Speaking from prompts or scripts, or at the end of a long day, can leave customer service reps sounding mechanical and disinterested. The solution, say the authors of the frontline training guide, Sounding Great on the Phone, is to add interest to the voice by focusing on the three Ps: Pitch, Pace, and Pause. Pitch refers…Continue reading

 

In an effort to keep calls brief, many reps are tempted to use short one word questions and answers. But that can come across as cold and unfriendly. Instead, the editors of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps suggest warming up the conversation with a few extra words. Here are three examples…Continue reading

 

The human ear is very sensitive and needs a little time to adjust to new sounds and voices for communication to be effective. The February issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps suggests starting each conversation with the words, "Good morning" or "Good afternoon." This simple step is not only a…Continue reading

 

Listening is the single most important service skill. And while everyone assumes they know how to listen, the truth is that listening is a technique, which must be practiced and refined. In the training guide, Effective Listening, the authors provide eight techniques for effective "Service Listening." One important technique is to show the customer that you…Continue reading

 

Saying "no" to a customer is a sure fire way to trigger negative feelings. Fortunately, there are proven ways to avoid a hard "no." In the February issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, service expert Richard S. Gallagher, shows readers three ways to say "no" without saying "no." In situations…Continue reading

 

Internally you probably use technical jargon when discussing service issues. But to customers, those words and phrases may be unclear and off-putting, creating a wall between you and the customer. The January issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps discusses how to cut down on unwanted jargon. The first step is…Continue reading