At MeloTel, we highly recommend our Commercial Phone Services to Canadian business owners from all industries. No matter the type of business you own or its size, you’ll be able to benefit from the wide variety of calling features that our VoIP-based telephone system provides you. We do, however, have to mention that no matter how great our phone services are – and they are great! – it’s incumbent upon your business to represent itself well when using it.
You see, maintaining a strong business phone etiquette is of the utmost importance. Arguably (or maybe not so arguably), customers care more about customer service than any other aspect of the companies they do business with. And since a large number of Canadian companies handle the majority of their business over the phone, it’s wise to be mindful of some of the most important aspects of doing just that.
Here are six:
1. Being consistent. It’s really important to get your entire team on board with your company’s mission statement to provide unbeatable customer service. Many of our clients have complained that their former providers hired phone representatives who didn’t share the same knowledge base as their counterparts. As a result, they would receive different answers to the same questions from different people. Understandably, they found this very annoying.
2. Avoiding cutting people off. Being a top-notch customer service representative over the phone requires excellent listening skills. Truly paying attention to what your caller has to say will help you to resolve any problems at the first point of contact. When you interrupt your customer, you stand to not only irritate that person, but misinterpret the very nature of the call. Train your team to listen intently before responding.
3. Having a smart hold routine. People hate waiting. It’s important to be mindful of that when you place your callers on hold. Hold times are necessary. But your callers should be aware of how long they are going to be on hold before they are forced to sit and wait for you to return to the line. This shows a great deal of respect and consideration for the caller’s time. As well, it’s wise to thank your caller for holding once your return to the call.
4. Being informative. Customers love working with knowledgeable company representatives. They call up hoping that whoever they speak to will be able to provide clear and concise answers to their questions. It’s important for your customer service representatives to be on the ball. Proper training will ensure that your staff is knowledgeable. Receiving accurate information with each call makes customers happy.
5. Smiling while speaking. In the past, we’ve commented that smiles can be “heard” through phones. Have you tried it? Record yourself leaving a message while smiling. Now record the same message without smiling. Do you hear a difference? If nothing else, your customers require a friendly voice on the other end of the line. They need to know that your company is one that is approachable and enjoyable to work with.
6. Going above and beyond. The best companies are the ones that are willing to go the extra mile for their customers. This is especially important when callers are irate. Having customer service representatives who know how to handle angry callers are incredibly special assets to your company. Letting your caller know that you understand his or her frustration and immediately finding a way to improve his or her view of your brand will go a very long way.
MeloTel does business over the phone all the time! Give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL!
