Communication with your clients is the key to any business. This includes not only face to face communication but conversations over the phone. How a customer service representative answers a phone call can be the difference between a new client and a bad review. It is important to understand that how your business is viewed is partially due to how current and potential clients are treated during a phone conversation. Here are some tips on answering a customer service call.

PAY ATTENTION TO RINGS

How a phone call is determining a client’s opinion of the business starts before the phone is even answered. As a general rule it should never take any more than three rings for a phone to be answered. If a phone rings more than three times the business is taking a chance that the client feels unimportant or impatient or an assumption is made that the business is close.

THE GREETING

The phone should always be answered with a positive attitude. The customer representative’s attitude should remain pleasant and helpful throughout the entire call. Always demonstrate a genuine interest in what the person on the line is saying. It is possible the phone call is the caller’s first impression of the company- if they are unpleased with the phone service they may never reach out to the business again, and could also tell other potential clients of the bad experience.

SERVE THE CUSTOMER

It is important to show the caller they are being listened to. Asking questions relevant to what they are saying is an easy way to do this. Be attentive to the callers needs while on the phone. Don’t forget manners- please and thank you always go a long way.

TAKING MESSAGES

Sometimes the caller will be unable to be assisted immediately. In that case, it is important to have a clear and precise message to give to the appropriate person. Be sure to clarify the caller’s name and phone number. Spelling the name back out to the caller is a good tactic to ensure it is noted down correctly.

CLOSING A CALL

If a message was taken be sure to reiterate it to the caller, also include what you intend to do with their message and an estimated time frame. This allows the caller to add anything they feel is missed, correct any mistakes, and reinforces with them that they have been listened to and something is being done.