That means staying focused and answering calls immediately. Phone etiquette is just that important. Oftentimes, you’ll have to immediately switch your language between the one you use when speaking to your colleagues and another that you should use while taking a professional phone call. That’s why it’s so important to follow the rules of customer service phone etiquette. While dos are to be done, don’ts are to be avoided. Take the lead in the conversation and make it go where you want it to. Three rings is a universal number but you can actually stick to it. The people you are with should always take precedence over a cell phone call, unless it is an extremely urgent call. Now it’s your turn to teach them what to do and what to avoid. Do not put the person on the other end on hold for an extended period as it is considered against phone etiquette at work. All to often staff are not trained to manage calls professionally. For more information, check out our privacy policy. What phone etiquette rules convey is that you put the customer on the foreground during the call. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. Another good practice is to find a quiet and peaceful place where you can make and take calls with no interruptions at all. Take into account that your customer is another human being, just like you. The greeting and the speed that the phone is picked up can determine the customer's overall impression of the experience. Check out this complete list of free help desk software that your team can use for its troubleshooting efforts. What I mean by that, there is a thin line between a complaint and throwing punches over the phone. understand customers’ objections and problems. For anyone who’s already working in a call center or as a customer service agent these things are obvious – at least they should be! Before placing a call, make sure you’re 100 percent sure about what your call is about. Tips for making a call: Be sure to speak slowly and clearly whether you are speaking to a person or voice mail. 8 Ask for the necessary information if taking a message. Try to answer the phone within three rings. Taking notes during important calls ensures best phone etiquette. There's often nothing more infuriating than being put on hold. When people call you, let them know that you are eating, and unless it’s an emergency, tell them you’ll call back later. If there is another agent or an employee who you know is capable of providing the answer let him take the call and give a proper answer. Giving reasons for calling. However, there will be some interactions where these actions may not be enough to defuse the situation. You don't want your caller to think that you are avoiding the business at hand, or are cutting them off. Remember to always be respectful and act accordingly to the situation. Only make outgoing calls if necessary and keep them brief; better yet, take the phone to the lobby or outside so you don't bother others who are trying to enjoy a relaxing meal. Whatever you chose as your solution to free yourself from distractions, make sure nothing lowers the quality of calls you make or take! The same goes for every professional phone call you make and take. First of all, you should keep the same tone throughout the call, just as with the volume of your voice. As mentioned in the intro, phone etiquette is not a big deal when it comes to everyday calls we all make. Such headphones also come equipped with a noise-canceling microphone so your recipient won’t hear any of the outside noise as well. You need to make a good first impression and create a positive and lasting relationship with the caller. In these cases, you should do your best to reset expectations for the customer regarding what your service team can and can't do. Thus, do not understate the importance of proper telephone etiquette. You’ll get better and – your calls will get better – finally – the service you provide will get better as well! After coming back to the call thank the customer for the time spent waiting. This article will discuss tips to improve the quality of your phone calls and why phone etiquette is important. BTW. You want to be heard and avoid having to repeat yourself. Good telephone etiquette may not be that helpful if you don’t have the right attitude to serve the customer. WSJ’s Joanna Stern enlisted 89-year-old artist Burt Silverman to get perspective on how things have changed. Think of how you answer each of the calls you receive. Begin by giving your name and other important details. You simply won’t hear all the hustle and bustle going on around you and even if someone tries to directly talk to you, you won’t hear them. This phone etiquette guideline is a continuation of never shouting in public. I have a few clients in Ghana, so when I make my phone calls to them, I make sure to speak clearly so they can understand me. I want you to be a phone ninja. This way each of your calls will be provided with an equal level of quality. These cases are rare but they will happen, especially if your product is imperative for customer success. Transferring a telephone call is more than just knowing what buttons to push on your telephone system. The salesperson on the phone has a flash of an instant to overcome that obstacle and make a positive impact on a stranger that is yearning to hang up. What you’re supposed to do is to learn certain rules and implement them in each of the calls you make or take. Check the handbook at your place of business to check if they have a particular script to follow. What’s more, statistics from RightNow tell us that 73% of consumers say friendly customer service reps can make them fall in love with a brand! If you don't have access to these types of tools, there are plenty of free options available for your team. Confidently tell the customer that their best chance of resolving the issue is with your help and outline the steps you're going to take to assist them. In fact, phone etiquette should be revived so you won’t get caught off-guard the next time your phone rings, or when you need to make a call. You’re not always on the receiving end of a phone call. Answer the phone within 2 to 3 rings if you are receiving a call. Talking softly may confuse the caller, unsure that he has dialed the right number. A good practice is to sit up in the chair or stand up if you’re more comfortable talking on a phone this way. Answering the phone too loudly sounds harsh and abrasive, which is an unappealing to the caller. Put these business phone etiquette tips to work to ensure that you always do your best to leave your callers happy. However, we recommend responding within three rings in order give yourself enough time to get in the zone and prepare for the call. Make them feel at home. For these cases we recommend implementing a one strike rule, meaning if a customer asks to speak with your manager then you have one chance to prevent the escalation. Once again, keep in mind that every phone call might be the last one. When you're dealing with 30+ calls each day, you can't afford to be bogged down by an hour-long call. Transferring calls is one of the most common telephone etiquette tasks you will perform in your job so learning the proper etiquette for transferring calls is extremely important. Instead of escalating to your manager, try to handle the case on your own. Often times they're not making a malicious request, but rather the customer thinks your team is so effective it can provide an advanced service. Your voice is the only thing that connects you to your customer. Toll Free - U.S.