Yes, it really changes something — it is a well-known fact among phone professionals. Even invisible, a smile physically changes your voice: it relaxes the muscles, changes resonance and makes the tone warmer, more open and pleasant. Conversely, a closed or tense face produces a drier, colder voice. Customers, who only have your voice to form an idea of you (no body language, no facial expression), are very sensitive to it: they "hear" your disposition. A smile can be heard, and it puts customers at ease, just as a weary or annoyed tone can also be heard (and puts them off). Many call centres even place a mirror in front of advisers to remind them to smile. Beyond the smile, all vocal elements matter hugely on the phone since they carry the whole message: tone (warm vs cold), pace (neither too fast — hasty, stressful — nor too slow), volume (steady, neither faint nor loud), silences (letting people speak, marking listening). The phone is a "bare" channel where voice is queen: working on it (smile, steady tone, adapted pace) is a skill in its own right. The same message said with a smiling, steady voice or with a flat, rushed voice produces a radically different experience for customers. Smiling on the phone is therefore no myth: it is a simple, free gesture that concretely improves the relationship.

Holding is a classic irritant — but handled well, it goes down very well. A few rules. First, always ask agreement before holding ("may I put you on hold for a moment while I check your file?") rather than cutting off abruptly — customers feel respected and know what is happening. Next, explain why (you are looking for information, consulting a colleague…): a justified hold is far better accepted than unexplained silence (customers waiting without knowing why imagine the worst or feel neglected). Then, do not leave people waiting too long without coming back: if the search takes time, check back regularly ("I'm still with you, I'm finalising the check") to show they have not been forgotten — a few seconds of silent waiting feel very long. If the wait may be really long, offer an alternative ("would you prefer I call you back once I have found the information?"). Finally, thank customers for their patience when you return. The general idea: waiting is sometimes unavoidable, but what exasperates is not so much waiting itself as feeling ignored, forgotten or badly treated during it. By keeping customers informed and considered (agreement, explanation, regular check-backs, thanks), you turn a potentially irritating wait into an acceptable moment. Mastered holding respects customers' time and anxiety; endured holding (abrupt, silent, endless) is one of the surest ways to annoy them.