Do you sometimes wonder where your customers have gone? In a study
by the International Customer Research Institute, individuals gave
the following reasons for becoming "non-repeat" customers:
* 1 percent died (makes you wonder how they responded)
* 3 percent moved
* 5 percent said friendships
* 9 percent said competition
* 14 percent were dissatisfied with the product
* 68 percent cited an attitude of indifference by employees
How many times do you think that employee attitude is communicated
by phone? Very often the telephone is the first and only contact
that people have with your organization. Make sure that this
experience is the best you and your employees have to offer so that
first-time callers become repeat customers.
Smile when you answer the phone. Even if your hair is on fire or the
last caller chewed you out, pause for a moment to put a smile on
your face and in your voice. Believe it or not, people can hear you
smiling through the phone.
Answer the phone on the first ring, certainly no later than the
third ring. If people have to wait through rings four and five, they
begin to think that you have closed for the day, gone out of
business or just don't care. We live in a world that expects instant
gratification. Be sure you meet your customers' expectations.
Ask permission before you put someone on hold. You may have multiple
lines ringing and a line of people standing at your desk, but wait
to hear the caller's response. It is that person's choice to hold or
not. Try not to turn this move into a power play. When you come
back on the line, thank the person for holding. If you have to ask
the caller to continue to hold, offer to take a number and return
the call.
Transferring calls should be done with care. Before you connect the
caller to someone else's extension, make sure that person is in and
able to help. There is nothing more frustrating than being
transferred over and over again and having to retell the same story
to a multitude of different people before finding the right one.
Before you send the call to co-worker, give the caller that person's
name and number in case there is a disconnect. Better yet, tell the
caller who you are and how to reach you if there is a problem. You
will have an extremely satisfied customer.
Always make an offer of help. It may not be your department, your
issue or your job, but if it is the customer's problem, you need to
show concern. Never tell the caller " 'I don't know'" or "I can't
help you." The best response to a problem is a genuine "Let me see
what I can do or who I can find to help you."
You will win customers and influence people every time when you use
good phone skills.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker,
corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL - ADDING THE
POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The
New York Times, Investors' Business Daily, Entrepreneur, Inc., Real
Simple and Woman's Day. For more information about her programs,
products and services, e-mail her at
lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site
http://www.mannersthatsell.com
