4721 spelling over the telephone

Telephone Communication
Outcome: Students will become aware of the existence of a useful tool for clear, intelligible
telephone communication when dealing with customer service reps. Students will learn to
pronounce each code word in the telephony system.
Warm up – talk about difficulties being understood when calling a customer service
representative. Has anyone had problems with this?
Dialogue 1 – Read and discuss.
Dialogue 2 – Read and discuss.
Explain that this is a system for being clearly understood over telephone. Also used by police
to talk on radio. Practice pronouncing.
Write your name and address
Fill in the telephony words
Let’s practice giving our names and addresses to each other (pair work)

15 min
10 min
5 min
5 min
10 min
5 min
15 min


Telephony Alphabet System

Dialogue #1:
Kelly:

Easy Claims, this is Kelly.

Vijay:

Hi. This is Vijay Singh. I am calling because my mother is sick. Can we take her to a
clinic?

Kelly:

Can I have your mother’s policy number, please?

Vijay:

Sure. It’s MVS-8756.

Kelly:

Sorry, did you say M or N?

Vijay:

M! I said M!

Kelly:

N? Like noon?

Vijay:

Yes, M like moon! Please hurry.

Kelly:

B? B like boy?

Vijay:

Wee! Wee like Wictor!

Kelly:

Oh, W! Ok, NW S? S or F?

Vijay:

Oh my God. My mother is sick. I don’t have time for this. Goodbye.

Dialogue #2
Kelly:

Easy Claims, this is Kelly. How can I help you?

Vijay:

Hello, this is Vijay Singh. My mother doesn’t feel well. She needs to see
a doctor today.

Kelly:

No problem. What’s her policy number?

Vijay:

Mike, Victor, Sierra 8756.

Kelly:

Thank you. Can you hold while I look up her policy?

Vijay:

Sure, no problem.

Kelly:

Ok, here it is. And did you say your name was B.J. Finn?

Vijay:

No, Vijay Singh. I’ll spell it for you. First name: victor, India, Juliet, alpha, yankee. Last
name: sierra, India, November, golf, hotel.

Kelly:

Got it. Let me read that back to you. Vijay – victor, India, Juliet, alpha, yankee.
Singh – sierra, India, November, golf, hotel.

Vijay:

Yes, that’s correct.

Kelly:

Great. Can you take your mother to the Goyeau Walk-in Clinic?

Vijay:

Sure, that’s close to here.

Kelly:

Ok. Call us back right after the appointment, okay?

Vijay:

Ok, thank you. Bye.

Kelly:

Take care.


Telephony Alphabet System

A–
B–
C–
D–
E–
F–
G–

Alpha

Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf

H–
I–
J–
K–
L–
M–
N–

Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November

O–
P–
Q–
R–
S–
T–
U–

Oscar
Papa
Québec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform

My name and address in telephony: (Keep this by your telephone.)

V – Victor
W - Whiskey
Y – Yankee
Z - Zulu