The Use of the Telephone in Relation to Customer Service (0)

The Use of the Telephone in Relation to Customer Service

**Telephone skills are the most important aspect of being successful in a call center job. When you work on the phone all day as a customer service representative, the telephone is the one and only tool that will make or break your success .
The phone is probably the most used tool in modern business.
**Answering the phone professionally
The rules for answering a telephone are simple but they need to be continually reviewed and practised. Following are the most basic ones , which should always be employed .
1. Use the four answering courtesies:
·       Greet the caller
·       State your organisation (or department )
·       Introduce yourself
·       Offer your help
 
“ Good afternoon, Accounts , Andrew Batt speaking. How may I help?”
 
2. Show enthusiasm when you answer . Help make the caller feel welcome
A tired voice lacking in enthusiasm is very unappealing and reflects on the professionalism of your organisation.
 
3. Use friendly phrases as part of your greeting.
·        “ Thanks for calling .”
·       “May I help you?”
 
4. Remember to smile as you pick up the receiver.
It may help if you have a mirror on your desk, this way you will be able to see how you sound on the telephone. Also, as a reminder, tape the word ‘Smile’ on your phone.
 
Closing the conversation
When you finish your telephone conversation there are some appropriate and courteous statements that should always be made. You should:
 
1. Thank the caller.
2. Let the caller know you appreciate his/her business.
3. Provide assurance that any promises will be fulfilled.
4. Leave the caller with a positive feeling
 
Some examples: 
"Thank you for calling. We appreciate your business "
Tip: Let the caller hang up first
This is simple courtesy, plus it gives the caller a final chance to add something .
 
5. And always remember:
Smile as you dial !
**What to do when you have to put customers on hold :

Ask them if you can put them on hold.

Tell them how long they will be on hold.

Assure them that you will be working for them while they are on hold

Wait for their response.

When you get back to them, thank them for holding .
How to transfer customers on the telephone

Tell customers what you can do for them. Avoid saying, "I can’t help you" or "This department does not handle that". By giving the name of the correct person or department, you are helping the customer, so state your sentence positively.

Own the contact. Give the customer your name, department and phone number. This is especially necessary for telephone transfers.

Inform the next employee. Fill him/her in on the details of your conversations with this customer. Also tell the next employee what the customer said as well as what his/her attitudes and feelings were.
 
How to make a problem call
Anytime you have to make a difficult call there are important steps to follow . Even though you may not be calling to sell a product, the basic steps of a successful telemarketing call still apply .

• Before you make your call, develop an action plan.
  
• Greet the customer in a friendly way
  
• Introduce yourself and your company
  
• State the purpose of the call
  
• Deliver your message in friendly, clear and business like way, leaving room for questions
  
• State customer benefits/options/alternatives, if appropriate
  
• Ask for agreement
  

** Here are some tried and tested tips on telephone etiquette:

Making a Call:

Be an attentive listener; don’t do other jobs at the same time 
Don’t interrupt while the other person is speaking. Use common courtesy
Use the person’s name. It’s music to their ears
If they have to be put on hold, ask if you can call them back rather than keep them waiting indefinitely on the line
Seriously bad news should be delivered face-to-face if possible and not over the telephone

Receiving a call:

Answer your phone promptly to save them having to ring again
Greet the caller pleasantly. Don’t be too busy to be nice
Take messages for others clearly and politely.
Always  return  telephone calls and do so as soon as possible
If it is necessary to transfer the call, first TELL the caller that you are transferring the call and THEN do it
Let the caller be the one to end the call first
Remember to farewell the caller with, “Good bye” or something similar.
Hang up the phone gently
**15 WORDS AND PHRASES THAT KEEP PEOPLE COOL
Hello!
I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
Thank you for waiting.
Please.
It was nice talking with you.
Thank you.
Is there anything else I can do for you?
I'm very sorry.
Thank you for calling.
Excuse me.
It's been a pleasure to serve you.
You're welcome.
I'd be happy to do that for you.
May I help you?
We appreciate your business.