Sharpen Your Phone Answering Skills with These Tips

Complacency can lead to less than stellar customer service, but how do you sharpen your telephone skills when you’re using them every day? It takes making a conscious effort to assess your performance and a willingness to try new things, but with these tips, you’ll keep those phone answering skills sharper than ever.

Practice active listening

Do you sometimes feel like you’re saying the same things over and over to every single caller? If so, then it’s time for a reality check. Listening only until it’s your turn to respond is the wrong way to handle your customers. Make sure you’re really hearing what it is they have to say. Ask questions to clarify anything you’re unsure of and make sure you’re not just telling them something they want to hear just to get them off the phone.

Admit your mistakes

Even if you’ve been answering telephone calls for years, you are going to make mistakes. Own up to them, correct them as necessary, then move on. Don’t get hung up over a mistake, but do make sure you learn from them. The sooner you admit you made a mistake, the likelier it is that you’ll learn from the experience and come out with a positive feeling towards the situation. Plus, your caller will respect you more for it.

Make the conversation personal

This doesn’t mean spilling your innermost secrets, but it does mean making a real connection with every caller. This can be tricky when you have scripted replies for many common questions. Instead of spouting off your usual reply every time, take a moment to tailor the conversation to your caller. Use their name, share commonalities like whether you are married, have children, or love your pets. Once you make a connection, your caller will remember you and your company as someone worth talking to.

Check yourself

Go home and compare the way you speak to your friends and family to the way you speak to your customers. You should treat those close to you with as much respect as you would your customers, and you should treat your customers with the same kind of kindness that you reserve for those you love.

For more tips on providing excellent customer service, visit the Answer 365 blog regularly.