How to answer the phone and gain new customers before your competitor does

[PCX]

Ok, this is not a how to, but an open discussion about how to properly answer the phone and gain customers before your competitor does OR how to keep them from wanting to call anyone else. Basically, how do we close the deal and make these potential customers want to do business with us and ONLY us --without devaluing our services or coming off as desperate.

Fortunately for us, we are very good at selling the immediate and absolutely necessary services for each of our customers as well as up-selling necessary services and products that would ALSO benefit them. Basically, once we get them in the door, we are good to go. However, I am noticing that we are not always the best at the initial --we'll call it the interview process-- given by our potential customers. Since this is an area that I would personally like to improve in our business, I thought it would be a good idea to open this topic for discussion and share some thoughts, insights and ideas as well as ask any questions we may have.

I have done a lot of research on this matter and I have found that a lot of advice given is simply regurgitated over and over again or simply not tailored towards the type of services that we provide in our given field.

What I would like to see is

Tips and tricks
Methods
Sample scripts
Case scenarios and examples


I will start off by stating what I know, what we currently do and what we plan on changing.

 

[PCX]

As I said before, we are not aways so great at the initial interview process with out customers.

This is due to a lot of reasons, but most often times it is due to answering the phone while dealing with the typical annoyances and frustrations of the every day computer shop. Some of these include

- Problematic computers
- Which usually result in repairs that take longer than expected
- Problematic customers
- Which for us is usually the customer not understanding that we will call them when we have an update or when their repairs are complete. For some reason, they believe that if they call enough times during any given day, that their repairs will automatically be done.
- other problems could of course be in-house like employee disputes or disappointment in your employees
- Problems at home
- And any number of other issues

Anyways, these annoyances and frustrations can easily set the tone for the rest of the day and bleed through in our conversations with our potential customers. Allowing this to happen gives our customers the impression that we are too busy for them, or that we are impatient and unwilling to meet their needs. It can also come off as a lack of customer care and quality customer service. This can be avoided by literally stopping everything you are doing, gain your composure, and literally (physically) smile.

For us, this is not always easy due to our work load and it is even easier to forget and implement --this is something we will have to force our selves to do as a habit.

One thing I am working on now is a simple script on how to initially answer the phone. Right now, we typically say something like "The PCX, This is Dean speaking" or even shorter "PCX . . . " The problem with this, especially being men, is that we do not come off all sweet (like most women) or jovial, which in turn makes us harder to be received over the phone. In fact, I have had friends tell me that myself and one of my techs (ironically a great salesmen) come of very blunt, as if we are too busy to deal with them. However, once we are in the actual conversation, we do not sound that way at all, but what is important is that how we answer the phone automatically sets the tone for the rest of the conversation, even if we continue our conversation more enthusiastically. So, this is something we need to change.

A few suggestions I have read is to say "Good afternoon (or what ever is appropriate for the time of day), this is The PCX, how may I help you" others suggest that you should also include your name, but then it seems like your opening just goes on and on. One thing that is unanimously agreed upon, is that you should always open with your business name, regardless of how the rest of your opening goes. My hardest thing about figuring out what works best, is also figuring out what does not sound cheesy or too corporate like --you know, like when you call a big box store and they take like 5 minutes to say hi, who you have called XYZ Company, this is Bob speaking, have you heard of our promotion, and if you would like . . . . I think you get my point.

Another thing that I am working on with one of my techs is his tone of voice. Because he is not used to dealing with customers over the phone, he is very dry and monotone. Ironically, he has a very funny and lively personality. However, on the phone he always sounds like he is about to give bad news, which makes bad news sound even worse. I tried to explain to him the importance of sympathizing with customers and showing that you care, as well as showing the good in a what may seem like a bleak situation. I tried to explain to him the importance of smiling and how it actually works. He of course laughed this off and did not believe me. So, I said, "ok, lets try this. For now on, when ever you talk to a customer, I want you to look at this picture" I pull up an image of some actress (nothing inappropriate) who he was obviously attracted to. "This should put a smile on your face right?" He of course smiled and laughed, and automatically changed his tone even when speaking to me. He of course was all about this idea and quickly realized that it does in fact work. I say do what ever works (please no crude comments about this).

These are just some of the observations that I have made, the things we have tried, and the things we are learning. Anyways, I hope that this thread will spark some good discussion.

