It’s essential that you use each and every opportunity to make a positive connection with your customer.
Every time you use the phone with a customer (or a potential customer), it’s an opportunity to make them feel cared for, supported and helped. Although your relationship with a customer will extend beyond the phone, it’s important that your business phone line is used as a primary tool for customer service.
Every time you make a connection with a customer, it’s an opportunity to deliver excellent customer service – here’s how to deliver it over the phone each and every time.
Answer Calls Promptly
There’s nothing worse than calling a business and listening to the phone ring, and ring and ring some more. If it takes too long for someone to pick up on your business line, you’re setting the wrong impression from the start and reducing customer service. When your small business employees get too busy to handle call volume on their own, consider using a virtual receptionist or professional answering service to get calls covered quickly.
Keep Communications Clear
Although the phone definitely has several advantages over written messages, it’s still not the same as speaking face to face. Since customers cannot see you, your facial expressions and body language, it’s important that you speak clearly and precisely. Listen attentively to the customer’s needs, and then repeat back what you hear so you can be sure you understood the problem correctly. Keep your solution simple and to the point so there isn’t any doubt about the action that your company will be taking to help the customer.
Incorporate Positive Language
Having a positive tone is important (as we’ve covered before in our guide to telephone etiquette) but the use of positive words can also help you maintain high levels of customer service. These words can affect the way that your customer hears your solution. For example, here are two different versions of the same solution, one incorporating words that make the customer feel supported.
Example 1 – “We don’t offer refunds – but we can offer credit. That’s all I can offer”
Example 2 – “We’re sorry that you were unhappy with your last purchase, and we’d be happy to offer you credit toward your next purchase for the inconvenience. We hope you’ll give us the opportunity to prove ourselves.”
Example 2 puts a more positive spin on what could be a difficult customer situation.
Your business telephone line is essential to maintain high levels of customer service. When you take the customer-focused approach when it comes to phone communications, you can make sure you are building a positive relationship that can lead to long-term sales.
Don’t miss another opportunity to make a connection with your customers. Call Answering Service Care for reliable call answering services today, (800) 430-6511.
