1. Staff – For prospects and customers to buy from your front of house staff/service advisors, there are few things that need to happen: it’s imperative that they like your staff, trust your staff, and view your staff as the go to experts. For that to occur the first thing is your people need to sell is themselves, as the trusted go to person. Not your business or workshop, or the thing that customers want fixed, repaired or purchased. The best way I know… is by smiling, answering the phone with a hello this is Chris, providing the caller with their name and the name of your company, and then ending with a question that invites a clear response.
2. Tonality – This is important without a shadow of a doubt, the tonality on the phone is critical to success. Studies have shown that when it comes to what influences people during a sale, 55% is what the customer sees, 38% is the tonality of the salesperson, and the words used by the salesperson account for only 7% of the decision to make a purchase. Because the caller can’t see the person they’re talking to, they will be far more influenced by their tonality than by what is being said and the words they use. This is why your people need to slow the hell down, smile, and speak with genuine interest and understanding.
3. Customer Concerns – Your people should always bullet point the prospect’s concerns and repeat back the information the person provides to them. This reaffirms to the person calling that your staff is listening and this not only helps start a relationship with the customer, but it shows that your staff are interested in what they have to say, it keeps them engaged, and it causes them to actively listen, rather than simply asking more questions.
4. First-Name Basis – As soon as possible, your staff need to get on a first-name basis with the caller. By doing so, they will be taking the relationship from one between caller and service advisor to one between Andrew (staff member) and Rebecca (the caller). They should typically be able to get on this first-name basis after the first two exchanges. If your advisors need to obtain the caller’s name, an easy way to do so is by providing their name first: “By the way, my name is Andrew and your name is?”
5. Price – Please note – the callers are not always interested in price. The reason most people ask for a price is because they don’t know the questions they should be asking; most callers ask for a price to get the conversation started.
You’ve spent an enormous of money time and effort in building a real business, you’ve spent a lot of money to get the phone ringing, and every lost, mishandled enquiry not only costs you dollars$$$, but as soon as that customer or first-time caller puts down the phone, you can bet your last dollar they’ll be calling your competitor. You should want to share this information with your staff A.S.A.P it will make you a lot more money.
How Vulnerable Are You?
How Fragile Is Your Phone Answering System?
How Much Money Are Leaving On The Table?
How Weak Are Your Fences?
Take Care
Mark Selbst
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