Smile, you’re on the phone ;)
Did you know that the simple act of smiling when you answer the phone can change increase your customer satisfaction? It true! People can hear when you smile. Don’t believe it? Leave yourself two messages – one when you are smiling and one when you are not – then listen to the results. The call when you were smiling will sound generally more pleasant.
Below are 5 more tips that will help you improve your phone etiquette.
1. Try to answer the phone by the 3rd ring. Everyone is busy these days, and answering the telephone promptly shows the person on the other end that you respect their time.
2. Instead of answering your phone, “Adamson Insurance!”, say something like, “Adamson Insurance, this is Katie. How may I help you?” Answering the phone this way only takes three seconds longer but allows the caller to learn 3 important things: who you are, where you work, and that you want to help them.
3. Pay attention. What does this mean? Don’t multitask. Keep a notepad by the phone to jot down notes. Actively listen. While it may be tempting to finish the task you were in the middle of when the phone rang, don’t. The person on the other end of the phone can tell if you sound distracted.
4. Speak slowly and clearly. While you may be familiar with certain terms such as underwriting and beneficiary, the person on the other end may not know what you are talking about. By speaking slowly and clearly, you give the person one the other end a chance to ask questions and understand the insurance process better.
5. Extend phone etiquette to making calls. If you miss a call, return the missed call promptly. If the caller left a message, be sure to listen to the message so you know who called and why they called. If you tell someone you are going to call them back at a certain time, be sure to call them at that time. No one wants to be left waiting by the phone.
The biggest trick to good phone etiquette is to treat phone conversations as if they were happening face to face. By being polite and friendly over the phone, people will be more likely to remember the pleasant experience they had working with your agency.
