👋I’m Jakub Kliszczak, Marketing Specialist at Channels, a data-driven phone system that powers up customer conversation. My daily goal is to spread the word about Channels and help online businesses provide better customer service. Many of the tips above are taught as a part of Phone Etiquette. As a customer service rep, it’s your job to make a person comfortable.

For first-rate telephone etiquette, you need to remain calm and cheerful even when dealing with the most difficult customer. Remember the person on the other end of the line is calling for a reason. If they are calling for customer support, they may have questions, concerns, or frustrations that need to be addressed.

Listen carefully and ask for clarification

This is where the branding of your company also comes into play. If your company has a fun and friendly image, then that is the tone your caller will expect from you. Similarly, if your company has a more corporate or professional reputation, you should not sound too casual. 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. Generally speaking, phone etiquette states that speakerphone shouldn’t be used when making business calls. For these scenarios, leverage customer service tools that can help clarify your explanation.

You never know what customers might be offended by something you say, so it’s best to use formal language. It’s okay to throw in humor if appropriate, but never crack a joke that could upset a customer. It’s easier for you because you can use your hands to multitask.

The customer is demanding to speak with a manager.

They might not be able to see you, but the person you’re speaking to will know if your attention isn’t fully on them. Customers want to know you care about them, and leaving the phone ringing conveys a lack of urgency. It may even cause prospects to believe that customer service isn’t a priority at your organization. I know that this beautiful haiku I wrote sounds like a horror story to any customer service agent. One of the solutions to staying fully focused on the call is to use duo call center headsets which offer an outside noise canceling. 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.

A series of transfers can confuse, overwhelm and frustrate the customer, and that does your company no favors. Regardless of your brand tone of voice or the situation on the phone, there’s absolutely no https://www.wave-accounting.net/ excuse for deviating from being polite. Staying respectful and professional, even in trying situations, will go a long way toward gaining the mutual respect required to achieve the goals of your call.

Ways to Make Employee Scheduling Easier

It’s going to sound counterintuitive, but your customer service person should initially speak in a slightly louder voice if the customer starts out loud. Whenever you’re on the phone with customers, it’s important to use your words, tone and professionalism to convey what you are trying to get across. Continuously practice the right etiquette and ensure your staff is also adhering to it. Look at your organization’s tone-of-voice document and work out – with the help of the marketing team – what you can do during phone calls to ensure you’re upholding it.

Even if they understand the slang, it could be seen as a sign of informality, or in some cases case, you could offend someone. Make sure you are aware of local conventions for addressing the person you’re speaking to.