Date: December 10, 2019
Category: Blog
Talking over the phone is a real skill. Without speaking to an individual face-to-face, it’s easy for your message to become lost in translation.
Facial expressions and gestures aid this communication, but if you’re not face-to-face with your customer, what kind of things can you do to ensure that you’re giving the right impression? Here are our Top 5 Phone Tips for Great Customer Service…
Smile
Believe it or not, your facial expression has a big influence on your tone. In fact, the University of Portsmouth carried out a study proving that people can hear whether the person they’re speaking to on the other end of the phone line is smiling or not.
If you greet your customer with a smile on your face, your tone will follow and, ultimately, so will a positive experience for your customer. What’s more, you’ll notice interactions with your customer begin to start off on a more friendly foot.
Name Game
Using the customer’s name instantly personalises the conversation. You want to make your customer feel comfortable and familiar with your brand, in order to encourage brand loyalty (and, of course, any front-line customer service employee is a brand representative).
What’s more, scientific research has shown that hearing your name triggers impulses in your brain that no other words do.
Although, it’s worth bearing in mind, that if over-used you can start to sound slightly condescending and insincere. Keep it relevant and appropriate, and you can’t go wrong.
Verbal Nods
Verbal nods are a good way of letting the customer know that you’re more than happy to give them the time they need to explain their situation; and, most importantly, that you’re listening to them.
Phrases such as “OK”, “I see”, “sure” and “right” all improve the customer’s confidence in the professionalism and attentiveness of the Customer Service Advisor, and the brand.
Clear & Concise
Your explanations and advice need to be super clear when talking to your customers over the phone.
Why? Because you have no other way of describing or showing the customer what you mean. The customer is relying solely on your choice of words to guide them.
Although, that’s not to say that you need to script your customer interactions; in fact, quite the opposite. If you have all the relevant knowledge, then you’ll never need a script. Without scripts, you have the foundation for a genuine, human customer interaction.
Leave your Customer Happy
Leaving your customer on a positive note is always important- and it shouldn’t be too tricky, either!
Even if you can’t resolve your customer’s query there and then, you should always be able to provide a timescale as to when you’ll be getting back to them, or to offer them further help and advice.
If you’d like to talk to us about your customer service requirements, then simply get in touch!
