Set the Tone for a Good Conversation with Great Phone Answering

Great greetings set the tone for your customer relationships. It takes more than a simple ‰Û÷hello’ to establish a great customer bond. Here are some tips to help you set the tone for great conversations with your customers on the telephone.

Start with the basics

Always start a call by greeting the caller politely, identifying yourself and your business, and asking how you can help. This simple setup helps you get to the point of your customer’s call quickly so you can offer assistance in a speedy manner.

Answer with a smile

Smiling not only helps you look (and feel) cheerful, it also helps your voice sound more cheerful. Keep a small mirror at your desk and practice smiling when you answer every call. You’ll quickly see the difference a smile can make to your overall tone. This can be contagious, making your customers happier, too.

Don’t keep anything in your mouth except for your words

It can be tempting to keep snacks or a drink at your desk, but it’s a bad idea. The last things you want customers to hear is chewing or lip smacking. They want a professional response to their issue, so keep it professional and save the snacks for break times. The same goes for gum–no matter how quiet you think you are, the telephone can amplify even small noises. Skip the gum and keep your mouth clear for communication.

Answer promptly

Don’t keep your customers waiting any longer than you absolutely have to. It sets a poor precedent and implies that your customer’s time is of little value to you. The same goes for using the ‰Û÷hold’ function. Don’t keep your customers on hold any longer than necessary.

Know the chain of connection

If you receive a call about something that you don’t know about, you should know who you can transfer your customer to in order to get them the help they need. If you don’t know who can help, or if you have to look something up, offer to call the customer back. Just be sure that you do so promptly, when you say you will, so you aren’t wasting your customer’s time.

Visit Answer 365 often for more great tips on growing your customer service relationships.