Providing top-of-the-line customer service is important all year round. But, it can be argued that there’s no more important time of year than now to turn up your customer service levels. Undoubtedly, your call volume has increased over the past few weeks. With holiday shoppers all over North America looking for the perfect gifts for their loved ones, your business is being called upon at a higher rate than normal for help.
Keep in mind that delivering your best customer service during the busy holiday shopping season is a must. It will encourage your callers to remain loyal for the long haul.
Smile throughout each call.
This tip has found itself in many of our previous blogs. It’s practically a motto around the MeloTel office to “smile before you dial”. Believe it or not, smiling has a huge impact on the tone of your voice. You’re human. It’s nearly impossible to sound like you’re in a bad mood if you’re speaking with a smile on your face. Try to make it a regular practice.
“To improve your greeting and tone, try smiling when you say it,” advises Felissa Benjamin Allard of Reader’s Digest, “Callers are able to hear when you’re having a good day just as they can tell when you’re having a bad one. Also take note of your tone of voice, volume level and posture when speaking on the phone.”
Keep your cool.
It’s a very busy time of year. Chances are you’ll run into a frustrated caller or two. Be sure to keep your cool in order to de-escalate any problems. This is especially important when a customer is rude to you. Never answer back with the same tone or attitude. Use empathy with such statements as “I completely understand your frustration. I’ll do my best to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
“Every business gets calls from rude, angry, and/or impatient people,” notes Mike Weil of The NEWS, “The key is to stay calm and be as diplomatic and polite as you can. Saying things like, ‘calm down,’ usually has the opposite effect. By showing a willingness to help resolve the problem or conflict, you can usually diffuse the situation. As a very good friend of mine used to say, ‘These situations are how you can turn lemons into lemonade.’”
Address each caller by name.
It has often been said that the sweetest sound to a person’s ears is his/her name. It’s a little vain, perhaps, but apparently true. Be sure to use your caller’s name frequently enough that it helps you to build a rapport with the person. It creates a much more pleasant and friendly situation when you’re addressing the person by name instead of constantly using “sir” or “ma’am”.
“If the caller doesn’t tell you his or her name at the beginning of the call, ask for it. Then use it,” instructs Benjamin, “Using the caller’s name during the phone call adds a personal connection and helps the caller feel like the person fielding his or her call really wants to help.”
For dose of MeloTel’s brand of holiday customer service, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website! And don’t forget to ask us about our VoIP-based Commercial Phone Services!
