Improving Customer Care on the Phone

Our customers are becoming increasingly demanding. They often know exactly what they want and they expect us to provide it. They are growing more and more experienced and have learned to compare products. But our customers are more than that: they are our assets and are essential to the success of our business.

The cost of customers

• It costs five times more to gain a new customer than to keep an old one.
• 90 per cent of unhappy customers will never use you again unless you deal with their problems.
• Each unhappy customer tells 10-16 others.

Successful companies must keep existing customers happy and, at the same time, attract new business. A well-served customer is an appreciating asset and needs to be looked after properly. One key tool in that process is the telephone, especially to attract and retain customers. This article provides advice on how to improve your customer care over the phone.

1. Remember the three “P” s

When making calls or receiving calls from customers, remember the three essential “P”s: positive, personal and perceptive.

a) Be Positive

Being positive means telling your customers what you can do, not what you can not do. For example,

• When you are calling to discuss shipping arrangements, don’t say, “We can not deliver before the end of May.” Instead, say: “We will be able to get these to you at the beginning of June.”
• If you are discussing when to meet, don’t say, “I can not make it next week.” Instead, say: “Let’s meet in the week beginning the 24th.”

By looking for the positive way to express yourself, you can often turn bad news around. In this way, you can keep the relationship positive, even when the business situation is negative. And remember: people can hear a smile on the phone.

b) Be Personal

Be personal whenever you can. This is more difficult on the phone than face-to-face, but it is still possible. Don’t forget to use people’s names at the beginning and at the end of the call. Also, listen for opportunities to make a small talk. Remember, small talk does not take place only at the beginning of conversations, before you get down to business. Often opportunities for small talk come in the middle of a discussion or towards the end of a call. For example, a customer might say, “Thanks for your help. I can go off to the cinema tonight without worrying now!” This is an opportunity for you to make a small talk about films. Take it; it is a signal from your business partner that he or she wants to introduce a personal element into the business relationship.

c) Be Perceptive

Being perceptive means knowing exactly what it is that your customer wants. This requires you to listen carefully to what he or she is saying. Try not to interrupt when your customer is speaking – you may miss something important. Also, repeat key words to show that you have understood, and summarize often so that both sides can check that they are on the same wavelength.

Useful Phrases:

“So what you are saying is…”

“If I have understood you correctly, the situation is…”

“Let me just summarize what we have agreed on.”

2. Dealing with complaints

Here are some guidelines for dealing with people on the telephone when something has gone wrong, and useful phrases to use at each stage.

a) Admit The Mistake

Don’t try to defend yourself or your organization, even if you are “right”. If the customer feels something has gone wrong, then it has! There are two key rules for dealing with the customer:

Rule one: The customer is always right.

Rule two: If the customer is wrong, see rule one!

Useful Phrases:

“I see the difficulty here.”

“There’s clearly been a mistake.”

“There must have been a misunderstanding here.”

b) Apologize And Empathize

Make sure the customer knows you understand the inconvenience caused, and that you empathize with him or her. It is quite normal in English to say “I’m sorry”. That does not mean that you are admitting to some awful personal mistake.

Useful Phrases:

“I’m very sorry about this. It must have caused you a few problems.”

“I really do apologize. You must have been very angry.”

“I understand your feelings. I am sorry.”

c) Act Now

Immediately do what you can to start the process of putting things right. If it is impossible to deal with it straight away, then give a clear time frame and get agreement on it.

Useful Phrases:

“I will get on to this right away and I will get back to you in ten minutes.”

“Our technician is out at the moment, but I will get him to call you before twelve. Is that OK?”

d) Offer Compensation

Often a small compensation is enough to satisfy a customer. It shows that you value their custom and that you are interested in the long-term relationship.

Useful Phrases:

“I will send you a voucher for the next time you buy from us.”

“Naturally, we will cover the shipping costs.”

e) Thank The Customer

Surveys show that for every customer who complains, there are more than 20 “silent sufferers”. So you should be grateful for the feedback.

Useful Phrases:

“Thank you very much for the information and for your understanding.”

3. It’s good to talk

In many areas of business, e-mails are now more common than telephone calls. It is often easier and less time consuming to write an e-mail than to ring someone up. However, talking is more personal and more interactive. So call your customers regularly. You do not always have to have a business reason. Call sometimes just to ask how their holiday was, or whether their conference was successful, or just to “touch base”. Often a social call will result in a customer expressing a need, remembering some information he or she wants to pass on, or giving you some feedback. And it helps cement your long-term relationship.

“It’s good to talk” was once the advertising slogan of British Telecom. Make this your own slogan for customer care.

4. Encourage Feedback

If you call your customers regularly, use these occasions to encourage and get feedback about the way you do business. Have five key questions ready to ask at any time you think is appropriate:

• Do we keep our promises and deadlines?
• Do we keep you informed on progress, changes, and developments?
• Do we solve problems openly and quickly?
• Do we understand your business?
• Are we easy to do business with?

By getting regular feedback, you can more easily make sure that your service is at the level your customers need and want.

Summary

• Be positive, personal and perceptive. This attitude is vital if you want to build good relationships over the phone.
• Complaints are good news. If you deal with them correctly, you keep your customers happy and even strengthen their belief in your professionalism.
• Keep in touch with customers. Remember that phone calls are more personal than e-mails.
• Get feedback. In this way, you and your organization can learn and improve your service.