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Chapter 3: Winning Telephone Skills

Chapter 3: Winning Telephone Skills. A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional Third Edition. Objectives. In this chapter you will learn: The power of the telephone How to handle calls professionally How to avoid the most common telephone mistakes

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Chapter 3: Winning Telephone Skills

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  1. Chapter 3:Winning Telephone Skills A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional Third Edition

  2. Objectives In this chapter you will learn: The power of the telephone How to handle calls professionally How to avoid the most common telephone mistakes How to place callers on hold and transfer calls in a positive, professional way How to continuously improve your telephone skills How to consistently convey a positive, caring attitude 95 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  3. Introduction The telephone is the primary way that customers contact most service desks The telephone will always play a role in customer service Professional telephone skills help to ensure that the service desk handles customer requests in a prompt, courteous, and consistent manner Consistency builds trust and teaches customers what they can expect during calls 96 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  4. 96 Topic 1:creating a positive telephone image

  5. Creating a Positive Telephone Image Responsiveness and a caring attitude are fundamental to a positive telephone image A customer’s perception is influenced by: How long it takes to answer the telephone The energy and enthusiasm analysts convey Conducting business over the telephone can be frustrating and impersonal When handled properly, the telephone can be an efficient, effective way to deliver support 96 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  6. Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 1 of 14 The telephone is one of the most common ways that businesses and customers communicate At a service desk, analysts may handle: Incoming calls Outgoing calls Telephone technology automates many of these activities 96 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  7. Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 2 of 14 96 Telephone technologies include: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Voice mail Fax Automatic call distributor Voice response unit Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  8. Factors that influence the telephone technologies a service desk selects include: The service desk’s size The company’s goals The nature of the company’s business Customer expectations The technology a service desk uses affects how customer contacts are directed to analysts and how analysts’ performance is measured Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 3 of 14 97 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  9. VoIP systems Translate voice communications into data Transmit data across Internet connection or network Enable: Organizations to reduce costs Integration with existing data systems Analyst mobility Require significant data network upgrades to: Support VoIP traffic Guarantee call quality and network reliability Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 4 of 14 97 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  10. Voicemail - An automated form of taking messages 49% use after hours Must be diligently managed Return calls promptly, even if only to let customers know: The call was received It has been logged in the company’s incident management system Provide a ticket number It is being handled Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 5 of 14 98 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  11. Fax – An electronic device that sends or receives printed matter or computer images Faxed requests are typically logged in the service desk’s incident management system Customers may fax forms, letters, or information such as a report that has an error message Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 6 of 14 99 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  12. Automatic call distributor (ACD) - A technology that answers a call and routes, or distributes, it to the next available analyst If all analysts are busy, the ACD places the call in a queue and plays a recorded message ACD software determines what calls an analyst receives and how quickly the analyst receives those calls Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 7 of 14 100 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  13. Analysts use an ACD console to perform ACD functions Available state - Analyst is ready to take calls Wrap-up mode – Prevents ACD from routing a new inbound call to an analyst’s extension ACDs provide statistical information used to measure individual and team performance Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 8 of 14 100 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  14. ACDs can integrate with and use other technologies to deliver information Announcement system - Greets callers when all service desk analysts are busy and can provide answers to routine questions or promotional information Automated attendant - Routes calls based on input provided by the caller through a touch-tone telephone Skills-based routing (SBR) - Matches the requirements of an incoming call to the skill sets of available analysts or analyst groups Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 9 of 14 101 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  15. Voice response unit (VRU) - A technology that integrates with another technology, such as a database or network management system, to obtain information or to perform a functions Also called interactive voice response unit (IVRU) A VRU obtains information by: Having callers use the keys on their touch-tone telephone Speak their input into the telephone A VRU can collect a unique identifier, such as a customer’s employee ID or product number Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 10 of 14 102 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  16. Poorly implemented or improperly used telephone technology can lead to customer frustration and be perceived negatively When customers mistrust or dislike technology, it affects how they interact with service desk analysts and how analysts receive their work Companies can minimize these negative effects by: Listening to customers and service desk analysts Implementing the technology in a way that both perceive is useful and beneficial Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 11 of 14 102 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  17. Implemented correctly, telephone technology is a powerful communication tool that can enhance the services a service desk offers and benefit service desk analysts ACDs can broadcast messages (e.g., inform customers about a virus ) ACDs and VRUs can use caller ID data or automatic number identification (ANI) data to provide a caller’s name Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 12 of 14 103 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  18. Computer telephony integration (CTI) – An interface that links computing technology with telephone