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6 STEPS
TO BETTERING YOUR STAFF’S
PHONE SKILLS
WITHOUT A PHONE SCRIPT
Copyright 2015 © Century Interactive. All rights reserved.
P
hone calls are an integral part of your business. They are 3 times more likely to
convert than other types of leads. Are you making sure that your staff is trained to
provide quality customer service on the phone? Following a predetermined phone
script and having great phone skills are very different. According to SalesForce,
customer service is the most important factor in determining how much a customer
trusts your company.
If your staff is following a memorized phone script, they are likely to lose personality
and feel less natural on the phone. Your staff may also make mistakes that can cost
customers if the phone script doesn’t match up with a caller’s needs or questions.
A lack of phone training, however, can be just as detrimental to the quality of your
customer service.
The best way to train your staff and create a personalized caller experience is to
focus on key points of a conversation. Using a call outline, rather than a script,
allows employees to put customer service at the center of each call.
Stop memorizing call scripts, and start creating a conversation that works for your
business.
Create the perfect call outline
including these 6 key sections:
Introduce yourself and your business.
Gather background information.
Get to know the caller.
Investigate the caller’s needs.
Request the appointment.
Review key points and close the conversation.
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Introduce yourself and your business
The two most important things to state during an introduction are the employee’s
name and your business name. If your employee contacted the caller, ensure he or
she asks if it’s a good time for the customer to talk before jumping into conversation.
If not, have your staff apologize and ask when the best time to try calling again is.
If a call is an interruption in the customer’s day, the customer is likely to become
frustrated and disengaged. The introduction of each phone call should be reflective of your business and
culture. Do you have a company mission statement or slogan that makes customers
familiar with your business? Add that in the introduction portion of your call outline.
Call introductions should be all about your business, so make sure your call outline
reflects that. Each staff member can add his or her personality more throughout the
rest of the call.
Here are a couple of examples of memorable introductions:
It’s a great day at Henry’s Pet Shop. This is John. How can I help you or
your furry friend?
Thanks for calling Trim and Slim. This is Cindy. How can I help you reach
your fitness goals?
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Gather background information
This portion of the call is where your staff will ask questions tailored toward the
customer and how he or she uses your business. Be sure to gather the caller’s basic
information, including his or her name, phone number and backup phone number,
before moving forward.
Make sure the questions asked in this section of the call are basic and will help your
team assist customers later during the call.
Questions to add to this section of your call outline could be:
How long have you been using our services?
Do you have an upcoming appointment?
When was the last time you were in for an appointment?
Who did you see or speak with last time you were in our office?
Which of our products are you using?
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Get to know the caller
Don’t jump into business mode right away! Call scripts don’t leave room for
personality, so it’s important that a call outline allows the ability to create
relationships with customers. Once your staff has gathered the caller’s basic
information, have them build a little rapport. They should ask how the caller’s day is
going and continue to use his or her name to build a relationship. It’s important to be
aware of manners, tone of voice and personality to create trust with the caller.
According to an American Express Survey in 2011, 3 of 5 Americans said they
would try a new brand or company for a better service experience. Make sure your
business’s service goes beyond addressing the caller’s needs by focusing on the
customer relationship.
Relationships also lead to loyal customers, and loyal customers are some of your
best salespeople. Take time to build a connection and grow your business’s network.
Customers will remember your business and gladly refer you.
www.centuryinteractive.com | 855-979-1936
Investigate the caller’s needs
Once your staff has built trust with the customer, have them use open-ended
questions to find out how they can help the caller. Keep in mind when you design
your call outline that your primary goal is not to sell anything, but rather to connect
with customers and address their needs. According to Impact Communications,
70% of people make purchasing decisions to solve problems. Only 30% make
decisions to gain something. Align your staff’s conversation with the customer’s
needs, questions and concerns so the caller leaves the conversation feeling like he
or she gained value from it.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Sarah calls in to Bill’s office. She is a longtime customer calling to say
that the product she purchased from his company broke. Sarah wants to
know if she can send her product in to be repaired.
Bill is taught to have one mindset on the phone: sell. It was an integral
part of his phone training and is embedded in the phone script he uses
every day. After apologizing to Sarah for her broken product, Bill starts
offering her upgraded products she can buy to replace her old model.
Sarah becomes angry, and starts asking questions like, “Are you even
listening to me? I don’t want a new product! I want my current one
repaired.” Sarah then asks to speak to Bill’s boss about her concerns.
An angry customer could have been avoided if Bill had simply strayed
from his script, and aligned his conversation with helping Sarah fix her
product. Stay focused on selling your customer service, not your product.
www.centuryinteractive.com | 855-979-1936
Request the appointment
After figuring out what the customer needs, have your staff invite him or her in for an
appointment! 61% of searchers who place a call are already ready to buy. It’s your job
to give them that opportunity. Train your staff to always invite a customer in for an
appointment. Only 12% of callers will decline an appointment invitation.
Once the customer has been invited in, be sure your staff sets a firm time
and date. Customers have a lot of decisions to make throughout the day don’t let making an appointment be another difficult one. Have your team
give each caller two appointment options to choose from. When the
decision is easier, the caller is likely to choose one of the two options.
Again, the point of the phone call is to build trust and investigate the
customer’s needs. Your staff can better help the customer in person.
www.centuryinteractive.com | 855-979-1936
Review key points and close the conversation
Before ending the conversation, have your employees review what was discussed
and double check the customer’s contact information. Have them ask if there
is anything else they can do to help, and ensure that the caller has no lingering
questions.
Does your business have a follow-up protocol? If so, include those steps
in this portion of the call outline. Make sure your team lets callers know
someone from your business will be contacting them, and asks what the
best time to do so is.
Have your outline include saying your business name once more at the
end of the call. But most importantly, make sure your staff thanks the
customer for calling! Customers have a choice of who they do business
with, and each caller should know your team appreciates his or her
business. Leave the door open for the customer to call you back if he or
she needs to.
www.centuryinteractive.com | 855-979-1936
During every call, concentrate on providing the caller with the best service possible. Train
your team to follow steps, not words! When your staff’s personality comes through and
each call is tailored to a caller’s needs, your business is much more likely to gain that
customer’s trust.
To help you get started, here is an example of a call outline:
INTRO
A. State name.
B. Include company name and slogan.
BACKGROUND INFO
A. What is the caller’s name, phone number and backup phone number?
B. When was the caller last in for an appointment?
C. Does he or she have an existing appointment scheduled?
D. What was discussed during the caller’s last appointment?
CONNECT
A. Ask about the caller’s day.
B. Repeat the caller’s name.
INVESTIGATE
A. Ask open ended questions.
B. Listen! Pause before speaking.
REQUEST THE APPOINTMENT
A. Give two appointment time/date options.
REVIEW KEY POINTS AND CLOSE THE CONVERSATION
A. Let the caller know you will email him/her directions to the office.
B. Double check the caller’s information, and close using his/her name.
Following a phone call outline, rather than a script, allows for fluidity and personality.
www.centuryinteractive.com | 855-979-1936
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