& Canada: 1-800-791-9386 : Hong Kong: 800-930-623 : Australia: 1-800-779-835: Student Sign In . Think First Hoxton/Tom Merton / Getty Images. Though this tip is important, over time it can get overlooked. It takes just a few minutes and can avoid a lost customer support request. You wouldn’t like either of that to happen, would you? Staying positive while taking calls from your customers can yield great results and is a perfect way of turning regular customers into loyal and lifetime customers friends. Your customers are always your main concern, but you don't want to inhibit the work ethic of others in your workplace. #1 Be courteous Agents should always treat each caller with courtesy. Speaking of paying attention to your customers, it's essential that you're actively listening to them throughout the conversation. Second, staying active during the call helps you not drift away, which – sadly – happens. It also made me wonder who was their telephone service provider and how did it cost. Once again, keep in mind that every phone call might be the last one. This measure not only helps you reach your daily goals but will proactively demonstrate that you're being mindful of the customer's time. See all integrations. If you stay in the dining area, keep your voice as low as possible. 16. If the caller is truly unwelcome and has bypassed your caller-ID: Hang up the phone. The situation like this is more than likely to happen and you have to be ready for it. Answering Calls. Start and end each day by checking your voicemail. It is important to avoid sounding salesy, pushy, aggressive or anxious. Also, when it comes to professional calls, having a routine is a good thing. Home phones, office phones, and cell phones are our virtual ties to each other as we rush from place to place. And keep in mind, once you’ve got your phone etiquette covered it’s also worth looking into ways at improving your emailing etiquette. [6] How can I help you?" Presenting yourself with the most polished phone etiquette on sales calls will only help. Ending the call is just as important as the initial caller greeting as this is your last opportunity to make sure the caller is completely satisfied with the service they received and that they hang up with a positive impression of your company. Here, we’ll list four main don’ts of telephone etiquette that you should avoid at all cost. For these scenarios, leverage customer service tools that can help clarify your explanation. In many cases, if the phone rings more than three times, it is too long; for the caller, boredom starts to set in. Take the lead in the conversation and make it go where you want it to. So, while using speakerphone can be beneficial to use in certain cases only, plus, make sure you don’t overuse it and avoid it whenever you’re in a loud space. For more information about improving customer service, read this post on customer service tips for startups. So, make that call the best it can be, … I don’t know why is that but surely I’m not going to wait till this light turns green! The same can happen to you and unless it is the matter of lack of preparation, it is totally excusable. While speakerphone may be appropriate at these times, it's always better to use a headset to remain hands-free. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. However distinct the calls, though, there are a few etiquette tips that always apply. ! Don't make people dread having to answer their phone or call your department. ! In this article, we'll go over 8 phone etiquette tips you should know. You won’t believe how grateful a customer can be if the call with you made him smile or laugh. If they do, that script takes precedence. The best way to make a habit of improvisation is to consider yourself in the other person’s place. Phone etiquette may also come in handy if you work in or run a small business that still uses landlines or PBX phones . Nowadays you don’t have to take notes using a pen and paper (unless you like it). Take your time while waiting for the light to switch and get to know the principles of the perfect call. My daily goal is to spread the word about Channels and help online businesses provide better customer service. You always want to speak as clearly as possible. 1. None of these practices is a good choice. Written by Swetha Amaresan Free and premium plans, Content management system software. This reassures callers their call is important and that the agent is ready to help. A mobile power player. In such a case, the rule of three rings will help you get in a proper mood right before you pick up the phone. However, by following the rules below, you can ensure you're always on your A-game in the call center. 1) Make sure to explain to the caller the REASON why you are transferring their call 2) Verify that it is all with the caller for you to transfer them 3) Call the department or person where you are transferring a call to and make sure that they can take the call. To help you prepare, below are a few common challenges that most customer service reps will face when working on the phone. A key difference between professional and personal phone calls is obvious — the language. It's quite possible that a customer might reach out to you when you're on a break or after you've left work for the day. If you are unable to speak for the duration of the call, request a convenient call-back time from the customer instead. This is simply a guide. Don’t cultivate such behavior and make sure your introduction is clear and can be understood properly. To make a conference call, gather phone numbers of participants before calling, and create on on-line account with a pin number. Using speakerphone may seem like a handy solution but often than not it can result in a backlash when using this feature while taking a professional call. Keep the notes on the purpose of your call in front of you, and be confident that you have a legitimate reason for calling. Make it clear that it's in the customer's best interest to hang up the phone and follow up at a later time. If this is the case, there a few other phone etiquette items we should touch on. Remind yourself that the last thing your customer probably wanted was to spend their afternoon on the phone with customer support. 15. On the other hand, if the customer is simply cursing at a customer service agent for no particular reason (as often it’s not the fault of the agent himself), such an agent should be allowed to interrupt the customer or even hang up if things go too far. These tips should provide you and your team with basic guidelines for phone etiquette and, if executed properly, your company should see significant improvement in customer experience. Start by training your team member from the beginning of a call. It's easier for you because you can use your hands to multitask. The answer depends on the situation: 1. @swethamaresan. With each call, there is an opportunity to build a relationship and create an amazing customer experience. Explain why you need to follow up and how this will lead to a faster resolution. I hope this guide helps a few of you stop to faking bad phone lines! Customers value their time, but so do customer service reps. Great phone call etiquette can really help benefit your business in a number of ways. Phone etiquette for business professionals is not much different from regular etiquette -- it's all about showing respect for your customers when you answer a call. Have an Objective before making the Call. I’m calling to ask about/discuss/clarify… I’m calling to ask about your current printing promotion. You’ll get too relaxed and instead of sounding like a professional you’ll sound like a random person, friend or worse, someone who doesn’t care.