Telephone SkillsPart 2

Tone of VoiceThe tone of your voice is impacted by:Clear or muffled speaking Your mood and enthusiasm You might think that your voice is loud or clear enough to be heard by others, but this is not necessarily soOn the other hand, shouting is just as bad as mumbling and will give the caller a shock

How You Feel Comes Across…

Consider the tone and speed of your voice. Think about what things really annoy you

Speaking too fast, Too slowly, in a very loud or quiet voice, Placing too much emphasis on certain tonesTones that are very flat suggest disinterest

Aim For a Clear VoiceLoud enough to be heard without shouting.Lean back and arch your neck up.

It is easier to exude enthusiasm in this position.

Smile when you answer the phone. The smile will be heard in your voice

Try to stay standing up when answering the phone.

This enables better because breathing and energy

No Drinking or ChewingEach of these sounds comes through

Other bodily annoying noises to avoid Smacking your gums together BurpingYawning Mumbling or making popping noises

Excuse Yourself

If you have to sneeze or cough, excuse yourself and quickly cover the phone's

sound piece.

Answer and Greet WarmlyGive your name and titleExample For Inbound calls:

A formal example, "Hello, my name is Elizabeth Jones with the XYZ. How may I help you?“Less formal example, "Hello, this is Jeremy speaking, from “XYZ".

For outside callingHello, my name is Tim Jones from the XYZ.

Use The Clients Name

Use their name to establish rapport

Repeat back anything that you think needs clarification.

Proceed with the pitch, and insert their name frequently

Listen Politely and CarefullyReally listen to the other person on the lineCan continue formally or informally? Mr. or Mrs. – Tom, Mary or Sir or Ma'amWill you need to take a message or pass the phone to someone else.Take a second before each response.

When you pause before responding, the other person knows that you've listened.

A Word on PausesDon’t become so enamored with the sound of your voicePause and give the listener time to respond or ask questionsDon’t use tech talk or acronymsTake a breath, follow the play

Cultural DifferencesWhat is appropriate for some is not always appropriate for other people,

This can cause a fair amount of problems when misunderstandings arise

For example, many customers prefer to get straight down to business and value speed and efficiency;

Some prefer to chat a little to build a personal connection, before moving on to the purpose of the call.

Time Zones L.A. - N.J.A major consideration is time zone differences.

Remember there may be a 2 – 3 hour time difference

Interruptions during their sleep, or during meal time may find your call as an intrusion

?

Avoid Mimicking AccentsOr using slang that is local to your client's area or culture on the other end of the phone. In some cases it can be acceptable and make the person receiving the call feel more at ease,

This is actually a very small and rare demographic. Many people find a false accent to be insincere Fraudulent, or copying an accent as a sign of disrespect.

FamiliarityDon't use words you are not familiar with Or attempt to sound more intelligent. This may backfire if you have a difficult time pronouncing the words.

Stick with familiar vocabulary and enunciate your words

InterruptionsRefrain from interrupting co-workersor the client on the phone.

Find a pause where you can jump in politely but give the person enough time to talk

Avoid becoming distracted whileon the phone.

Cross Talk Causes PainCross talk is an intrusion to others on callsIt offends both Customer and TeamShouting in earshot of another is inconsiderate

It can be heard by both the team and receiver equallyInappropriate comments like, stupid jerk or $2#e% make for dissatisfied clients

Just Follow The BasicsMake a good impression with just your conversational skills

Practice your pitch until you can say it naturally and professionally.

Like the Star Spangled BannerThe right lyrics, in key, right order and pitch all will go just fine!