If you’ve ever worked in a call centre setting, you’ll have seen your colleagues around you answering the phone with a professional tilt to their voice. They’re confident, they know their information and what they need to do to keep a customer or client talking.
It all starts with how you begin your phone call. It doesn’t matter if you’re making inbound calls or outbound calls, the process is still the same. When you’re dialling a number to ask for someone by name, it’s polite to introduce yourself first; which is why you’ll so often hear outbound callers stating their name and company before asking for an individual.
But how do you get ready to make that call and start it in a professional manner? Well, the first step you can take is by making your work space more friendly. You’re more likely to do well if your space is clean and you can find everything that you need. The last thing you want during a phone call is to be shuffling around to find the notes that you need.
Have the numbers that you need to dial ready and waiting and have any files that you need open on your computer easy to access. Once you’ve dialled, identify yourself quickly and courteously. If you’re cold calling, you should take particular care to make sure that the other person on the line knows who you are and where you’re calling from, before anything else is discussed.