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Telephone Etiquette

Training Objectives

Learn to identify and analyze client needs and challenges.
Recognize the most common reasons for client complaints.
Discover techniques to cultivate and maintain special client relationships.
Assess your communication style and use two-way communication skills to level with people, to accept feedback from them, and to discuss challenges.
Identify specific challenges in your client service program and apply the treatment.

Use your tone

Do you

Become loud when angry or upset
Speak faster when nervous
Speak slowly when tired or bored
Have a cheerful voice
Your tone of voice is warm and understanding
Find it easy to talk to people you don’t know
Control your tone in most situations
Sound bossy, weak or unsure
Have a clear and easy-to-hear voice
Speak in a very formal or very trendy manner?

Think about how you might modify your voice in certain situations

Telephone Skills

Know how to use the phones
Speak clearly and slowly
Smile (you can hear it in your voice!)
State your name and organization
Write down the caller’s name and use it
Don’t say rude things while someone’s on hold
If they’re explaining something use words to show you’re listening (umm, yes …)
Have pad and pencil ready to take notes or messages (check spelling and message content)
Don’t eat or drink while on the phone

Written Communication

Write clearly and concisely
Refer to their email, date, and query
Be friendly without being too informal (Dear Mr. Philips writing style)
Check your spelling and grammar
Make sure you’ve answered their query or request or explained why you can’t
Be timely or apologize for any delay in replying

Guaranteeing Return Business

Leave a positive impression, smile
Check clients have everything they need
If you’ve said you’ll follow-up, do so
Tell them something that may be useful to them later (ex:- new service starting soon)
Invite them back
Say goodbye

A Positive Organizational Image

“First impressions count and will affect the interaction. People make judgments in the first 30 seconds.”

Golden Rule – You only have one chance to make a first impression!

Organizational Assessment - Activity

Take a look at your organization through the eyes of a customer.
What are the first things you notice?
What has the organization done to make you feel welcome?
Does anything make you feel uncomfortable?
How could you feel more at ease?

Form small groups and discuss different methods used to help people feel welcome.

A Positive First Impression

Be confident
Knowledge - know your organization and the services you provide
Confidentiality
Follow up (don’t just say you’ll do something, do it)
Strengthen the client’s commitment to your organization

What to Avoid…

Saying ‘I don’t know’ without offering an option
Saying you don’t know where a colleague is or saying they’re at lunch/ toilet/ gone for coffee etc.
Leaving people on hold for a long time
Ignoring people if you’re busy
Treating people unequally

Factors affecting the Quality of Service

Reliability
Confidence
Responsiveness
Efficiency
Consistency
Organization
Acceptance of and adherence to policies and procedures

Dealing with Difficult Behavior

Label the behavior, not the client
Listen
Don’t get defensive
Don’t take it personally
Find out what the client wants
Discuss alternatives
Take responsibility for what you CAN do (rather than focusing on what you CAN’T do)
Agree on action

The Talkative Client

Ask closed questions
Limit the time available for them to interrupt (don’t have long pauses)
Provide minimal response
Smile and be pleasant, but don’t encourage them
Wind up – thank them for their time, lead the conversation to a closure but don’t be rude or dismissive

The Angry Client

Listen carefully without interrupting so you understand the problem (Listen with the intent of understanding, not with the intent of replying)
Empathize in a broad way
Stay calm and remain polite
Don’t escalate the problem
Don’t take it personally, be defensive or blame others
Propose an action plan and follow it
Seek support if you are unsure, if you can’t agree on a solution or if the client asks to see “whoever’s in charge”

The Know-it-all Client

Acknowledge what they say
Compliment them on their research
Be generous with praise
Don’t put them in their place no matter how tempting
Don’t try to be smart – you can’t win!
Ask them questions and use them to improve your knowledge

The Indecisive Client

Find out what they really want
Ask them for the options
Reflect back to them what they’ve said
Assume control gently and point out the best course of action from what they’ve told you they need
Be logical
Confirm a plan of action with them
Maybe even put it in writing

The Suspicious Client

Establish your credibility
Ensure you know your product or service
They will try and catch you out so don’t guess or tell them something you’re not sure of
Be careful what you say
Be polite
Don’t take it personally, they don’t trust anyone!

Role Play

In pairs, one person takes on the role of a client and one is the executive

Use your own scenario if you have one
Swap after 5 minutes

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