Best practices for answering business phone calls involve advanced listening skills, fine attention to detail, call handling finesse, and ultimately, conversions. How your business’ phone calls are answered is crucial to both your bottom line and your reputation in the industry. When you consider that you’ve paid for nearly every phone call that your business receives, between pay-per-click calls, social media ads, mailers, and word-of-mouth referrals, are you reaping the benefits, or are leads falling through the cracks? Are callers remembering you as a stand-out company for its customer service, or was your business just another number on their list? Through the careful handling of business phone calls, you’ll not only see results reflected in your marketing budget, but also through the building of a reputation centered around excellent customer service that will set your business apart from the others. Discover which phone answering practices will make your business stand out in your industry, and how to achieve a higher level of customer service over the phones.
Answering Business Phone Calls
Answering business phone calls is handled much differently than any other type of inbound phone call. Callers that are contacting a business are expecting a memorable and positive customer service experience, along with knowledgeable and accurate advice or information. And, in an age where automatic answering and phone trees reign supreme, phone etiquette delivered by a live representative has become a lost art. Here are the best practices for answering your business’ phone calls to increase both your return on investment, and your customer service.
Answer Within Two Rings
Callers appreciate a prompt response when they call, and the best practice is to answer business phone calls within two rings. This courtesy speaks volumes to your callers in terms of customer service, but also ensures that the caller doesn’t hang up to inevitably call your competitors. On average, callers hang up after the 5th or 6th ring – so don’t miss out on leads or bring down your customer satisfaction ratings with a slow response time.
Follow a Script
Not meant to be robotic or “scripted” sounding, a good phone script steers the conversation along to help both the receptionist and the caller reach the desired destination. A good inbound call script should include asking for the caller’s name and
phone number, and end with a call to action. When following a script, every call should result in a scheduled appointment or meeting, sold product, or conflict resolution. Your business should have a script for each type of inbound call to ensure that no opportunities or important information gets missed, and be tailored to fit your industry and business itself. Since inbound call scripts are a pivotal part of overall call conversion, and in ensuring continuity in your customer service, it’s well worth it to have your call scripts professionally written.
Take Notes
Notes should be taken during every phone call, even if it’s just the basics like the caller’s name and phone number. These notes can be used throughout the phone call and at a later time for training or quality control purposes. If calls are recorded, detailed notes during a call are still instrumental in elevating your customer service. For example, keeping a log of all calls throughout the day along with the notes associated with them allows you to contact customers throughout the day as their questions or concerns are resolved. And, if you’re still waiting on a decision or resolution for them, call the customer back at the end of the day just to offer an update and to reinforce that you will still be actively working on a resolution for them the following business day. This communicates to the customer that they are valued, and that they have not been forgotten.
Build Rapport
By taking notes, your receptionists will have the caller’s name to use throughout the call. Using a caller’s name builds rapport and ultimately a relationship with your business. This simple gesture alone goes a long way in restoring the lost art of phone etiquette. If a caller offers additional names, information, or notable experiences, they should also be referenced throughout the call. Ask questions during pauses, and always listen with the intent to understand instead of the intent to respond. By the end of the call, the customer will feel understood, heard, and most importantly, valued.
Invite Them In
Don’t leave callers hanging at the end of the conversation. The awkward pause of a caller waiting to be offered an appointment or a sales process, only to have to request one themselves is a practice your business should actively work to avoid. When scheduling appointments, offer not just a day, but at least two different time options. If the sale of a product is the goal of the phone call, ask them how they’d like to pay, their schedule for delivery, and if they have any additional questions. If it’s a customer
service call, invite the caller to leave their feedback through an emailed link or verbally to be communicated to the appropriate recipient.
Offer Solutions
Even if your business or product isn’t a good fit for the caller, offering them additional or alternative solutions is a way to showcase your commitment to customer service. If your business doesn’t offer what they’re looking for, suggest contacting another business. It may seem counterintuitive to suggest a potential competitor to a caller, but if your services aren’t going to check their boxes, you’ll still leave a lasting positive impression for them to pass on to other potential customers.
Let Laser Answer Your Business Phone Calls
Answering business phone calls efficiently and professionally takes the dedication of time and skill. With so many in-office duties, receptionists often speed through phone calls in order to move to their next task or help the next customer in front of them. Don’t let your hard-earned inbound calls fall through the cracks – instead, convert those leads into long-lasting client relationships when you let Laser Answering Services answer your business phone calls. Through live-answering and call-routing practices tailored to your business, we’ll help relieve the stress on your in-house team while boosting your customer service and call conversion rates. Contact us today to start making the most of your business’ inbound calls.
