ANSWER THE PHONE WITH PIZZAZZ AND GET THE YES

The first person your clients encounter is the one who answers the phone, which is why front office phone training is so important. It is that first impression that sets the tone for the customer experience and having a successful interaction with a potential client is critical in making sure that call becomes a consultation and eventually a new client.  Consistency is key; training every member of your team to conduct phone calls in the same manor will not only impress your clients but make them feel comfortable and ready to say YES.

Create a lasting first impression in 6 easy steps and set up your sale with Hello.

1. The greeting:

Keep it short, to the point and catchy.  You want to portray confidence and knowledge.  You have probably heard “answer with a smile” and as cliché as it is, it works!  If you are busy or stressed, take a deep breath before you pick up the phone to help you transition to a new call.  That call is important to the person on the other side of the line, and they deserve your relaxed and best attention. 

“It’s a beautiful day at (name of your business), this is (your name), how may I assist you?”

“It’s a beautiful day” is catchy and they can’t help to feel good when they hear it.

“at (name of your business)”  let’s them know they called the right place.

“this is (your name)” tells them who they are talking with.

“how may I assist you?” shows them you are knowledgeable enough to use proper English and are there for them.

2. Connect with the caller:

“May I have your name and a phone number to call you back in case we get disconnected”.  “Thank you (their name), how did you hear about us?”

“May I have your name…”.  helps you find out who you are speaking with and a way to follow up with them right away.

“Thank you (their name)”  Use their name as much as possible during the call to make them feel at ease and important.

“How did you hear about us?”  This not only gives you data for your marketing, but also helps you determine if the caller is a warm or cold lead.

3. Provide the caller with the information they are seeking:

“We absolutely provide that service; in fact, we have been voted the best provider of that service by (name of magazine or website)”  Assure the caller that they have come to the right place and then credential the company or provider.  Answer each question they have with a positive statement, credentialing the team and company, and keep control of the call.  Trust me, you want to avoid letting the caller tell you their entire life story and take over the call.

Provide accurate information at all times.

“That is a great question, do you mind if I put you on a brief hold to make sure I give you the correct answer?”  Never pretend you know something you don’t.  Always double check.  You can also suggest a call back.  “That is a great question, do you mind if I have a colleague who specializes in that give you a call back within 24 hours to give you more information?”

4. Getting the Yes

“Have I answered all your questions (their name)?”  Here is where you get your first YES! or, keep answering the caller’s questions until you get a YES!

5. Schedule:

“Fantastic, let’s get you scheduled for a consultation.  Would you prefer this week or next week?  The beginning of the week or the end of the week?  Tuesday or Wednesday?  11am or 1pm?”  Provide the caller with a dual alternative scheduling option to help them feel they are making the decisions.  If you run into only one choice in your schedule, ask if they would prefer that choice or have you look further out in the calendar.

“Great, I’ll just need a little more information to get your consultation set up.”  Get all the data you need for your specific system.

6. The final salutation:

“OK (name of caller), we have you scheduled for your consultation at (time) on (day) and look forward to welcoming you into the office.  I will send you an email confirmation with all the information you will need for your appointment.  I am (your name) and am usually here at that time so please make sure to say hi when you arrive”

“OK (name of caller),” Here is another opportunity to use their name. 

“We have you scheduled…” confirms the appointment you scheduled so there are no misunderstandings.

“look forward to welcoming you into the office” & “I will send you an email…”  makes them feel special and at ease that they know what to expect.

“I am (your name) and am…” Reminds them they have a relationship with you and gives them someone to make them feel comfortable when they arrive.

Practice, Practice, Practice:

The more your team practices, the more confident they will become (and sound).  Frequent roll playing of new client phone calls will help build your team’s knowledge and create camaraderie along the way.  Try recording each other as you answer the phone and play it back.  You might be surprised at what you didn’t know you are saying.  Don’t be afraid to create a cheat sheet of the steps and FAQs to keep by the phones.  After a while it will become second nature but at first, provide all the tools you can for your team.

Rewards

Some companies offer financial incentives to book consultations.  Even $5 a YES creates a fun competition and reward system.  Hand out the bonuses in colored envelopes at team meetings and see how much fun your team can have. 

It is about consistency and knowledge.  Make the “script” your own but follow these steps in order.  You will see your booking soar and hear your clients tell you how “lovely that person on the phone is”.