SUDBURY • NORTH BAY • TIMMINS

Your customers make judgments about your abilities and credibility every time your staff answers the telephone. For most businesses, the telephone is still the primary point of contact for many customers. Effectively managing your business’ telephone standards can have a positive impact on your bottom line. Our telephone operators have an average of 13 years of service and they all participate in ongoing training. Many of you have us answer your calls at specified times during the day or after hours. Here are some helpful hints for the times when your own staff are answering your calls. Ensure that every member of your staff receives adequate telephone training. The telephone should not be allowed to ring more than three times before it is answered by a customer service representative. Of course, it is best to answer it on the first ring when possible. Each person who answers the phone should answer the same way. Professional greetings consist of three parts: The greeting, the company identity and the individual identity. For example, “Good morning, ABC Widgets, John speaking”. Together, the three elements provide a concise, courteous greeting that establishes your business as one that is ready to meet the caller’s needs. It is important to remember that the way a caller is treated on the phone creates an indelible impression upon him or her. For many callers, the phone call will determine whether or not they become a customer. Telephone greeters must be trained to understand that they have the first and best opportunity to demonstrate the high level of customer care that your organization offers. Greeters should always answer with a smile. Smiling helps the voice sound friendly and warm to callers. Telephone greeters must enunciate clearly and speak at a reasonable pace. Employees who rush through the telephone greeting imply that the customer on the telephone is an imposition. A caller should never have to ask, “Is this ABC Widgets?” Avoid the use of slang. Never allow a greeter to ask a customer to “hang on”. Instead, greeters should ask callers for their permission to put them on hold and remember to check back with callers on hold every 45 seconds to ensure that the caller knows he will be receiving service promptly. If possible, give callers alternatives to waiting on hold, such as leaving a message with the greeter, or transferring to voice mail. One of the most important things you can do to convey your professionalism is to promptly return calls. Employees who spend time out of the office should make an effort to check their messages several times each day in order to provide prompt service to callers. All calls should be returned within one business day, and preferably within four hours. By following these simple guidelines, you can convey a sense of competence and professionalism to every caller.

Our message centre can help provide the staffing to address those widespread customers, at costs far below that of in-house personnel. Whether providing warm, friendly greetings to customers at any time of the day or night or accepting customer orders, our message center can provide affordable, professional solutions to staffing problems for growing businesses.

United Way Payroll Deduction Campaign A Success