Sounds kind of funny, huh? I mean, don't we all know how to "answer the phone"?
Maybe. Maybe not. At least not as well as we could, perhaps.
Enter sales expert Tony Allesandra. He chimes in with five great reminders for being your best when the telephone rings:
1. When answering the phone in the office, immediately identify your
company, department, and your name. If you are self-employed with a home office, answer by stating your name.
2. When talking to customers, call them by name. Not only will the customer be pleased, but also by repeating the name, you are more likely to remember it the next time. Be sure not to overuse this though, as this habit can be annoying. This also applies when you find a friendly secretary. In the future, you can call her by name and create a rapport.
3. Know yourself and how you sound to others. You can find this out by recording your voice. Then analyze your tone, manners, friendliness, and vocal quality. This is even more helpful if others critique you.
4. Always use the hold button if you must temporarily leave the phone. It is surprising what the person on the line can hear, and you may inadvertently embarrass yourself -- or the other person.
5. Excuse yourself when leaving the line. A simple, "One minute, please, Jim," will do before you put him on hold. Then make sure you check back in and reassure the customer every 20 to 30 seconds that you have not forgotten him. If you must do this more than twice, it is probably better to call back when you are able to talk.
We often forget how much of an impact our initial telephone presence has with our future clients. Sometimes, it sets the tone for the rest of the business relationship (or spells an early end to that potential relationship).
Dr. Allesandra has great stuff to offer sales professionals, and we encourage you to check out his resources.
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