Telephone Excellence by Mike Mitchell

The Importance of Excellent Telephone Technique
By Mike Mitchell

Does your staff answer the telephone in a way that best promotes your department and your company? Do you know how callers perceive your operators, help desk, or call center?

Of the five basic functions of processing a call (answering the call, originating a call, placing a call on hold, transferring a call, and terminating a call) answering a call is most critical. Properly answering the call sets the tone for the ensuing conversation and establishes a relationship between the caller and the person answering the call. When callers perceive that the person answering the phone is alert, confident, well-prepared, and ready to help, they can relax with the assurance that their questions will be accurately answered or problems quickly resolved.

One time, I worked for a company that instilled the importance of properly answering a call and projecting the right image with their slogan, "Every Customer, Every Call, Every Time." This slogan was continually reinforced by managers long after the training staff had departed.

Since our help desk or call center received hundreds of calls daily, our staff had the tendency to slack up a little by the end of their shift. Answering call after call from people with complaints and problems can get quite monotonous and often frustrating. It can be tough to answer every call with the right attitude.

How can we, as managers, keep our staff fresh for every call? Here are some ideas:
* Make sure your group is adequately staffed.
* Allow some wrap-up time after each call, so agents can regroup afterward.
* Use a good script to open the call to help staff stay consistent.
* Provide training and tools.
* Look for opportunities to encourage your staff after an excellent call.

Although I advocate positive motivation and encouragement, we sometimes need to remind our staff of their responsibilities, whether through coaching or through discipline. Agents need to serve our callers and treat them with respect regardless of how they may feel at the time. Our customers should never be able to tell when an employee is having a bad day.

The Walt Disney Company theme parks hire actors, not employees. They are paid to play a specific role in taking care of Disney customers. Think of the telephone as a stage. When the phone rings, the curtain goes up, and your staff is playing the role of an alert, confident, and well-prepared help desk agent or hospital operator. The emphasis should be on the caller, not on the person answering the call.

As leaders, we should demonstrate proper telephone technique with every call we receive - especially calls from our staff. If you answer your calls the way you want your staff to answer calls, they will follow your lead. When calls are answered with the customers in mind, your department's reputation for providing excellent service will spread throughout your organization.

-Mike