Small Business Success: Phone Tips

                                     CUSTOMER SERVICE



How many customers do you lose each day because of the way your business phone is answered? Impossible to tell; they’ll never call again!

To minimize this, remember:

•          Everyone who answers your business phone is a representative of your company, even family members.
•          Anyone who isn’t familiar with your company’s procedure in answering your phone shouldn’t ever, ever pick it up.
•          In order to present a professional persona, your phone has to be answered the same way each and every time. The best way to make this happen is to read through these tips, think about who, what, where, when your business is and write out a very, very short script that must be followed, (but not memorized word for word), by everyone who answers the phone, even once.
•          Do not have a memorized script! Callers hate it and they can pick one out right away! Once detected, they just hang up!

Tips To Remember:

1. A pleasant greeting sets the stage. Listeners usually “catch” the speaker’s emotional state and respond in kind. If you’re impatient the caller will pick up on it right away and become impatient. Pleasant? They’ll respond in kind!

2. Keep a pad and pencil by every phone in your business, The speaker should write down the caller’s name, reason they’re calling, if put on hold, transferred call to, time of call, etc It’s easy and inexpensive to buy a “While you were out” pad that has all this printed out with space for the info. It’s well worth the cost.

3. If it’s morning, say, “Good morning” etc. This shows a certain degree of awareness on the speaker’s part.

4. Sit up in your chair or stand up, smile. Do whatever is necessary to become pleasant before answering the phone.

5. Let the phone ring two times and be sure to answer it ON THE THIRD RING.

6. Ask the caller’s permission before putting them on hold. It’s better to return a call than to keep them on hold too long. Don’t forget to return the call!

7. Never interrupt the caller.

8. Never argue.

9. Never answer the phone chewing gum or eating.

10. Never give the impression that you’re rushed. This stresses the caller and makes them defensive.

11. Have your voice mail ask for the caller’s number, an alternate number and the best time to return the call.

12. Always make sure the caller hangs up first.

13. Never use speaker phone unless it’s absolutely necessary. It gives the caller the impression that you’re not giving 100% to the call.

14. Everyone should answer the phone the same way.

15. Check out how your business phone is being answered. Call in at different times to see if your phone is answered in a professional, consistent manner.