5 Easy Steps For Telephone Mastery In Customer Service
It happened on March 10, 1876
It happened on March 10, 1876. Alexander Graham Bell summoned his assistant, Mr. Watson, to the next room-- by telephone. That was over 130 years ago, and since then billions of local and long distance telephone calls have been made around our world.
The telephone has been an amazing tool for personal use and for keeping people globally connected. However, in the business world it may be the most important tool of all. Professionally, you must learn to play your telephone as if you were playing an instrument in a finely tuned orchestra. Your telephone skills are a critical part of your business success. Your customers and clients are critically judging your business savvy and judging "you as a person" in accordance to your telephone etiquette.
The same can be said for your receptionist, your assistants, and your customer relations team. Their telephone skills must be highly polished. These are the people with which your customers will have first and future contacts. This scenario can create a real "make it or break it" game for your company.
Listed below are five etiquette and time tested telephone strategies. They will help you and your team to shine. They will allow you to project a powerful and professional image to anyone you are dealing with over the phone. This professional projection is crucial for obtaining and keeping your customers.
Mastery Step 1 - Master Relaxing & Getting Focused!
The first step in telephone mastery is very important because this is where the first impression is created. When you pick up the phone you must not sound rushed, confused or undependable. Therefore, it's important to take a deep breath, get centered and relax before you pick up. Your customer wants to hear someone who sounds focused, intelligent and eager to assist. Remember it takes less than five seconds for your customer to formulate a first impression about you while on the telephone. Make sure you have no food in your mouth, spit out your gum and sound intelligently-focused.
Mastery Step 2 - Master Answering Quickly!
Despite the fact that it's cheaper to install an answering system in your phone services; customers still prefer to talk to a live person. Personally I truly dislike pressing 1, and then pressing 2, and then pressing 3, before I can speak to someone who can assist me. Regardless, industry standard tells us to answer our business phone within the 2nd or 3rd ring. This seems to be the professional standard. Believe it or not, answering on the very first ring may startle your client; while waiting till the 4th or 5th ring may annoy your client, especially if they are already unhappy with your services. Always remember this very important point: "A customer will begin to mentally measure the quality of your organization before they hear the voice by the number of rings it takes to get an answer."
Mastery Step 3 - Master a Professional Greeting!
There are 4 steps to a professional greeting. These steps will help convince your customer that they are dealing with a cutting-edge, polished establishment. Although the steps are simple, there are imperative on the business etiquette scale. They will help you to establish instant rapport and credibility with your customers. I call them the 4 answering courtesies
A. Greet your customers with Good Morning, Afternoon, or Evening; NEVER Hello! Hello is used in your home not in your business.
B. Give them the company name.
C. Give them your name.
D. Then ask, "May I help you?"
Here's a quick example. When we answer the phones at our company it sounds exactly like this: "Good Morning, Jacobsen Business Seminars, this is John, May I help you?"
Mastery Step 4 - Master Crystal, Clear Diction!
Although you may have mastered the perfect greeting, it's critical that your diction is also perfect. There's nothing worse than calling a company and you can't understand the person you are speaking with. Constantly having to ask a rep to repeat themselves is a massive inconvenience for a client, especially if you are trying to sell them something. Your customer must be able to understand every letter, syllable and word that comes out of your mouth. You must not speak too fast or too slow. The normal rate of speech is about 125 words per minute. You must not speak too loud or too soft. Your pitch, speed and volume should be at a moderate level and at the same time sounding pleasant, friendly and professional. Ideally your tone and inflections should vary.
Mastery Step 5 - Master Courtesy!
Use your voice to create a courteous attitude. Use your voice to indicate your willingness and enthusiasm to help. Remember a tired voice lacking enthusiasm is very unappealing. Your voice must make the customer feel welcome. Put a smile in your voice. This is easily accomplished by actually smiling as you are speaking on the phone to your customer. Believe me; they will sense your friendliness through the line. It may help you to tape the word "SMILE" on your receiver. I tell my seminar participants this most crucial point of all: "That your telephone voice and customer interaction must make your customer feel as if they've come home."
I wish you best of luck & prosperity!
by: John Eric Jacobsen
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