Tip 8 - Say it With a Smile
You’ve mailed your flyers, sent brochures, and local businesses
have expressed an interest in your refreshment service. Now it’s
time to call them—how are your telephone skills?
There’s a big difference between calling Aunt Doris and
talking with a prospective location (and talking with them after
you’ve installed machines)! It’s not hard, and you’ll
be amazed at how effortless it becomes.
When you speak on the phone, smile! You might think, “What’s
the point? They can’t see me” but people can actually
hear a smile! If you don’t believe it, try saying something—like
“good morning”—without smiling, and then smile
and say it again. Notice the difference? It sounds brighter and
friendlier. Now try saying your company name with a smile, then
saying “How can I help you?” Doesn’t it sound
cheerful and helpful? You’ve just mastered the most important
of all phone skills!
Courtesy is also important. Be polite when you’re on the
phone —and that also means you should be direct and get
right to the point when talking. You know how important your time
is; guess what? The other person thinks their time is important,
too! If you’ve been called, be courteous and answer the
phone promptly. Your caller might lose respect for your professionalism
if they have to wait too long for an answer.
Courtesy even extends to asking permission to put them on hold
(if your phone has this feature), or to wait while you check on
something. Obviously, don’t leave them on hold too long—many
people will hang up, and it may be even harder to get a second
chance with them when you call back.
Be sure to ask specific questions, and write down the questions
and answers if possible. If you need to check on answers before
you call back, it’s a good idea to restate the caller’s
questions to let both parties know you understood correctly.
Here are some very important phrases that are handy on the phone
or in person:
• “You just asked a very important question, so let
me give you a direct answer ...”
• “I understand why you asked that question; I felt
the same way when that happened ...”
• “I’m glad you asked me about that; and usually
the best answer is ...”
If the caller is critical, try to defuse their negativity:
• Ask the caller to repeat their question or criticism.
People often soften their opinions the second time, since the
attention is now focussed on them.
• Try to get them to be more specific. They often discover
the answer themselves this way.
• Give them a partial victory. “Yes, that’s
true, but did you consider ...”
Always remember that the person on the other end of the line
can’t see your company office—whether it’s the
kitchen or a spare bedroom. They will only know how professional
you sound, and judge you on that basis. Kids, pets, and background
TV noises are facts of life, but if possible, you should have
your phone in a quiet area to handle business calls. Your family
should be made aware that your business time on the phone is important
to them, too!
Chances are that your present phone is just fine, but you might
want to consider one of the models that allows you to actually
put the caller on hold (as opposed to setting the phone down on
the table). Many distributors have taken it further, and added
a second phone line with a phone (and maybe a fax machine) dedicated
to business. It can be a business tax deduction, and it makes
it much easier to use that “smile” when you know it’s
on your business line. In fact, you’ll find all your calls
are much easier when you smile!
