Who’s answering your company’s phone? Do they speak in a professional and inviting manner? Are they knowledgeable and informative? Can they answer questions, and do they know what to do when they can’t answer a question?
Practicing good phone manners should be intuitive and logical, but as HR specialists we’re here to say that this is not always the case. So much business is at stake in a simple phone call that employers should take the time to train employees on phone call etiquette.
Here are a few things to remember to practice with your employees:
Tone of voice: the nuances of your voice say even more to a client than the words you say. The tone of your voice acts as body language does when speaking person-to-person. You can show interest or disinterest in a split second, and of course it’s easy to know what happens when a client feels that you’re not interested in what they’re saying – that’s right, they’ll not be interested as well.
Speaking Clearly: it’s annoying for anyone to hear mumbling or a muffled voice; but even worse, the message you want to relay as a company will not be understood – or worse, it’ll be misunderstood.
Asking the caller’s name: it’s a small act with a great reward to ask and call the caller by their name. It’s a sign of respect and professional business etiquette to show you care enough to call them by name. Also, you’ll be creating an instant bond with that caller and potential client.
If you’re having phone call etiquette issues at your office, or would like to discuss this subject further with us, please don’t hesitate to email: info@facetsbusiness.ca
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