There is a Lesson to be Learned from a “Bad Call”
Speaking to an upset caller can be stressful, but the more you can learn from the past, the more productive your efforts will be in the future.
Top Reasons Calls Get Escalated
Customers today seem quick to voice, “I would like to speak to a supervisor,” if they are unhappy with the service they receive.
Things Never to Say to a Customer
There are some phrases inside sales, technical support and customer service representatives use inadvertently that may sabotage building customer rapport. These should be avoided at all costs.
What is the Most Important Skill for a Customer Care Representative?
When a rep listens attentively to an upset caller, the caller feels vindicated.
Winning at Telephone Interviews
Almost every company today uses telephone interviews as a way to screen potential job candidates. Being successful in this initial screening is critical to moving to the next step in the hiring process. To insure your success, please consider the following tips. Have...
Your Tone of Voice is a Door Opener
How many times have you fantasized the face behind a voice that you hear on the radio or television? Almost all of us have. Sometimes, we picture the speaker as honest and trustworthy, like Walter Cronkite, the news broadcaster. When he died, reporters described him...
Here’s How to Slash Motivation or Things Managers Should Never Say
Now more than ever, managers and supervisors need to motivate their inside salespeople or their customer service representatives. Obviously, the more motivated people are the better sales and approval ratings will be. What managers and supervisors don’t often remember...
The Magic Formula When Answering an Inbound Call
Within the first ten seconds of a call, customers form an impression of the organization and the person on the other end of the line. If the customer doesn’t like what he or she hears, sometimes they will disconnect or asked to be switched to another representative....
Reasons Why I Hate Calling Customer Support
There are a lot of reasons why I hate calling Customer Support. It doesn’t matter what company. The issues remain the same. If I had a wish list, these are the things I would like to see changed- immediately! The first thing that bugs me is long waits with a message...
Surviving the Hard Times with Your Customers
Many of our existing customers are no longer able to make their usual purchases or upgrades. They can no longer provide training for their employees. The temptation is, of course, to move on to those who are able. However, ignoring our existing customers in difficult...
Motivating the Team When Times are Tough
Everywhere you go people are talking about the economy and its effect on them personally. On a recent business flight, the person sitting next to me mentioned that seven members of her family are out of work. At my aunt’s 90th birthday party last week, the...
Extraordinary Service in Extraordinary Times—What It Takes
When a sales or service center is deemed or reported world class by such organizations as JD Powers or The Association of Support Professionals, the sales or service representatives themselves attribute it three key factors. They are: Knowledgeable Committed Empowered...
Stay In Touch with Your Customers
Inside sales representatives beware! In this uncertain economy, there is a tendency to overlook existing customers who have put the skids on purchasing. Even if a customer isn’t buying today, eventually they will. If you stay in touch, your customers will remember....
Listening—A Critical Skill in Challenging Times
A tough economy puts a lot of pressure on everyone. Clients are more and more demanding, especially when doing business over the phone. Good listening skills are essential. Yet, most people do not excel at listening. Researchers tell us that people listen effectively...
A Difficult Economy Requires Extraordinary Communication Skills
The effects of the down economy are being felt all around the globe. The “R” word is being said out loud. Every corporation in almost every industry is feeling the pinch of the recession no matter where they are located. In tough times, the frontline people, those...
How to Improve Your Telephone Voice
Many people think they have a bad telephone voice. While it’s true that not everyone’s voice sounds like a radio announcer’s voice, very few people have a terrible voice. What they have is a badly produced voice. To sound confident and be perceived in a professional...
Your Tone of Voice Affects How People Respond to You
When customers hear your voice on the other end of the line, they imagine the person behind the voice. If they like what they hear in the voice, chances are they will perceive you as knowledgeable and confident. If they don’t like your voice, it makes them want to...
- Are Your Questions Engaging or Frustrating Your Clients
As inside sales representatives, the way we close business is by asking questions. Often, we ask the same questions of all clients. Sometimes, these questions move people to make decisions, but at other times, they don’t, leading us to wonder “what happened?” Selling over the phone should not be a crapshoot. By asking the right […]
- For Women to Swim with the Sharks
It shouldn’t be this way, but in many organizations women are not seen as key players. Study after study shows that women with the same credentials do not get promoted as quickly, nor are they remunerated in the same manner. So the question is what can women do to insure that they be taken seriously. The answer may lie in how they present themselves and in the way they communicate.
- The Grave Digger’s Shift — What to Consider When Presenting Later in the Day
Is your presentation scheduled for 3 p.m or even later? If so, you’re in the Grave Digger’s Shift. In fact, any time you speak in the afternoon, you run the risk of digging your own grave unless you are interesting and engaging. People are tired and typically have a lot to do before they end […]
- Making Updates Award Winning
Have you ever rolled your eyes at the thought of making another quarterly business review? They take a lot of time to adequately prepare, time you may not have due to other pressing deadlines. Although annoying, these business reviews are essential to providing Executives with information necessary to make critical business decisions. If you want to give an applause-worthy update, here’s how to do just that.
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