Tips in Call Handling and Telephone Answering

There are various ways to handle calls effectively and efficiently which will help companies retain their customers and gain new ones at the same time. Below lists a few tips at giving the best telephone answering service possible for anyone that calls you;

1 - 

Set the amount of rings that you receive before you are able to deal with the call adequately, most companies pick two to three rings and this is acceptable for callers.

2 -

Before answering the call the employee should be well informed of the contact information and the demands of that customer, this requires the right technology. The call handler should be sat at a well equipped desk with access to the information. A recording service can also be put in place so that employee's are able to check past conversations of a customer and what the conversation entailed, gaining a further knowledge of the customer.

3 -

When answering the phone it is essential you answer in a relaxed manner and tone however busy you may be. Answering the call in a rushed and harsh tone will immediately be identified by your customer and may be the difference between landing a deal and losing one.

The customer has every right to have their individual amount of time with you, their provider, therefore your diligence is most important and will affect the outcome. If you are busy at the time of the call try answering the call with a smile, this will be translated through the call and make your tone of voice appear less harsh and will sound friendly and approachable, which is needed in the call.

4 -

Never consider putting the customer on hold for too long even if you are trying to deal with their enquiry, this will make the customer restless and will be lead to believe that the results are unresponsive from the employee. It will be much more polite for you to take the details of your customer and say that you are dealing with their enquiry and you will phone back with the relevant information. This ensures that they can expect reliable results from you.

The more efficiency you show, the more will be communicated to your customers showing a sense of brand loyalty.

5 -

When it comes to a sales call, it may be a challenge to convince the customer who already knows a great deal about the product. This means you may have to offer elaborated information, providing the caller with other available products that they may want to purchase. Make sure all callers are trained and well versed with the product information, this is important as they are representing your company. If this is proving too expensive, you can always outsource the service to a call centre who can manage all your call handling on your behalf.

6 -

The communication level between caller and employee should be at the most comfortable level without being too informal, where you can both understand one another’s demands and communicate with no worries. It is also a good way to suggest to them other products according to their particular requests and situation.

Selling over the phone is a difficult task as it is much easier for the customer to decline because they are not having to deal with you face-to-face. Therefore a telephone handler with strong communication skills is key in gaining a high success rate.

7 -

When making an order over the phone: The informative points should always be short and directly the point, you should provide your client with the order information and reiterate their details so they can confirm, the quote should then be given to him/her.

8 -

Always ensure you have a follow up procedure ensuring everything is right on your part and during the order process, making sure you and the customer are at the same level and all the correct information has been exchanged.

9 -

Do not hang up until you have received positive feedback from the customer ensuring they are happy when the call has ended.

10 -

Be consistent. Your performance on this phone call is important as it reflects the company, so every action you take will be reflected on the company you work for. This means you should ensure you are doing everything you can to make the customer happy with their purchase.

Tips to help;

• Speak clearly.
• Do not rush.
• Open with a happy welcoming, 'Good morning 'name,' how may I help you?'
• Remember their name (shows the customer is everything.)
• Slow your speech for easier comprehension.
• Provide your name.
• If necessary, when putting caller on hold, ask them if this is ok, however judge the the situation first to see if they will agree to this as they may deny this.
• Do not put them on hold for long, if so tell them politely you will call them back.
• Take their details.
• End the conversation politely, 'Thank you for calling 'name,' I hope I have been of some help.’