Phone-In Customer Service

The telephone is the means by which your company deals daily. If the telephone is utilised efficiently it is a major asset in every company. When speaking over the telephone you rely only on your voice to convey your personality and attitude. Few people succeed in greeting a friendly and helpful person with unfriendliness. Good manners are essential.

The essence of dealing with people over the phone, politely and efficiently, boils down to one simple thing: telephone etiquette. Being nice on the phone isn’t difficult if you follow some basic guidelines about how to:

• Answer the phone
• Put callers on hold
• Transfer a call
• Take a message
• End a call

Answering a Call

It has been found that the way a company answers the phone tells the whole story about the kind of service you can expect to receive from them. How you answer the phone sets the tone of the entire call. The correct phrases said in the right order can give a positive first impression and convey an immediate message about the company.

When answering a call, you must:

• Answer promptly (within 3 rings).
• Put a smile in your voice (the caller will hear it in your voice).
• Speak clearly in a varying pitched voice.
• Identify yourself.
• Use the customer’s name frequently.
• Say “Thank you.”
• Greet the caller and introduce your company clearly; it must sound as if you are saying it with a smile. The professional greeting is “Good morning, afternoon/day” followed by the company’s name and then your name.
• Limit your talking and listen attentively.
• Make notes of questions or points rose to prevent repetition.
• When necessary indicate tactfully that the conversation is over and mean it.

If You Cannot Answer a Call Immediately

Thank the caller for waiting rather than apologising, as an apology could provide a difficult customer with an opportunity to complain.

Terminating a Conversation

The caller must terminate the conversation. However, if you are on a private call and you feel it interferes with your duties, be tactful, apologise, and terminate the conversation without being offensive.

Taking a Message

Have you ever received a hastily-scribbled message with the caller’s name misspelled and the phone number missing an area code or something else?

As a customer, you know how you feel when you leave a message with someone whose sloppy attitude leaves you feeling as if the message will never see the light of day. Poorly taken messages produce uncertainty and worry for the customer and put the person receiving the message at a disadvantage when the customer must be phoned.

To take a message that will provide the customer with a sense of confidence, incorporate the following steps in your message-taking routine:

• Explain your co-worker’s absence in a positive light.
• Inform the caller of the availability of the person he wants to talk to before asking their name.
• Give an estimated time of your co-worker’s return.
• Offer to help the person yourself, take a message or transfer her to another party.
• Write down all the important information and attach any pertinent files.

How to End a Call

Even if you practice perfect telephone etiquette throughout the call, don’t underestimate the importance of ending the call on a positive note. Some key actions for ending calls this way include the following:

• Repeat any action steps you are going to take to ensure that both you and the customer agree on what is going to be done.
• Ask the caller if you can do anything else for him or her. Doing so gives the customer the chance to tie up loose ends that may not have been discussed during the call.
• Thank the customer for calling and let him know that you appreciate his bringing the problem (if there was one) to your attention.
• Let the caller hang up first so that they do not accidentally get cut off the phone. Doing so prevents you from getting caught up in other things and forgetting pertinent information.

Click here to view a video on how to take calls professionally.