7.1 INTRODUCTION
We encourage positive customer engagement and we there have telephone service standards that must be adhered to. We are committed to the implementation and measurement of these standards as they form the basis of our relationship with our customers. We are aware and acknowledge that all calls, where applicable, will be recorded. Such calls are the company’s property and can be used at any given time for quality control and training purposes.
7.1 PREPARING FOR A CALL
Please use the following points to assist you to prepare for a call
| · Ensure you have the necessary stationary at hand. |
| · Ensure that relevant system you will be using is open. |
| · Sit up straight – you sound more confident and authoritative. |
| · Remove any food from your mouth before talking on the phone. |
| · Speak directly into the receiver-position it directly in front of your mouth. |
7.2 ANSWERING THE CALL
When a customer calls into Epsidon Group it could be that customer’s first contact with the company. If a caller is a present customer with a problem, complaint, or question, it can determine whether he or she remains a customer.
Techniques to be used when answering the phone
- Smile before you answer the call – when you smile, it makes a difference in your voice, and you sound friendlier and more approachable to the caller.
- Take a deep breath before speaking – this will help to control volume, speed, and tone.
- Clear your mind for a moment so you can give the caller your complete attention.
- Speak slowly and pronounce words clearly.
- Don’t shuffle papers while you’re on the phone – it suggests that you are not listening to the caller.
Receiving inbound calls
- The greeting is to identify our department and ourselves.
- Our greeting is “Good day, you are through to (department name), my name is (your name) and how may I assist you?
- Example: “Good day, you are through to Operations, my name is Ben and how may I assist you?”
Verification
For the safety and security of the client we require that he is verified by the following questions of which you may use any three.
- ID number or Company Registration Number
- Postal/Physical Address
- Home/work tell number
- E-Mail address
7.3 GOOD TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE
Request to place the customer on hold
- Do not just place the customer on hold, inform the customer.
- Examples: “One moment while I retrieve the information….” Or “Please hold while I process your request…”
Provide progress
While the customer is on hold, give the customer progress of the call, for example:
- I am still busy with your request…
- A few more seconds before I am done…
- Do you mind holding while I…
Thank the customer for remaining on the line
- Thank the customer for holding on for example:
- Thank you for your patience…
- Thank you for remaining on the line…
- I value your patience…
7.5 HANDLING COMPLAINTS/ IRATE CUSTOMERS
The following techniques will assist in dealing with difficult callers:
- Take notes, do the best you can to capture the essence of the complaint.
- Under no circumstances should you argue. Arguing will only feed the caller’s anger.
- Allow the irate customer to air his/ her grievance without being interrupted.
Perform the following:
- Set up time frames.
- Relay a summary of what the customer has said without the emotion.
- Resolve the problem.
- Follow up with the customer.
- Deal assertively and professionally with all customers, irrespective of their tone or nature.
- We have the right to terminate a call should a caller verbally abuse us, after making the caller aware of
- Recommended script for an abusive caller includes:
- I will only be able to assist if you allow me to ………….
- Could I kindly ask you to refrain from ……….
| C | Calm down |
| L | Listen |
| E | Empathise |
| A | Action |
| R | Respond |
7.6 TRANSFERS AND MESSAGES
Being transferred from one extension to another makes the caller feel very frustrated.
Apply the following steps:
- Ensure to answer the call within 3 rings.
- Provide the next consultant with a brief explanation on what the call is about.
- Explain to the caller why you are transferring him/her.
- In case of an accidental disconnect, give the caller the name, title, and extension of the person to whom you are transferring the call to.
- Remain on the line until the new connection is made.
- Take ownership of every call you receive, even if the call was meant for someone else.
- We will attempt to assist the caller, or if we can’t, we will transfer the call to the right person.
- We will ensure a “warm transfer” by briefing the person to whom we are transferring the call to.
- We commit to taking messages for our colleagues, which include the date and time of the call as well as the correct details of caller.
- We promise to return all calls before the close of business each day (17:00).
- We promise to return calls to callers who left messages on our voicemail, before the close of business each day (17:00).
- We promise to respond to all e-mails before the close of business each day (17:00).
7.7 ENDING THE CALL
- We will always ask our caller before ending the call if there is anything else we can do for them, for example “Mr/Mrs …………., would you need any further assistance before we end the call?”
- Verify key points covered and say that you were happy to be of service (or sorry you were unable to help). You want to leave the caller with the impression of a friendly, helpful business representative. Finish with a polite offer to be of a service again.
- We will end all our calls in a business-like, professional manner, for example “Thank you for calling EPSIDON TECHNOLOGY GROUP, Janet, goodbye”.
- We will always wait for the caller to terminate the call. Should the caller remember to ask something else, the consultant will still be on the line and able to assist.
- We will ensure customer satisfaction by delivering what we promised in the time frame agreed upon and informing the customer if we have not been able to deliver accordingly.
- Where applicable the EPSIDON TECHNOLOGY GROUP team member will send confirmations to the customer.
- If you are transferring the call, “You are going through and thank you for calling EPSIDON TECHNOLOGY GROUP, Good Bye.
