor je kennis. Het is niet erkend, geaccrediteerd of goedgekeurd door een overheid, vergunningsinstantie, toezichthouder of onderwijsinstelling, en het vervangt geen wettelijk verplichte vergunning, certificering of opleiding.

Bronnen

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