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Customer Service Focus Simple, clear and friendly Basics of phone communication By Connie Genger, CIC, CPCU, CPIW
How many times have you called a business and heard the person who answers rattle off, at the speed of lighting, an 18-word spiel? Included in that rapid monologue is: • The time of day (“good afternoon,” when in fact it’s still morning, and vice versa) • The business name (which you can’t begin to understand) • Their own name (ditto to above) • The phrase, “How may I help you?” in a tone of voice that indicates they don’t really care if they did help you or not Does your office meet the following “1, 2, 3” test? All we want when we call a business is to: 1. Know for sure we dialed the correct number (therefore, it’s nice to be able to understand the business name when stated). 2. Believe they’re glad we called. 3. Get help from the appropriate person as quickly as possible. It seems simple, doesn’t it? Then why is it that businesses require the persons answering the phone to state so much that it becomes a challenge for them to enunciate clearly, let alone sound pleasant? In face-to-face communication with a person, verbal (the words we choose to use) accounts for 7% of the importance for conveying the message, vocal (tone of voice, inflection, pitch, volume, pace, etc.) accounts for 38%, and non-verbal (such as facial expressions and body language) are 55%. But on the telephone we don’t receive those important non-verbal messages, and the percentages change dramatically. Verbal becomes 14% of the message, and vocal is 86%. Enunciation becomes more critical, and tone of voice is even more important! We don’t really have to say, “How may I help you?” We can let our voice say it, without even uttering the words. So then, the best way to answer the initial phone call is to begin by stating the company name, very clearly and with a pleasant tone of voice. What comes next? Taking or re-directing the call If the primary responsibility of the person answering the phone is to direct calls to the proper party, and it is unlikely that he or she can be of any other assistance, then he or she should let the caller know that by stating, “How may I direct your call?” That way, the caller immediately knows someone else must help and will save the long story for the next person. It is not a customer-friendly practice to require the caller to repeat the reason for calling several times. The answering statement then becomes, “This is XYZ Insurance Agency. How may I direct your call?” Communicate simply, clearly, and with a friendly tone of voice. It makes all the difference in the world. However, if the person who answers the phone also has customer service duties, then the CSR should state the business name, his or her own name, and perhaps an offer to assist: “This is XYZ Insurance Agency. I am Robert; how may I help you?” Again, enunciation and tone of voice are the key factors in making the caller feel welcomed. One of the telephone challenges many agencies face is the name recognition/identification issue with mergers and acquisitions of insurance agencies. How does this sound? “Good afternoon. This is XYZ Insurance Agency/Alpha Omega Insurance Services. My name is Connie. How may I help you?” Wow! What a mouthful this is. Can you imagine how many times that greeting would be stated clearly and with a welcoming tone of voice? You can see in that example the importance of eliminating any extraneous verbiage. Perhaps the customer service gurus who suggest saying, “Good afternoon,” or “It’s a great day at the XYZ Insurance Agency,” or answering with a similar warm and fuzzy greeting forget the typical real-life situation. That is, the person assigned to answer the phone often has several calls coming in one right after the other, as well as customers walking in the front door. The natural tendency then becomes to speak as fast as possible to get to the next call or to greet the walk-in customer. The more words the phone greeting contains, the less clearly it will be understood, and tone of voice will likely be flat. Don’t forget how important first impressions are, and that includes a brief telephone encounter! Beyond the receptionist When the receptionist transfers a call to your desk, it is best to state your name (in a pleasant tone of voice), rather than simply answering with “Hello,” so that the caller can be certain about the identity of the person with whom he or she is speaking. If it seems appropriate, you may want to include the department name as well: “Personal Lines, this is Paulette.” When engaged in a telephone conversation, it is tempting to multi-task. Don’t forget the importance of good listening skills, in addition to the tone of voice. When our mind is on other things, our voice will not indicate the necessary degree of interest. Try to imagine that the person is sitting right there at your desk, and give your phone voice the same inflection that you would if that person were physically present. Voice mail Voice mail also is a concern. Again, what seems like a simple procedure can become very complex. We all have heard voice mails that could make us laugh, groan, or cry. First things first. Make sure that the voice mail message is enunciated clearly and in a pleasant tone of voice. To state the date can indicate to the caller that the message is timely. This is a good practice, but only if that date is changed every single day, either prior to the start of business, or the evening before. If the date is incorrect, the caller could assume that the person called is neglectful in other areas of business practice, as well. It is really a waste of time to state that you are on the phone or away from your desk. It isn’t necessary to tell the caller exactly why you aren’t there to take the call. It is important, however, to let the caller know when you will be unavailable—if it’s the morning, the entire day, etc. Be sure also to advise callers whom they can contact in your absence. Here is a sample: “Hello, this is Connie. I am unavailable until 2:00 today. Please leave a message or call my assistant Paulette at extension 1948 for immediate assistance.” Now, the big question (and an issue I’ve seen/heard handled every which way) is whether or not to do the “coverage cannot be bound” spiel that some offices also include in their voice mail message. Your best bet is to contact your E&O carrier. If you do use it, remember the “simple, clear and friendly” rule. * The author |
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