People who work on the phones every day are quite exceptional. Not only are they required to often go through the rigors of speaking to more than a hundred different people each day, they also must find ways to endear themselves to complete strangers. To do that, phone agents have to be masters of tone and inflection. They don’t have the luxury of facial expressions and hand to convey their messages.
At the end of the day, no matter what message is attempting to be communicated, it’s important that a phone agent is likeable. Without having the person on the other end of the line actually like the agent he/she is speaking to, the message will often get lost.
So how can you ensure that you’re super likeable on the phone? Here are three suggestions:
1. Smile before you dial.
Did you know that you can “hear” a smile through the phone? Try a little experiment for yourself. Take any written script and record yourself reading it as you would normally speak. Then read it a second time, but have a big smile on your face while doing so. Listen to the two recordings. Notice any difference? More often than not, your tone will automatically become more pleasant when you’re smiling.
On her Dental Phone Excellence Blog, Jayne Brady insists that smiles are used by dentists and their assistants when contacting their patients. “It is hard not to like a person who smiles but very easy to not like someone with no smile!” she writes, “Your patients know when you are smiling on the phone. They may not be able to see you but they can hear a smile!”
2. Do more listening than talking.
To be likeable over the phone, it’s integral that you remember that conversations are meant to be two-way streets. When you allow the person on the other line to express his/her points of view, it shows respect and an appreciation for his/her opinions. After all, the best way to serve your customers is to pinpoint their specific needs and wants. Being an active listener helps you to be an excellent customer service provider.
“Try not to interrupt or cut the other party off while carrying on a conversation,” advises Audrey Hunt on ToughNickel.com, “This is a habit that can and should be broken. Being a good listener is one of the most important rules for good communication. It takes a sincere desire and a good deal of practice to learn this skill but it can be done.”
3. Understand that chewing and chatting don’t mix!
You’d think that this tip wouldn’t be necessary. However, far too many people believe there’s no harm in leisurely chewing gum or even snacking while having their phone conversations. Don’t assume the parties on the other lines won’t notice. It should go without saying that chewing gum, eating food and drinking should be avoided when speaking on the phone.
“Never eat or chew gum while on the phone,” insists Hunt, It’s sometimes hard to understand what a person is saying with food in their mouth. Make it a practice to change this habit if you’re guilty.”
The TK Enterprises Inc. team is made up of phone agents who are masters of the above-mentioned tips. For more information about how our Event Marketing services can put our phone agents to work for your jewelry business, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!