Top Ten Telephone Basics
It doesn’t matter if your company is large or small, for the customer your company comes down to a voice on the phone. That voice IS your company to your customer. So it had better be soothing and effective in solving problems. Customer support is as good as the person handling the call.
*Customers want to be heard, heeded and helped! *
The way you handle your phone is as important as a face-to-face meeting. So take the time to go over some of these basics. Here is our “top ten” phone skills list:
Let’s start with enthusiasm – Positive attitude shows from beginning to end, that you care about the person you are talking to.
Be sure to smile – Even though you are on the phone, the other person can sense a smile from you.
Use the right tone of voice to create atmosphere on the phone – Your tone and voice inflections will create an impression"Your link text here…":/training-courses/17-business-image-and-corporate-etiquette-1-day and help the person on the other end understand what you are telling them.
Say “Hello!” (or good morning, good afternoon, etc.) Have a warm greeting or opening – Welcome people into the conversation. Don’t make them feel as if they are an interruption.
Say “Goodbye.” Have a strong closing – At the minimum, be sure to say goodbye before hanging up the phone.
When talking to a customer, avoid company or technical terminology – they may not understand. Technical terms. Industry buzz-words can put a customer in an uncomfortable position.
Don’t get angry, even if the customer is – The customer is angry at the situation not you. Be an empathetic listener.
When transferring – ONLY ONCE! – If you are transferring to someone else, make sure that person is available.
Control the “hold” button on your phone – Customers hate being put on ‘hold’. There are really only two reasons to put someone on hold: to transfer to someone else or to get information.
Returning a call – If you are going to make a customer wait on hold, for any reason, let them know how long they will have to wait. Preferably call them back giving a specific time.
YOU ARE THE “MANAGER OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS” FOR YOUR BUSINESS