Answering professional calls is very different and a lot more challenging than answering personal calls. There are implied rules and practices that good sales agents and assistants should follow to make the best of every call and leave customers satisfied.
Let’s discover the top 10 phone etiquette rules you should know about to provide the most outstanding service.
1. Be quick to answer
The last thing you want to do is keep customers waiting or, even worse, send them to voicemail. They expect answers as soon as possible, and delays can make them feel frustrated. As a rule of thumb, phone calls should be answered within 3 rings.
2. Introduce yourself immediately
Simply saying “Hello?” is not enough. You need to introduce yourself as soon as you pick up the phone. This will help the caller confirm that they have reached out to the correct number and avoid unnecessary back and forth.
3. Speak clearly
Over the phone, your voice is the only thing that connects you to your customer. Therefore, it needs to be clear and understandable, and it must show that you have top-notch communicative skills.
4. Practice active listening
The key to a productive phone conversation is actively listening to the customer. Pay attention to their questions and concerns and provide appropriate answers based on what they say. This shows them you are present and care about them.
5. Don’t interrupt your customer
It might seem obvious, but you should never interrupt a customer when they are talking to you. It might come across as rude and could even make the client believe that you don’t really care about what they are saying.
6. Use proper language
When talking to clients in a professional setup, it’s essential to use proper language and manners. That means avoiding slang and curse words and being mindful and respectful at all times.
7. Remain friendly and helpful
You should always remain friendly and helpful —especially when faced with angry customers. You never know when someone is having a bad day, so do your best to stay positive and help where you can.
8. Be mindful of your volume
You don’t want your customers to think you’re yelling at them, right? To master your communication skills over the phone, you need to be mindful of your tone and volume.
9. Let customers know you’re putting them on hold or transferring the call
Sometimes you need to put a customer on hold to verify information or simply transfer the call because the issue is not within the scope of your department. And that’s fine. But out of respect, you should always let the customer know.
10. Be honest
No one has all the answers. If you can’t help a customer with their problem, be straightforward and let them know. This will save both you and the customer some valuable time.
At Easybee, our representatives are well aware of these rules and follow phone etiquette to the letter. Contact us and get your two-week trial to discover the high quality of our services.
