Do you like talking on the phone? If not, you may be conveying something other than excellent customer service when you pick up the phone.
Most of us are very busy at our jobs. The phone ringing can be a real annoyance when we’re in the middle of something. But every time that phone rings and we answer it, the person on the other end is forming an opinion about us and our attitude. If we speak quickly, they may think we’re busy and really don’t have time for them. If we are very blasé, they may think we don’t care about our job. Neither or both may be true, but it certainly isn’t the impression we want to make if we are interested in succeeding and progressing in our career.
Here are a few tips to help you convey that charming customer service attitude over the phone:
- Take a breath before you answer the phone and disengage from what you were doing before. When you take a moment before you speak, the words usually come out better. It’s the same over the phone. If you clear your head before you pick up the phone you will be more likely to sound interested and helpful, as opposed to distracted and bothered.
- Envision a real person at the other end of the line who needs your help. When you take the time to think about the other person involved in the conversation, instead of just yourself, you become more customer focused. It’s about them, not you, and they will feel that.
- Listen. Many times we are so preoccupied with getting back to what we were doing, that we forget to listen. Good customer service involves active listening. When we convey back to the person on the other end of the phone that we understand what they are saying, they know we were listening and they, in turn have a more congenial attitude toward us.
- Create a cheerful greeting that you use all the time and that includes your name and some form of “how can I help.” Just saying something in a positive way can set the tone for the entire conversation. Be careful to not sound rehearsed or monotonous. The idea of a standard greeting is to help us project a helpful and confident impression every time, without having to think about it too hard.
- Smile! It’s a proven fact that people can hear a smile over the phone. Plus, it’s much more difficult to sound annoyed or bored when you are smiling. Try it!
Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com
