Imagine a potential client visits your office. How do you act? You’ll probably make sure everything is spick and span, and that they are made to feel welcome and important. What you won’t do is ignore them when they first arrive. Then give them a lacklustre greeting, followed by a ‘so what do you want?’ attitude.
You wouldn’t do this because you’d give a very definite signal that you’re just not interested in winning their business. They’d think that if you’re not going to put the effort into welcoming them and finding out what they need, they’re better off going elsewhere. And with a reception like that, who would blame them.
So why would you treat a potential client in the same way over the phone? To really win a potential client over, they must receive the very best welcome and treatment regardless of whether they are stood in-front of you, or are on the end of the phone. Here’s how to give a fantastic impression from Hello.
Who’s answering the phone?
Most business owners would be very careful about who they have sat on their front desk, and so must also bear in mind who they have answering the phone too. A seasoned football manager wouldn’t let anyone but their star striker take a penalty, and the same goes for who answers a business call. It might be convenient to have the office junior manning the phone, but they may not have the necessary experience yet to handle a new business enquiry.
Perfect your call handling
It’s always exciting when someone calls with a business enquiry. The trick here is to keep cool and let them talk. It’s all too easy to talk too much about what you can do for them that you can forget to ask them what they actually need. A person who lets a caller talk and listens intently to what is being said, really sticks in the mind. Taking time and making an effort to perfect this will transform how calls are received.
A proactive attitude
One of the most impressive and attractive qualities a person can have is confidence. This is particularly evident when dealing with a new business enquiry. Be careful not to ‘if’ the business away. Instead use phrases such as ‘when we work with you’, as this will affirm in the callers mind that you are in fact the perfect choice.