How to answer telephone nicely?

hello this is so and so no.may i know whom do you want to talk? if the member of your family is not available, inform him/her that he/she is not available and request to leave a message.

hello
good morning
this is... how may i help you

Hold the handset nicely and speak nicely.

Hello,
"Carter" Residence
or
"Company name," this is "Tina" speaking

howw about with a hello . . . . .what you say after that depends on whom you're talking to and what is being said

if you're making an outgoing call-
you: "hello" (hi if it's informal)
the person on the phone will probably say "hello" in response to you.
you: "this is (insert your name here)."
if the person you are trying to reach is the one the phone already then continue the conversation you called about. if not, keep reading
you: "may i please speak to (name here)?"
"thank you."

if you are answering an incoming call-
you: "hello?"
person calling: "hello"...if they are trying to reach you then carry on with the topic they called about. if they are calling for someone else read on
they may say "is (name here) there?" if it's informal.
or they might say "may i please speak to (name here)?"
if that person isn't there then ask if they'd like to leave a message.

that's a pretty basic phone call intro. you just have to go with it.

Try smiling before saying, "Hello" or "Hi" then followed by "May I help you?" I think it's a natural automatic response of our senses, I mean, when one smiles, the world will smile with you. Of course, someone at the other end doesn't see you but it's more pleasant to hear someone responding with her good humor.
Some few years ago, I had to phone to inform the Uni where I attended in the morning. After formal greetings of "Good morning" she said, "May I help you?" and I sincerely replied, "I have a problem" and I heard her giggle good-humoredly and said, "What's the probelm?"; I knew then she must be smiling from my basic request. I never met her in person but whenever I thought of one morning in Australia, there's at least a young lady kindly replied my call and helped me. Moreover, she did reveal her high standard of training and hospitality.
Of course, then I calmly informed her on the computers in our study room didn't function and she said she would try to contact those in charge as soon as possible.

a greeting