Have you ever wondered about the effectiveness of your telephone skills? Most people today do a lot of business over the phone, but how effective are their phone skills?
Effective phone skills begin with a good attitude.
Steps:
1. Once you pick up the phone, you must remember to be professional and use your first name.
2. Try not to keep a caller on hold for a long time. Always ask the caller if he/she would mind being placed on hold.
3. Be patient and listen to what the customer is saying. (*Effective listening skills are very important.)
4. Try to resist distractions that will pull your attention away from the caller.
5. Develop note-taking skills; write down the caller's name, company and phone number.
6. Do not interrupt the caller, except to draw out his thoughts.
7. When you are about to end a call, it is a good idea to recap or summarize the caller's needs. Repeat the caller's name, company and phone number. This will assure the caller that he/she will receive the information he/she wanted to get. Also, let the caller know what actions will be taken, when you will be sending out the information, or when someone will be contacting him/her regarding his/her call. Finally, always thank the caller for calling.
Tip: Try to smile when you speak to people on the telephone. It will show up in your voice.
