Successful phone service seems simple enough to achieve. Yet, while profit seems to be on top of every business’s list, excellent customer support seems to fall on the wayside. True, there are a lot of companies who train their customer representatives, but a quick look at company forum sites and reviews from personal blogs would show that a lot still has to be done when it comes to successfully helping out clients.
How does one provide phone service that strengthens consumer loyalty? Getting a reliable phone service provider may help you, but the answer goes beyond that.
It starts with a smile
The best phone service starts with a simple smile. The first impression you give your callers can help determine your callers’ mood. Remember, there’s nothing more annoying than an annoyed customer representative. If you greet cheerfully, your disgruntled customer may turn out to be more cooperative and communicative. If you think that’s easy enough, try acting all happy when you feel grumpy or discontented. Some companies have taken this advice to heart by placing small mirrors in cubicles or near their rep’s telephones. While this is a good practice, you have to remember that this approach focuses on trying to change something external in hopes that the “smile” would sink in. And yes, it works because it’s hard to smile and somehow not feel a little bit better. It still would be ideal though if spreading a little happiness is also a part of company culture. Make “service with a smile” a business goal for colleague to colleague alike, not just a rule for customer representatives. If your employees are happy, it would be easier for them to answer their telephones enthusiastically and provide excellent business phone service.
Communicate clearly
Some reps answer their telephones as if they were in a three-second challenge to get the most words out. Start your conversation with a simple greeting like, “Hi, this is Mary Smith and you’ve reached Phone Service that Sells 101. How may I help you?” Remember to mind the commas and periods in that short discourse – they mean PAUSE. An after-marathon speech is rude and gives the impression that you can’t get rid of your caller fast enough. However, don’t be a turtle either. That’s irritating too. In other words, make sure that your pace is just right for your customer.
Don’t be any less succinct in giving out instructions, and give your customer time to note or follow directions. All your English training will come in handy now – paraphrase, elaborate and summarize when needed.
Exercise empathy
Business telephone conversations make it harder for stronger connections to be established, since customers can’t see who they’re talking to face to face. One way to combat this is to make use of verbal verifications such as “Yes, I see”, “I understand”, and “mmmm” to show that you’re listening and that you can empathize with their concerns.
Perfection in the phone service department may be impossible to attain, but with these few tips, you’d be able to straighten a few kinks out.