 

[Steve202]

Around 12 months ago, I had my main number diverted to my mobile which sometimes I couldn't answer and I found I was losing a lot of customers to my competitors because of this. Also my telephone answering skills aren't the best and so my conversion rates where pretty poor. Although once I established a conversation with my customers, I have no problem talking to them or getting a booking.

I found myself a telephone answering service to answer my calls. They take a message and pass the message details to myself where I can ring the customer. Because the initial contact has already been made, I feel more comfortable talking to the customer and so my bookings have increased along with sales.

 

[Martyn]

Around 12 months ago, I had my main number diverted to my mobile which sometimes I couldn't answer and I found I was losing a lot of customers to my competitors because of this. Also my telephone answering skills aren't the best and so my conversion rates where pretty poor. Although once I established a conversation with my customers, I have no problem talking to them or getting a booking.

I found myself a telephone answering service to answer my calls. They take a message and pass the message details to myself where I can ring the customer. Because the initial contact has already been made, I feel more comfortable talking to the customer and so my bookings have increased along with sales.

That's interesting. Who do you use and how does it work? My landline goes through to my mobile and I pay 25p per call. If they don't leave a message I always call back and rarely don't get the job. Of course if they hide their number i'm stuck.

 

[Steve202]

That's interesting. Who do you use and how does it work? My landline goes through to my mobile and I pay 25p per call. If they don't leave a message I always call back and rarely don't get the job. Of course if they hide their number i'm stuck.

answer.co.uk

They have a PAYG package and you pay per call (£0.80 to £1 per call depending on how much you top up by). When you sign up, they give you a number which you divert your calls to, you then setup your call instructions for each person working for you and also default calling instructions. When someone rings they answer the phone for you with your company name (for instance, they will say Good morning/afteroon, SJH Computing how may I help you), take a message and either email or send you a text message.

Also if you've got a customer who rings often, you can set call instructions just for that customer. I've got a customer who I deal with and his situation is rather sensitive, so when he rings they will pass a personal message on to him, such as I'll ring him back on his mobile or I'll email him etc.

Thats just the basics. I think you can have calls put through to your mobile (I think you have to sign up for a different service though), you can block numbers from calling (useful for sales calls), update your status (available, busy, away etc) via twitter and analyze calls (when you receive the most calls, whos called the most times, etc).

Not only that, but almost every customer comments on my "receptionist" and how professional she was.

They've got a trial, where you ring pretending to be a customer so you can see how things sound if you do decide to use them

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I don't get too excited about the phone.

In my jobs in the past...I was always brief and I suppose rather boring in answering....answer the office phone by saying "<company name>, this is Brian". If it's my cell phone, they just get "This is Brian".

I can't stand canned lengthy fake cheery long drag on sentences when I call other places...I just want to get to talking to the person I need to be and get to the meat of the matter. So I don't answer the phone with long fake cheery lines that make me sound like I just graduated from secretary school!

Granted...we're about business customers....and most of our calls are existing customers....our reputation and skills precede our phone personalities. We have our bubbly sounding female office manager that usually answers the office lines during 0830-1630....else...the rest of the calls, or to our cell phones....the 4 of us techs are typically "dry" in our answering personalities. And that's OK.

When I realize that the caller may be a potential new client...I will immediately shift as necessary into a much more "OK you have my attention and I'm smiling and eager to hear you" personality. And all I have to do is get a "meet 'n greet" face to face with the potential new business client...and there's where my real strength comes in. If it's a potential new business client..chances are it came in via a referral...so I already have a good chance of getting face to face.

Realizing this thread topic is probably more towards those that own retail store fronts and cater to home users...yeah that's why I don't bother much...if it's a home user that's calling because their 69 dollar inkjet isn't printing..I will sound annoyed and bothered on the phone.

 

[glricht]

PCX, thanks for starting this thread. It's a topic that many small businesses, not just PC tech businesses, would benefit from.

I went to a small business seminar a few years ago and one of the sessions was on answering the phone. The speaker said what you say and how you say it is extremely important. Let's face it, for the first-time caller, it can set the stage for how receptive they'll be to becoming a customer.

I don't recall all the points, but here's what I remember:

1. Start with some form of initial greeting. "Hello" is OK, but better is "Good Morning", "Good Afternoon" (whatever). Use what you might say when meeting someone face-to-face.
2. State the name of your business in no more than 2-3 words. If the business's official name is 4-or-more words, shorten it.
3. Always include your name. It lets people know who they're talking to and begins to quickly build rapport.
4. "Say It With A Smile" (SIWAS). Actually put a smile on your face. People can't see you but the smile automatically gives your voice a pleasant sound. A friendly tone makes people want to do business with you.
5. Keep it short. No sales spiels, phone menus, etc.
6. Try to get the other person's name as soon as feasible and then use it in the conversation. ("Jim, does the blue light come on when you press the power button?")

