Phone Etiquette for Home Service Companies
09 Jul, 2020 / Comments: Comments Off on Phone Etiquette for Home Service Companies / By Stuart McHenry
Its 2020 and home service companies have seen a massive change in how they do business and interact with their clients. To increase brand awareness, companies often have a website, and also pay for promotions to get the word out there.
In some cases, people will prefer to connect with your company via the phone to answer their questions immediately. Therefore, it follows that whoever picks up the phone to speak to the prospective client can be the difference between bagging a client and chasing them to your competitors.
When people call your company and have a positive interaction, they will be positively predisposed to being your customers. It’s for this reason that you need proper phone etiquette. Here are a few tips to get you there.
1) Answer the Call As Fast As You Can
Many home service companies lure clients by letting them know that they are available whenever their service is needed. Calls should be answered within three rings or sooner.
Many plumbers, HVAC, and electrical service professionals advertise that they can be reached 24/7. When a client calls and the phone is answered immediately, they feel that they can rely on you not to bail in their time of need.
The worst thing you can do is keep someone waiting on the other side, or worse, send them to voicemail. Businesses that show reliability to their clients always enjoy repeat customers and referrals to friends and family.
2) Immediately Introduce Yourself
It’s proper etiquette always to confirm whom the other person has called. Here, you can give the company’s name and let them know who they are speaking to.
In business, you want to greet the caller with warmth, let them know they have reached the right place, and ask them how you could be of service. If the caller is a prospective client, they will appreciate your friendliness, which could go a long way in closing the deal. If they have the wrong number, they’ll remember you should they need your services in the future.
3) Know the Person Calling and Why
The first step in phone etiquette is knowing who you are speaking to and their reason for picking up the phone. With this information, you can then lead the conversation and provide value to the caller. For instance, if someone procured your services for an HVAC job and are looking to address a problem, the person answering the call needs to exude sympathy and have a sense of urgency in rectifying the matter.
If someone is looking for specific information on the company when on the fence about a particular service, a charming approach can bag you a client.
4) Speak Clearly
When your company’s representative is on the phone with a prospective client, they should be as clear as possible not to waste the other person’s time. Although the company’s representative must speak as clearly as possible, they should also have an inviting tone. This is so that the caller feels they are talking to a friendly yet intelligent professional ready to help them out with their queries.
5) Match the Caller’s Pace
Not every caller will be receptive to your kind greetings and happy tone. Therefore, you should be on the lookout for how the caller responds to the greetings and match their pace.
If the caller skips formalities altogether, it means they are not in a particularly good mood or are pressed for time. As such, match their tone by providing short, clear answers while remaining approachable and pleasant. If they are warmer and more responsive to charm, then match it and secure a client.
6) Be Extra Enthusiastic and Helpful
When a customer calls your business, they want to feel respected and valued. That is why companies that are very helpful and enthusiastic around their clients seem to have a lot of repeat business. For instance, in a situation where you are having trouble hearing the caller, politeness is key.
It would be best if you never blamed their signal or phone. Instead, use positive words such as fantastic, delighted, indeed, etc. to boost their confidence and feel approachable.
Treating a caller right on the phone in many cases will mean the difference between getting a new customer and losing them altogether.
7) Always Get Permission
If you would like to gather customer information or place a caller on hold during the call, get permission first.
“May I place you on a brief hold?”
“May I get your first name?”
Always ensure the customer calling in is in full control over the conversation. Be polite, professional, and take them on as a partner in the conversation.
Phone etiquette not only feels the other person welcomed, but it also helps to break the ice and get people to tell you the problem more openly.
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