Phone skills are crucial for businesses as a potential client's first impression is formed in that initial phone interaction. Some key tips include answering the phone before the third ring, identifying your business clearly when answering, speaking professionally and without filler words or swearing, staying positive, and returning calls promptly as potential clients may contact competitors instead if not reached quickly. Whoever answers calls should know the business well enough to answer basic questions and convey a positive impression. Recording calls can help identify areas for improvement in phone skills.
2. Answering the Phone May be most important point in client relationship Potential client is looking for reassurance What you say now will determine if they pick you or someone else
3. Phone Answering Skills Phone answering skills are crucial for businesses. A business’s first point of contact is still usually the phone. How you answer your phone will determine your potential customers impression of you. The following tips will ensure that those calling your business know they're dealing with a successful business:
4. How Many Rings? My goal is to always answer the call before the 3rd ring. In todays world people just don’t‘ have the patience for the phone to ring and ring and ring. The saying that the early bird gets the worm is true. If they can’t reach you, they will reach your competitor, I guarantee it!
5. Answering the Actual Call When you answer the call, sound like you actually want to speak with whomever is calling. I can’t tell you how many business’s I have called thinking I have just reached someone on death row. If their 1st impression of you is one of despair then they will probably look elsewhere.
6. First Thing to Say When Answering Call Identify your business 1st thing, such as, “Hello, this is Jon with ABC Company, how may I help you” Don’t leave people guessing if they reached the right number. Let them know they did. And don’t be casual in answering the phone, always be professional.
7. Speak Clearly Whether you are answering the phone or you have someone answering the phone make sure it every call is clear and every word enunciated properly. If this is not done you may lose business!
8. Control the Poor Language The urge to use slang or other inappropriate language is always there and that includes using “fillers” like “ummm” “errr” “uhh” or even clearing your throat. Even swearing. If you do any of these, I recommend you reconsider. You are not only not impressing anyone you may be losing potential clients.
9. Stay Positive People don’t like to be told no. They like to be told that you will do your best to either find an answer or that you will do your best to accomplish their specific goals.
10. Answering Messages How quickly you get back to your potential clients is crucial to how likely they are to hire you. For professionals like lawyers, you really should get back to them within minutes. And if you can’t, make sure someone can. With technology today, there is no reason to wait a few hours or a day or two to call someone back. Here’s a guarantee: If you don’t call them back quickly, your competitor will.
11. Email Contacts If a potential client emails you, your goal should be to call them on the phone as soon as possible, unless of course they specifically said they want to correspond via email Again, if you cannot contact them, have someone who can call do so.
12. Record Your Calls If it is legal to do so, record your calls just to see how you sound on the phone. You might have thought you sounded great but discovered that maybe you could use a little work in how you come across.
13. On Hold I hate when I call a place of business and the first thing they say is “Do you mind if I put you on hold” and then before I get a chance to answer, they just put me on hold. If it is absolutely necessary, by all means ask BUT please wait for an answer.
14. Speaker Phones Try not to use them. They usually are not very good and if the client wants to talk about a sensitive matter they want to believe that you are the only person listening to them
15. Bluetooth Headsets If you must talk on the devices (I do), make sure you buy a good one. Don’t talk outside when it is windy or very noisy because regardless of what the bluetooth companies tell you, they are not good in every situation. I know, I have tried what seems like every bluetooth headset out there.
16. Answering Machines If possible, try to avoid ever having any sort of automated system answer your calls. Look for a reasonable answering service. It will pay for itself many times over in new business.
17. Who Answers Your Phone? Whoever you decide to answer your phones (such as a secretary or paralegal) needs to know as much about your business as you do. At a minimum they need to be able to answer basic questions that most likely always get asked. THEY are the first person your potential client will speak with and they need to convey the strength of doing business with you.
18. Hope This Helps! Hopefully this PowerPoint presentation will provide even just one or two helpful hints for you when it comes to answering the phone. My reason for doing this was because I saw a real need to help my clients develop a better phone persona and consequently help to increase the percentage of those that call turning into those that hire them.
19. The End. I have been in sales and marketing now since 1991 and have learned a great deal about how to deal with customers, co-workers, and employees and if you ever have any questions, please call me at 303-947-1737 and I would be more than happy to speak with you