After that seminar, I listened closely to how other businesses answered their phone and talked to me, and how it made me feel. Really made a difference!

p.s. our phone greeting is "Good [Morning|Afternoon|Evening], C&G, this is [first name]"

 

[mr m]

I work out of a home office and target residential consumers. My biz line is call forwarded to my cell 24X7. This way, no matter where I am, I get the call and the client hears a real voice. If I'm busy on site I politely cut them short by explaining I'm with a customer and will call back or I make an appt.

I've been told numerous times that I got their business because I was the first person to answer the call. If they get a machine a lot of new customers move on to the next name.

Don't underestimate the importance of customer relations. When I worked for the corporate man my raises were based more on customer satisfaction than technical ability. You aren't just fixing a computer. Listen to what the client says. Really, look them in the eye and listen to what they are saying. Some customers don't give a ****. It's just another appliance. Just fix it. Others are leaving you their youngest child. Meet their expectations and you have a client for life.

You also have to learn how to control the situation. You are the expert, not them. Of course you have to be able to resolve their issues. This is why I'm mostly residential. I can't deliver the level of excellence I'm used to providing with todays servers and networks. NT 3.51 + 4.0 were the servers I knew inside out and enterprise networking circa 1980-1995. I wish someone would mentor me the way I mentored numerous techs back in the day when I was a senior field hardware engineer. I miss fixing hardware! All there is for me now is simple keyboard dancing and swapping out parts.

People like dealing with humans, not automatons reading from a freaking script. Nobody likes a condescending, smarty-pants know it all. Empathy, trust, honesty and a sense of humor are great assets no matter what you do in life.

 

[ajm]

That's interesting. Who do you use and how does it work? My landline goes through to my mobile and I pay 25p per call. If they don't leave a message I always call back and rarely don't get the job. Of course if they hide their number i'm stuck.

I also use answer.co.uk on their PAYG service. found them to be brilliant and can also block out sales called and get credit for these calls.

 

[PCX]

@Gary

Initially, I called all my competitors, posing as a customer about 6 months ago and was amazed at how terrible they sounded on the phone. Most of them sounded like jerks, or like they had no time for me, or that everything I was saying was wrong. I even had one guy keep arguing with me that my hard drive was NOT in fact failing and that it was only a virus and he had been doing this for so many years, bla bla bla bla. Anyways, after making all those calls, I made it a point to never sound like them, ever. So, we are most certainly better than our competition, but I believe there is room for improvement.

The greeting that I have settled on is

"Good Morning, this is Dean with The PCX. How may I help you?"

I have also come up with a layout for how I would like the rest of the call to go and I will post back on the results.

@To everyone who does not think this is a big deal

I am sure that answering phones well or answering them poorly can have a significant impact on your business. It is your customers first impressions of you and your business. That said, if I were a business client, I would probably want to cut through all the crap and just get a straight answer.

I am taking this part of my business very serious and I have come up with a few simple ways of determining our success and it would not be a bad idea for the rest you to do the same. Here is what I am going to do.

- Find out the average number of calls that come in each day. I will have to call my phone provider for this. If I can, I will figure out the number of calls each day between the hours of 9am to 6pm.

- Start tracking calls from here on out. I will use these next couple of months to get an idea of how many calls in the past have simply been from people looking for items or calling about services that we do not provide. There will be a small percentage of people who are simply calling the wrong computer shop or even the wrong store all together. Our tracking sheet will include the following information

* How many rings it took for us to pickup or if we had to call back
* Name
* Phone number (caller ID)
* Previous or new customer (good to know)
* How they found out about us (can be used as a sales technique especially if they found you through something like google reviews)
* The type of service they are asking about
* If they asked about a diagnostic fee
* If they asked about a military discount (or if we offered one)
* Notes
* And I am sure I will have more. I know I did laying there in bed last night.

Gathering all this information for the next couple of months should give me an idea of what calls were what in the last several months as well as track our progress. I am also going to be writing up some scripts today to handle certain situations that are common. As I work on them and refine them, I will post them for your critique or use.

