A phone call from a customer will either make or break your business.<\/span><\/p>\n In 2011 alone, <\/span>67% of phone callers<\/span><\/a> hung up the phone in frustration because of a bad phone call with a business. That’s 67% of customers lost to your competition.<\/span><\/p>\n It may feel like we live in a digital age, but customers still place a lot of value on having a traditional customer service experience over the phone. A good experience could change an unhappy customer to a loyal one.<\/span><\/p>\n If your business is struggling to provide great experiences for your customers over the phone, stop what you’re doing. Implement these 7 phone etiquette tips so you can grow your business even more.<\/span><\/p>\n It never looks good to keep things too casual.<\/span><\/p>\n You want to be relatable but still allow the customer to feel safe with who they’re speaking with.<\/span><\/p>\n Start your introduction with a greeting, such as ‘hey’ or ‘hello’ followed by introducing yourself by name. To keep things professional, you want to make sure you give your full name.<\/span><\/p>\n This will set the tone for your customer and give them confidence that they’re speaking with someone relatable and professional.<\/span><\/p>\n You could be saying all the right things. But how you say them can make all that good work go to waste.<\/span><\/p>\n When you’re on the phone, there’s a balance of speaking too quietly and too loudly. Remember, the person on the other end is holding a speaker directly to their ear.<\/span><\/p>\n Raising your volume too much will make them feel they’re being yelled at. However whispering will can creep a lot of people out.<\/span><\/p>\n Try to keep your volume at a natural level, similar to if they were sitting right in front of you. Be sure you’re in a <\/span> so the caller isn’t distracted by other noises.<\/span><\/p>\n That way your information is what they take away.<\/span><\/p>\n This is probably the biggest rule of phone etiquette.<\/span><\/p>\n No matter how frustrated or emotional the person on the other end is, remember to empathize with what they are experiencing.<\/span><\/p>\n Even if it seems totally irrational, your empathy can go a long way for someone who feels wronged or misunderstood. Remember that they are ultimately trying to resolve an issue and called to get help.<\/span><\/p>\n If you respond with empathy, you’re on the path to turning a bad experience into a great one.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes finding answers can take longer than a minute. And when you’re on the phone a minute feels more like thirty.<\/span><\/p>\n But don’t be afraid to take your time. Ultimately your customer will be glad that you want to get the right answers for them.<\/span><\/p>\n You just want to be sure that you communicate to the person on the other end so they know why they’re waiting. Be <\/span>prompt with answering the call<\/span><\/a>, then communicate exactly what you’re doing to try and find the right information.<\/span><\/p>\n1. Introduce Yourself<\/b><\/h2>\n
2. Stay Aware of Your Volume<\/b><\/h2>\n
3. Empathy is Key<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. Communicate What You’re Doing<\/b><\/h2>\n