Providing customer service over the phone can be difficult, especially as this may be the only point of contact between the business and the client. As such, the ways in which phones are answered, and the quality of those calls, are key for building clients and promoting your brand. Below are four often forgotten tips to improve your telephone etiquette and make your life, and that of your customer, a bit easier.

1. Don’t say you don’t know

Working in a contact centre means you will be dealing with multiple queries from many different channels. You are not going to have the answer to every single question from every single customer, and no one expects you to. As long as you are able to provide the customer with assurance that your priority is finding out the answer to their question, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t know the exact answer. Using phrases like ‘Let me make sure I have got the correct information for you’ is one way around this.

2. Remember to ask for permission

Generally speaking, callers like to feel as though they are in control of the conversation. Since they were the ones who reached out and made contact with you, this feeling is not unexpected. To help promote this feeling, while retaining excellent customer service, you should always ask for permission from the caller, even when it seems unnecessary. Simple phrases such as ‘May I take your details?’ or ‘Please can I ask for your customer reference number?’ allow the customer to feel in control, comfortable and happy, and make your job easier.

3. Provide definitive next steps

Especially relevant to new callers, or callers who are in distress, proving clear and defined next steps will give a sense of things being done. If the caller knows exactly what is being done, and when this will happen, it will position your business at the forefront of their mind, while also showing your efficiency and dedication to the task in hand. Simple steps like booking an appointment or arranging a call back with additional information prove to your customer that you know what you are doing, are the right person to help them, and inspires confidence in you and your business.

4. Say ‘Thank You!’

Although self-explanatory, it is often easy to forget just how important these words are. By showing the customer your appreciation for their call, an atmosphere of trust and reciprocation is built. Thanking the customer for what they are doing means they are more likely to help you out in return. It also shows your friendliness and dedication to providing the best possible customer service.