Finally, I know we get tons of calls each day (or at least it feels like it) and we are not getting nearly as much business from these calls as I would expect. The fact is, of these calls, I think only a small percentage is making it into the shop. That said, we do have quite a bit of competition for our area and I am sure that our prices factor in. This also means that we need to make the call less about the price and more about quality and convenience. Ironically enough, even with all our competition and higher prices, we are still the busiest shop in our area, BUT we could be busier.

 

['putertutor]

PCX, thanks for starting this thread. It's a topic that many small businesses, not just PC tech businesses, would benefit from.

I went to a small business seminar a few years ago and one of the sessions was on answering the phone. The speaker said what you say and how you say it is extremely important. Let's face it, for the first-time caller, it can set the stage for how receptive they'll be to becoming a customer.

I don't recall all the points, but here's what I remember:

1. Start with some form of initial greeting. "Hello" is OK, but better is "Good Morning", "Good Afternoon" (whatever). Use what you might say when meeting someone face-to-face.
2. State the name of your business in no more than 2-3 words. If the business's official name is 4-or-more words, shorten it.
3. Always include your name. It lets people know who they're talking to and begins to quickly build rapport.
4. "Say It With A Smile" (SIWAS). Actually put a smile on your face. People can't see you but the smile automatically gives your voice a pleasant sound. A friendly tone makes people want to do business with you.
5. Keep it short. No sales spiels, phone menus, etc.
6. Try to get the other person's name as soon as feasible and then use it in the conversation. ("Jim, does the blue light come on when you press the power button?")

After that seminar, I listened closely to how other businesses answered their phone and talked to me, and how it made me feel. Really made a difference!

p.s. our phone greeting is "Good [Morning|Afternoon|Evening], C&G, this is [first name]"

All of this is accurate. There is no doubt that a person on the other end can 'hear' much more than just what you are saying. Smile, use their name, listen attentively. It all ads to the caller's vision of who they are dealing with and can change your success rate for the better.

The one thing I always found too restrictive was the greeting. I, personally, like to know that not only is there a live person on the other end, but that they have a personality as well. A canned greeting, no mater how short and 'sale-pitch-free' is still a canned greeting. I am a one man shop, but back in the day when I ran a company with employees, I trained them in how to communicate on the phone (basically all that stuff in glricht's post), but I also let them modify and make the greeting their own. Some stuck with the "Good morning......" bit, but others made their greeting match their personality.

You have to judge for your own company what works for you, and being a one man shop definitely makes this easier. I'd be curious to hear CallThatGirl's take on this.

 

[PCX]

All of this is accurate. There is no doubt that a person on the other end can 'hear' much more than just what you are saying. Smile, use their name, listen attentively. It all ads to the caller's vision of who they are dealing with and can change your success rate for the better.

The one thing I always found too restrictive was the greeting. I, personally, like to know that not only is there a live person on the other end, but that they have a personality as well. A canned greeting, no mater how short and 'sale-pitch-free' is still a canned greeting. I am a one man shop, but back in the day when I ran a company with employees, I trained them in how to communicate on the phone (basically all that stuff in glricht's post), but I also let them modify and make the greeting their own. Some stuck with the "Good morning......" bit, but others made their greeting match their personality.

You have to judge for your own company what works for you, and being a one man shop definitely makes this easier. I'd be curious to hear CallThatGirl's take on this.

You are absolutely right, canned responses suck and they sound just as fake to the customer as they do to us. That said, I think that they give is a good place to start, especially if you are inexperienced with customer service over the phone. I think that a script can be used a a guide line as well. There are certain things you want to say or ask, but how you say it should match your personality (hopefully its a good one) and come naturally. Having a canned response or script if not done right can be just a damaging as not being prepared at all.

 

[TechLady]

I don't get too excited about the phone.

...Realizing this thread topic is probably more towards those that own retail store fronts and cater to home users...yeah that's why I don't bother much...if it's a home user that's calling because their 69 dollar inkjet isn't printing..I will sound annoyed and bothered on the phone.

LOL Stonecat.

After so many years doing secretarial work and retail I pretty much hate the phone. I'm sweet as pie on it but I really hate it. I prefer to call customers back after I've had a chance to mull over their problem, which gives me a chance to sound more organized and also I don't get pushed into a corner as easily. That said, I think an answering service is ideal if talking on the phone isn't your strong point on that initial contact.

 

[Bashfu11]

When I first started working in a small computer repair shop I had someone up front receive the computers when they came in for repair, call for approval, release the system, etc....

