With the current advancements in communications and technology, many companies have found different ways in which they can communicate with their customers. But the fact remains phone calls are still crucial for any business whether you market it online and respond to emails, but you must provide contact details for the company. In that case, answering business calls is vital when handling customer service issues.
For you to have a thriving business, you have to observe professional practices and standard business etiquette in whichever state. It implies that you have to handle business calls professionally to grow and build your company’s reputation, and gain or retain customers.
In the article below, we focus on some of the relevant tips on how to handle phone calls to your business the right way. You should understand that the client or customer is the one who made the call first even though your telephone number is toll-free. The most sensitive part is when your telephone number is not toll-free, every word that you utter means a lot to the client.
IMAGE: PEXELS
Answer The Phone Quickly
You should not answer the call too quickly, and you should not delay in picking it also. On the 3rd ring is the appropriate time to respond to a business line. If you receive the call soon, you might find the client unprepared or by surprise, and it may become so difficult for them to talk freely.
Moreover, if you delay picking up the call is not a polite or professional way to handle a request. More so, the more you delay to answer business calls, the more clients find your company being lazy and unmeritorious. Such a state can worse if the client calls again after the first call became missed, that can tarnish the company’s services.
Answer With A Welcoming Tone
Answering a phone call with a smile on the face reflects from the tone of your voice. Such expression will bring your sound out pleasant while on the phone. And by doing so, the client will have a confident expectation from your company as the voice builds the client’s faith. Moreover, greeting the client appropriately and tactfully is essential for your business.
If your business is an international business, then you expect clients from different parts of the world, you may or may not live in the same time zone, but then you should always start with a formal greeting to avoid such instances. It is also good if you respond “hello” to a call rather than judge the sex of the clients through their voice. You might address someone as madam yet it is a man due to their feminine voice, some people are temperamental, and you may end up losing your clients.
Confirm Your Company And Personal Name
You may realize that if you may want a call to a particular company, the customer care representative may reply to your request as ‘hello, this is global electronic repair, how may I help you?’. They mention the company name to ensure that you are calling the right place.
The same applies to such instance when you have to confirm your company’s name with the one provided by the client to be able to answer their queries accordingly. After that, you should introduce yourself after confirming the company’s name. It is essential for professionalism as the client will also provide their names leading to perfect communication.
Speak Professionally And Fluently
It is so irritating if you receive clients call and answer faster like it is none of your concern. You should not allow the customer to ask for repetition of what you are saying. Your tone should be moderate, clear, and smooth as possible.
You should also avoid the use of buzz or slang words like “eh,” “hmm” and so on. After answering the client with a welcoming tone try to find out what they need as a professional you can use “how may I help you, Nancy?”
Also, if you are not able to answer a question from the client, it is appropriate if you tell them “let me find out, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.” It shows your professionalism you are and how eager you are to help the client. Moreover, some clients may call to inquire about something, you have to show them that you care and that is how professionals work.
Keeping Client On Hold
It is better to confirm with the caller if they are okay to be on hold. Sometimes a clients phone bill will go up if the company’s phone is not toll-free; that is why it is better to confirm from them. Maybe the line they are trying to get through is busy, ask them if they will wish to leave a message or ask them to call you back. Not everybody likes being on hold and professionally handling such instances saves a company’s reputation.
Moreover, if the client is inquiring about a particular service and wants to speak to let’s say the manager themselves, you will have to put their calls through. Professionally, don,t just put the call through, notify the client of what you are about to do like”one moment,” or “I will just put you through” such words are perfect while handling a client.
Usage Of Answering Phones
The usage of answering phones is so impersonal if clients call a line and find it in voice mail, they hung up. If you receive lots of calls or messages out of business hours, then you can think of investing in professional service that Connect’s Telephone Answering Service which is very useful. Also, if the clients are communicating more through messages after office hours, then you should take words appropriately and ensure to reply correctly by checking on spellings and answers you are providing to that question.
From the above article, etiquette is more important than any other aspect of communication. With a perfect protocol in conversation, your business tends to benefit more and grow in popularity due to the service offered.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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