Who's Answering Your Phones?

Be honest… It's probably not something you give a lot of thought or attention to, but it has a tremendous impact on your customers' opinion of your organization. That's right… the telephone and the people within your organization who answer it.

A telephone call is often the first real impression a potential customer has of your organization. Sure, they might be familiar with your brand name, have driven by your store front, or seen a vehicle with your company logo driving around town, but a phone call is typically the first real interaction a potential customer has with your organization.

Guess what… it had better be a good one!

Whether this experience is warm, positive, and memorable (for the right reasons) is highly dependent upon the individuals who answer the phones in your organization. The right people can make all the difference in the world, while the wrong people can drive customers away in droves.

What to look for from someone who will be answering the phones in your organization:

Most of these traits should be fairly obvious to anyone who has worked in a profession work environment. So why is it that so many people hired for positions that answer the phones do such a poor job of it?

I've got a couple of ideas…

• A failure to understand the importance of one's role and the effect it has on the customer - surprisingly many people are unaware of the impact their interaction with a customer or prospect over the phone can have on an organization's bottom line.

• An absence of clear expectations with respect to the proper phone procedures and techniques that are expected of someone in a position that frequently answers the phone - if a team member is unaware of the phone answering techniques that are expected of them they will frequently come up with these techniques on their own. Sometimes they are good, most times they are not.

• A lack of training in the proper telephone etiquette skills and techniques - Proper phone etiquette is something that is rarely discussed in schools and is often left out of new hire training and orientation. Without exposure to the right telephone skills and techniques it is difficult to expect performance excellence.

• A behavioral disconnect between the employee and the needs of the job - people who frequently answer the phone require a particular behavioral style and personality type. Some people are naturally more friendly, helpful, and courteous than others. The important thing is to identify the desirable behavioral style and personality type and hire individuals who possess these traits. A validated personality profile is a great place to start.

Big question… Who's answering your phones right now???

Are they creating a great impression of your organization of driving your customers away???

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