Transcript Document
WELCOME TO UNIT 6 Customer Service MT 221 Marilyn Radu, Instructor Tonight’s Agenda Tonight I am going to review the following topics with you: •Nonverbal communication •Effective telephone communication In general, what percentage of a spoken message consists of nonverbal signals? 1. 25 2. 35 3. 55 4. 10 If you were president of a company, would you use voice mail to better serve your customers? • Yes • No Are you generally tolerant and do not get too upset if you are put on hold for more than one minute? 1. Yes 2. No Unit 6 Nonverbal Communication Objectives • Understand the elements and interpretations of body language • Cite examples of business etiquette and manners • Detail the essential customer service skills needed when communicating over the phone • Understand the purpose of voicemail and how to leave a customerfriendly message • Learn how to evaluate the quality and delivery of your voice, especially when speaking on the phone • Distinguish between outbound and inbound telemarketing Customer-Friendly Body Language • Body language includes tone of voice, eye movement, posture, hand gestures, facial expressions, and more. • These nonverbal cues are more immediate, instinctive, and uncontrolled than verbal expressions. A Message Consists of: • 55% of the message = Nonverbal signals • 38% of the message = Tone of voice • 7% of the message = The words we use Therefore, 93% of every conversation is interpreted through body language. Major Elements of Body Language • Eye Contact – the eyes communicate more than any other part of the human anatomy • Tone of Voice – this is especially important on the phone when visual cues are missing • Smiling – this shows customers that you enjoy helping them • Posture – an alert posture tells the customer that you are interesting in helping • Gestures – using gestures contributes to how your total message is interpreted Answering the Telephone • Telephone greetings help form first impressions with customers • Key elements of a telephone greeting – The department or company name, your name, and an offer of assistance – Example: “Customer service, this is Melissa. How may I help you?” Answering the Telephone The Basic Process • Stay close to the phone • Be friendly and pleasant • Do not use technical language or abbreviations • Always remain courteous, even if the caller is not • Have paper and pencil handy to take notes • Bring closure to the call Transferring Calls • Strategies to use – State what you can do, not what you cannot do – Avoid using the word “transfer” – Pass along customer information – Stay on the line – Don’t guess who to transfer a call to – Do transfer the customer, if that is his or her preference Reminders When Placing Callers on Hold • Tell the caller why you would like to put him or her on hold, and ask for permission to do so • Keep callers on hold no longer than 45 seconds • Thank the customer for holding • Offer to call the customer back instead of putting him or her on hold • Check back frequently Handling Irate Callers • Surveys show that almost 75% of people who complain will do business with the same company in the future if the problem is resolved quickly and to the customer’s satisfaction. Voicemail–Outgoing Greeting and Leaving a Message • Recording an outgoing greeting – State your name and title and give reasons you cannot answer the phone at this time – Request key information from the caller – Remember to return calls promptly • Leaving a voicemail message – State your name, date/time, company name and why you are calling – Say what you would like the recipient to do – Give reasons for the request – Say, “Thank you.” – Finish with providing your phone number clearly stated Voice Qualities While Speaking on the Phone • General guidelines for using your voice – Use a steady, moderate rate of speech – Never allow your voice to become overly loud or shrill – Keep a smile in your voice – Increase the energy in your voice Any Questions? Thank you for attending! See you next week.