According to a recent survey, the telephone remains the most used customer service channel. While not all issues require the phone, 81 percent of service professionals say the phone is the preferred channel for complex issues.
With that striking number in mind, Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, started the New Year with a checklist of Essential Telephone Techniques. This included a reminder to “Pause for Clarity.”
By pausing after you make a statement or ask a question, you give yourself time to breathe and think. You also give the customer an opportunity to think about what you have said or to jump in with any questions.
While it may seem that pausing wastes precious time, in the long-run, it can actually help reps avoid misunderstandings and save time.
More helpful techniques appear in the January issue of Customer Communicator.