Each time a customer service rep answers the phone, they take on a unique role. For that brief period of time, they are the company to that customer.
In the training guide, Handbook of Essential Phone Skills, the authors provide over a dozen techniques that frontline reps can use to present themselves and their organizations in the most positive and professional way. It’s everything from voice quality, to choosing the right words, to avoiding common pitfalls.
One often overlooked skill, say the authors, is listening. Making a positive impression is not just about what reps say and how they say it, it’s also about how callers perceive the rep’s sincerity, level of attention, and desire to help.
And all of that requires good active-listening skills. This involves eliminating distractions and letting the caller know that you are listening and processing what they are saying. In person this might involve making eye contact, nodding, and smiling. On the phone this is done with frequent comments, such as “Yes,” or “I see” or even with non-words such as “uh-huh.”