Dealing with a telephone enquiry can be a nerve-wracking experience. When my phone rang for the first time, I was so nervous but it was a wrong number! I think I felt a bit relieved that it was at the time.
I don’t know about you, but I often find dealing with enquiries online a lot easier. There is a fear of getting flustered and saying the wrong thing on the telephone. It is easier to write down what you say but often speaking to someone will be quicker.
If you think about phone calls from call centres, they are speaking from a script and sound confident and knowledgeable. You can too, with a few tips for dealing with phone enquiries:
Smile
Be welcoming when you answer the phone and smile. A smile comes across when you are talking on the phone. It will put you both at ease.
Be prepared
Have a notebook and pen handy as you never know when the phone is going to ring. If you feel nervous, then have a practice.
Schedule a call
There are many online tools that enable customers to book a time-slot. This gives you time to prepare for the call.
Ask questions
Get to know more about them. Have a set of questions handy that you can ask and have a conversation. It may be that the customer knows that they need help but are not sure what they need help with.
Make the caller feel important
Put yourself into the shoes of the caller. They have called you because they need your help, so make them feel valued.
Be confident with your prices
I’m sure we have all experienced people who want something for nothing. I had a call once where the individual knew my prices as they were on my website but said I was too expensive. It can be daunting when that happens but be firm and don’t undervalue yourself.
Agree on the next step
Once you have both covered everything in the call, follow up with an email and a summary of what was discussed.
Follow up
If you have agreed to send a proposal, then do so as quickly as you can and let them know you will contact them. Set a date in your diary as a reminder and then contact them.
Customer service is important and is something we all experience every day. How do you find dealing with enquiries?