7.8 Positive Scripting
| DO NOT SAY | RATHER SAY |
| She is not available | She will be able to assist at…., can I assist now? |
| She went home early | She will be available tomorrow…. |
| He’s not answering | He will only be available later…. Is there something I can assist you with? |
| Sorry to keep you waiting | Thank you for your patience… |
| You must talk to someone in credit control | May I transfer you to…? [State person’s name] |
| Who is speaking? | May I ask who is calling? |
| Where are you calling from? | Could you please give me your contact details |
| What’s it about? | May I please ask what it is connection with? |
| Did you make an appointment? | Are they expecting you? |
| I don’t know | I will find out… |
| I’m afraid | I need to inform you that… |
| “Um” | No replacement, use positive professional scripting |
| Hang on | May I place you on hold while I… |
| “No”, at the beginning of a sentence | No replacement, use positive professional scripting |
| Okay | ‘Yes’, ‘Thank you’ or ‘That is correct’ |
| Possibly | What I am able to do |
| Perhaps | I would like to recommend |
Examples of Positive scripts include:
- Certainly…
- Let me find out …….
- I can assist you with …….
- I will arrange for you ……
7.9 WORLD QUALITY TIPS
Tip 1 – Introduce yourself
| The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” – Tony Robbins |
Welcome our customer to our business and let them know who we are and that we are available to assist them. Good eye contact, a smile, and cheerful disposition are key ingredients to people centred customer service. If possible, we should find out the customer’s name or use it while processing their purchase or query. There is nothing sweeter than hearing your own name. It not only personalises the service, but it helps you to focus in on your customer. We are offering the customer an experience each time they enter our business or call us.
Tip 2 – Give your customer value
| “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs |
Not only are we providing a product, service, or business solution to our internal and external customers, but we are providing an experience and assurance that we take our customer’s time and business seriously. Our customers are the most important reason we are in business. Our customers give us our jobs. Without them we would have no business. Each interaction with our customers has an impact on the success of our business. We can provide value by making eye contact, smiling, and making our customers our utmost priority.
Tip 3 – Discover our customers’ needs
| “It is not the quantity but the quality of knowledge which determines the mind’s dignity.” – William Ellery Channing |
Take genuine interest in our customers and take time to listen to them. By being good listeners, we will be able to find out why they have contacted us, what their needs and wants are, and what we may be able to do to help them get what they want. Discover what they already know about our products or services. We will be better able to serve them by knowing what exactly our customers want.
Tip 4 – Anticipate your customers’ needs
| “Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for. A product is not quality because it is hard to make and costs a lot of money, as manufacturers typically believe. This is incompetence. Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality.” – Peter F. Drucker |
Think about what other things our customers might want or need to achieve their goal. We need to focus on their concern about the specifications and convenience, thereafter, suggest products that will fulfil that need. Ask questions about the concern or if they have found what they may be looking for. Our customers want an experience that fulfils a need or desire.
Tip 5 – Build your customers confidence
| “Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer.” – Rick Pitino |
If our customers have researched a variety of products and have come to us to make a purchase or to gain more information about one of our products or services, acknowledge or compliment them for doing so. We may even learn some information from them about similar products or services. If they do not know much about our products or services, take the time to teach them and commend them for doing their research before purchasing. We may want to compliment them on the choices they have made. Sincerity is the key to a genuine compliment.
Tip 6 – Build trust with your customer
| “Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.”- Anthony Robbins |
Seek assistance when necessary. If we do not know the answer to a customer’s question, we should not try to fake our way through the inquiry. We should ask someone who either knows the answer or who may know someone who does. Our customers would rather wait for the appropriate answer than get a response based on guessing. Let our customers know how long they might have to wait for the purchase or information.
Tip 7 – See complaints as gifts
| “Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility… in the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have… is the ability to take on responsibility.” – Michael Korda |
If we receive a complaint, it is important to acknowledge and thank our customer for bringing it to our attention. A complaint is feedback letting us know that we can change or improve our product, service, or business solutions so that other customers do not have the same experience. We should ask the customer what they feel would rectify the situation. Perhaps we can offer another product in its place, a refund, or an additional discount on their next purchase.
Tip 8 – Be a role model of excellent customer service
| “The qualities of a great man are vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character.” – Dwight David Eisenhower |
Good quality customer service begins with you. Set a good example and teach others about good customer service in your daily interactions. Make eye contact and smile at the person you are doing business with. You will find it makes it hard for someone not to smile back. Address a person by name whenever possible. It helps you focus on the person you are speaking with, and it makes the person you were interacting with feel good as well.
Tip 9 – Have an attitude of gratitude
| “The quality of your work, in the long run, is the deciding factor on how much your service is valued by the world.” – Orison Swett Marden |
We should thank our customers for contacting or choosing us to do business with. We should let them know that we are looking forward to serving them again in the future. We may extend our gratitude with a handshake, a warm welcome or thank you when entering our business, offer a discount on their next purchase, or we may even host a customer appreciation function. When we show our customers that we care about their business and their needs, we can be sure that they will tell others about the service they received, and more people will want to do business with us.