No matter how advanced modern technology has become, there’s still no beating the good old telephone when it comes to communicating with others. Second only to face-to-face conversations, telephone conversations allow individuals to make genuine connections through real-time interactions. Text messages, for example, create stagnated conversations. When a text is sent, it sometimes takes several minutes, hours or even days to get a response.
However, the telephone shouldn’t be taken for granted. It can only put you in touch with the person you wish to speak to. Making true connections with your customers comes by way of providing the best customer experiences possible. And how do you pull that off?
Let your customers do most of the talking!
Your phone agents likely have inclinations to do most of the talking, considering that they are adept at explaining the ins and outs of your business and the products and services it offers. Remember that true excellent customer service is provided by way of making customers happy. It’s important to always listen first. Be sure you’re aware of what each caller is looking for. They are all unique and have individual needs.
Active listening requires that you refrain from interrupting and cutting people off. Doing so will often result in unsatisfactory customer experiences. “Don’t interrupt a complaining customer,” advises Sara Angeles on BusinessNewsDaily.com, “No matter how long it takes. Even if call centre employees will eventually hand off the call to another member of your staff, listening to the whole story is important, so the customer feels taken care of.
Remember that chewing and chatting don’t mix!
Have you ever been on the phone with someone who was eating? It’s obvious when a person has something in his or her mouth when speaking. Why would anyone in customer service even consider taking bites and/or sips while talking on the phone? It happens though. Here’s our clear cut position on this matter: just don’t do it!
“Don’t pick up the phone with your mouth full,” advises Tamiya King on CareerTrend.com, “This makes it difficult for the caller to understand you — and is frustrating– especially if the call is urgent. Answering the phone at work while eating gives an unprofessional impression.”
Show your pearly whites!
Okay, so maybe your callers will never be able to see you smile. And, it’s true that we have no idea about the condition of your teeth. However, smiling while you’re speaking on the phone is a simple, yet very effective way to improve the tone of your voice. Therefore, we always recommend it. The underestimated practice continues to prove to be a great way to ensure excellent customer service is being provided.
Angeles agrees. “We all know you can hear a smile, so make sure that your team sounds happy to talk to customers,” she writes, “If staff members sound dour, it is worse on the phone since the client does not see body language. Words and inflection over a phone are much more important than in a face-to-face encounter.”
And, as we strongly recommend, it also pays to use a VoIP-based telephone service! For information about MeloTel’s cloud-hosted Commercial Phone Services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