I maintain this system could work given the right personell, but I learned the wrong way how to do things. I thought as customers as numbers and had no sympathy for their problems because I never dealt with them. When I picked up the phone to answer a call out of the blue I know I sounded like a jerk, because I felt like I was being interrupted. And my attitude reflected that.

After actually speaking with people on the phone, up at the front counter when they dropped a system off for repair, and when I am quoting them for repair, I came to realize that they too are people with feelings. I was appauled with the perception I had of customers.

Now I always try to be the brightest person I can be when I pick up the phone without coming across as fake, laugh with them, sympathize, and don't be a robot. Kill them with genuine kindness, but at the same time don't roll over when they make unrealistic requests. Stand by your policies the same as you would your real world morals, but offer explanations and alternatives when new customers are not satisfied. I don't know about you guys but I have little to no respect for a 'professional' that can be manipulated into sacrificing their (or their Companies) values to lure in a new customer who calls out of the blue.

I am no expert in the matter, but I feel like you reap what you sow. If you answer the phone with attitude you are setting the stage for a bad customer relationship.

Everybody, including myself, could learn alot from this thread. Excellent work!

 

[rjframe]

Something I learned from my previous job: when talking to a customer on the phone, it's just like any other customer contact point: nothing else matters. I set aside whatever I'm working on and focus solely on that conversation. Anything else can wait (unless I'm in the car -- then I sometimes pay attention to the road also). I don't want them to feel like I'm interrupting anything or I'm distracted. I either have a notebook in front of me or I ask if I can record the conversation so I don't need to rely on my memory.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

LOL Stonecat.

After so many years doing secretarial work and retail I pretty much hate the phone.

Aww TL....not intended to put down those who work/worked that job, was just illustrating the "fake canned" voice that one could imagine some high volume adult continuing education center trying to teach volumes of robots.

Instead of allowing oneself to... "Be themselves".

 

[robert152]

I've been to a few formal phone training seminars, which I would recommend to anyone that answers a phone. I will kind of break down what we were taught.

"Thank you for calling (Computer Company), this is (name)." It's very clear and concise.

"Thank you for calling..."
Reason you start out with thank you for calling is that most people don't hear the first word(s) you say. Basically these are filler words.

"...(Computer Company)..."
Most people tend not to hear the first word or few words that are said when someone answers...Mainly due to them being caught thinking of other things and it takes them a split second to focus in on the call.

"... this is (your name)."
You end with your name, because studies show that it makes the call feel more personal and people are less inclined to yell at you. Plus, it helps them remember who you are since it was the last thing said.

A few more tips:

1. Answer the phone promptly! Make it a point to pick it up no later than the second ring.

2. Smile, while on the phone. Your mood/facial expressions really do show on the phone.

3. If you have an irate customer, the best thing to do is just listen. Don't cut them off, let them vent. After they are done, offer a solution.

Hopefully this helps someone, perhaps even save you a few hundred dollars.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Aside from the stuff mentioned express passion for your work and the issue the customers calling about. If they know/believe you have a passion for computer repair and resolving their issue they will be more likely to trust you to do the job right.

 

[HCHTech]

Excellent thread, PCX. I can second the notion that how you answer the phone is WAY more important than you might think it is. I do mobile work only, and I can remember back when I was doing everything myself but getting pretty busy... I started thinking of each phone call as an imposition on my time and it really came through in my voice. I'll bet my conversion rate dropped by 50% during that period.

When I convinced my dear wife to start working for the business (who has a great phone demeanor), we started converting almost every call into a customer. I started liking my job again and we had more work - win win.

I hear from customers all the time "How nice it is to speak to someone who is pleasant and interested in my problem." and... "I called XXX first and they almost sounded MEAN on the phone!" and... "I called 4 places and you were the ONLY one to call me back!"

Lastly, although we work hard at calling folks back quickly if they got the machine, I regularly find that if even 10 minutes elapses: "Oh, thanks for calling but I found someone else."

 

[nightkingdoms]

I know it sounds a little fake, but it works for me all the time.

"Thank you for calling COMPANY_NAME, my name is YOUR_NAME, how can I assist you today?"

As soon as the caller gives their brief explanation of the issue, I respond with:

"I can certainly help you out with that, ..."

Then go on to asking questions about what they said.

Always finish off with asking if there's anything else I can help them with and if not, thank them for calling and tell them to have a good day.