Confidence is crucial when it
comes to conducting a quality phone call and locking down an
appointment.
Your business’s professional image starts with the folks
handling the phones. Customers demand representatives who
know what they’re talking about - ones who understand the
home services issue at hand, offer up sensible solutions and
make things happen quickly.
Here’s a checklist for staff to keep in mind as they build
confidence and start to master phone calls.
Attitude Is Everything
Customers call your business to be taken care of and
reassured. Make them feel comfortable straight away by
encouraging staff to be upbeat. Depending on the severity of
the issue, some callers may be stressed out.
Customers feel overwhelmed because they can’t fix a home
issue themselves, and are scrambling to find someone who
can. Train your agents to balance out customer stress with
composure, as 70% of buying experiences are based on how
customers feel.
Have your staff think positively and speak purposefully.
Encourage them to take ownership of calls and steer things
along.Story
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Practice
Makes Perfect
If your agents tend to stumble during certain parts of a
conversation, encourage them to practice, practice,
practice.
Whether you’re giving a book report or an inaugural address,
it pays to put in some work and preparation beforehand. Here
are some tips for your staff to employ:
•Have a staff member ring the front desk and act like a
customer; simulation is the best way for an agent to get the
practice and experience they need
•Set aside time during business hours each day for phone
agents to partner up, and practice with one another
•Tell staff to physcially write out how they would respond
to certain customer questions; not only do they now have
notes ready to go, but writing things down helps with memory
retention
•If your staff wants bonus points, tell them to practice in
front of the mirror at home
Don't Depend a Script
Scripts don’t allow much wiggle room, and if somebody gets
off track in the middle, that person may lose his or her
composure. Instead, tell phone handlers to outline key
points that'll help guide them through calls. Staff should
only memorize particular parts of a standard script that
suit their style, and would be easy to use with any
customer.
Knowledge Is Power
When agents know the business’s service inside and out,
they’ll feel better equipped to address each caller’s needs.
Have them spend some time brushing up on product knowledge,
pricing, scheduling policy and even the history of the
business. Encourage them to ask questions whenever
necessary. When an agent is prepared, they can work through
a call continuously. He or she won’t have to put a customer
on hold to go discover information, and this means it’s more
likely that the appointment will be secured.
Confidence helps not just with inbound, but outbound calls
too. Read how your team can master the customer callback and
save appointment opportunities.
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