technology to exchange information and increase productivity Screen pop – A CTI function that enables information about a caller to appear, or pop up, on an analyst’s monitor based on caller information captured by the telephone system and passed to a computer system A history of the caller’s previous incidents and requests can also pop on the screen Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 13 of 14 103 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  19. Understanding thePower of the TelephonePart 14 of 14 104 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  20. Each and every service encounter is critical to the success of the company The following interactions contribute considerably to how customers perceive an analyst and the entire company Answering the telephone Handling calls about unsupported products or services Taking a message Closing a call Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 1 of 14 105 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  21. Using a script is a common service desk practice Script - A standard set of text and behaviors Scripts enable analysts to Focus their energy on solving incidents and handling unique situations Find a positive way to say something they do not feel comfortable saying, such as “No” to a customer Scripts enable customers to perceive that the service desk delivers services consistently Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 2 of 14 105 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  22. Answering the telephone: How you answer the telephone sets the tone for the entire conversation Pick up the telephone promptly, but with composure Put a smile on your face Take a deep breath Use your company’s standard script to ensure that customers are greeted in a consistent way Announce the name of your company or department Give the caller your name Ask the first question Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 3 of 14 106 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  23. “Service Desk, this is Carmen. How may I help you?” “Service Desk, this is Sue. May I have your name please?” “Hello, Options Unlimited, this is Leon. May I have your Customer ID?” Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 4 of 14 107 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  24. Answering the telephone (continued): Listen actively to the customer’s request Ask for the same information in the same order every time If you speak with a customer regularly, verify the information rather than skipping over the step Skipping steps is a disservice to your customers and your coworkers The service desk is a team setting; by being consistent you: Communicate your company’s policies Convey to customers that anyone can assist them Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 5 of 14 107 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  25. Handling Calls About Unsupported Products or Services: Few companies can be “all things to all people” The cost would be too high Many companies define a list of supported products and services Internal service desks support products most used by employees and that contribute to company goals External service desks support products and services that are developed or sold by the company (unless they are being compensated to do so) Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 6 of 14 108 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  26. Analysts often have a hard time referring customers to another group or company Particularly analysts who may be familiar with the product the customer is calling about The number of analysts assigned to a service desk is determined by its projected workload Analysts who assist customers with unsupported products undermine the ability of the team to handle the work within its scope of responsibility Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 7 of 14 108 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  27. There is always something you can do “What I can do is provide you with the Web site of the company that supports that product. They will be able to help you.” “What I can do is transfer you to the group that supports that product. They will be able to help.” If you do not know who supports a product, let the customer know you will look into it and get back to them Best-effort – A policy that means you do your best to assist the customer within a predefined set of boundaries, such as a time limit Let the customer know in advance that you are under a time constraint, or that you may have to refer them to another group or vendor Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 8 of 14 109 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  28. Taking a message: If a particular analyst is unavailable, let the customer know that and ask “who is calling” Explain the analyst’s absence in a positive way Ask the customer if there is anything you can do to help Offer to transfer the customer to the analyst’s voice mailbox or take a message When taking a message, write down all important information The caller’s name, preferred contact method (telephone number, e-mail address), the required time frame for a response, the message Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 9 of 14 110 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  29. “Joyce has stepped away from her desk. May I ask who is calling?" (Get caller’s name.) "Mr. Brown, Joyce should be back in ten minutes. In the meantime, is there anything that I can help you with?" (If not…) "I can take a message for you, or I can transfer you to Joyce’s voice mailbox. Which would you prefer?" (If a message is preferred, record all important information. Read it back to the customer.) "Okay, Mr. Brown, I have written that you would like Joyce to call you at 555-1234 before the end of the day about your printer incident. Is there anything else that I can help you with today?" (If not…) "Thank you for calling, Mr. Brown. Feel free to call anytime.” Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 10 of 14 111 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  30. Closing the call: Resist the temptation to rush Make sure the customer is comfortable with the steps you have taken before you hang up the telephone A little extra time builds trust and confidence Ending the call on a positive note leaves the customer with a lasting, good impression Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 11 of 14 112 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  31. Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 13 of 14 112 Recap the call. Repeat action steps you are going to take. Be specific about when the customer can expect a resolution or a status update. Share any information that enables the customer to be more self-sufficient. Ask the customer if there is anything else that you can do. Thank the customer for calling. Let the customer hang up first. Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  32. Target resolution time – Timeframe within which the support organization is expected to resolve an incident Priority – Category that defines the relative importance of an incident based on its impact and urgency Impact– Effect an incident is having on the business Urgency– Measure of how long it will be until an incident has a significant impact on the business Handling Calls Professionally from Start to FinishPart 14 of 14 113 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  33. Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 1 of 12 Putting a customer on hold: When necessary, putting customers on hold in a professional manner instills confidence Let customers decide if they would prefer to have you call back rather than being put on hold If you are taking longer than expected, return to the caller and provide an update on your progress and the option of either continuing to hold or receiving a call back Company policies will provide guidance (e.g., don’t ask a customer to hold more than three minutes, or check back with customers every 60 seconds) 117 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  34. Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 2 of 12 117 Ask the customer if you can put him or her on hold. Tell the customer why he or she is being put on hold. Tell the customer approximately how long he or she can expect to be on hold. Wait for the customer to respond. Use the Hold button on your telephone to place a customer on hold. When you return, thank the customer for holding. Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  35. “Tim, may I put you on hold for approximately two minutes while I obtain more information? (Wait for an answer.) Okay, I will be back with you in a minute or two. (...forty-five seconds pass.) Thank you for holding. What I have learned is that the next release of that product will be available in two months.” Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 3 of 12 119 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  36. Knowing when and how to transfer calls: There are a number of reasons why you may need to transfer a caller There are a number of different ways to transfer a caller: Hot transfer (conference call) Warm transfer Cold transfer A primary consideration of which technique to use is the amount of information you have received or given until the point when you determine a transfer is needed Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 4 of 12 119 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  37. Hot transfer (conference call): Stay on the line with the customer and the service provider Appropriate when: You can continue to contribute to the resolution of the customer’s request You can benefit from hearing how the incident is resolved Time allows Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 5 of 12 120 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  38. Before establishing a conference call: Ask if it’s okay and if not, ask what the customer would prefer When establishing a conference call: Explain the incident to the service provider along with how you feel he or she can contribute to the resolution Ask the service provider if it’s okay Use common sense! Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 6 of 12 122 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  39. When permission is granted: Bring the customer on the line and introduce the customer to the service provider Explain the reason for the call and provide any information the customer has given you thus far Stay on the line until the call is complete and close the call Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 7 of 12 122 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  40. Warm transfer: Occurs when you introduce the customer and the service provider to whom you are going to transfer the call but you do not stay on the line Appropriate when: There is no perceived value to be gained or given by staying on the line Time does not allow you to stay on the line Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 8 of 12 121 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  41. Before you warm transfer a call: Ask if it’s okay and if not, ask what the customer would prefer When warm transferring a call: Your company’s policy will determine whether you place the customer on hold first, or simply transfer the call Ask the service provider if it’s okay to bring the customer on the line Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 9 of 12 121 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  42. When permission is granted: Bring the customer [or service provider] on the line and introduce the customer to the service provider Explain the reason for the call and provide any information the customer has given you thus far Give the customer and the service provider the ticket number Ask them to let you know if you can help and then hang up Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 10 of 12 122 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  43. Cold transfer: Occurs when you stay on the line only long enough to ensure that the call has been transferred successfully Appropriate when: The customer asked to be transferred You quickly realize that the caller has dialed the wrong number or should be transferred to another person or department A cold transfer is not appropriate when the customer has provided detailed information about the nature of their request Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 11 of 12 122 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  44. Before you cold transfer a call: Let the customer know you are going to transfer him or her to the correct department If the customer does not want to be transferred, ask what he or she would prefer If a call back is preferred, set a time that is convenient for the customer Clearly communicate to the other service provider when the customer wants to be contacted When appropriate, provide the customer with the telephone number of the person or group to whom you are transferring the call Avoiding the Most Common Telephone MistakesPart 12 of 12 123 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  45. 123 Topic 2:fine tuning your telephone skills

  46. Fine-Tuning Your Telephone SkillsPart 1 of 8 Telephone skills, like any other skills, need to be honed Periodically attend a refresher course Learn new best practices Don’t forget the basics! Be responsive Demonstrate a caring attitude Acknowledge that customers are living, breathing human beings who have called because they need your help 123 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  47. Using a speaker phone: If possible, use the speakerphone behind closed doors Ask all callers for permission Introduce each person that is present Briefly explain why each person is present Participants who are speaking for the first time or who are unfamiliar to other callers may want to identify themselves before they speak Fine-Tuning Your Telephone SkillsPart 2 of 8 124 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  48. Fine-Tuning Your Telephone SkillsPart 3 of 8 125 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  49. Self-Study: Books, CDs, and podcasts are available Take advantage of any training programs offered Make your supervisor aware of training possibilities that you think will help Fine-Tuning Your Telephone SkillsPart 4 of 8 125 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

  50. Monitoring: May involve listening to live or recorded calls, observing data entry and keystroke, or sitting by an analyst An excellent training technique when used properly Analysts receive specific feedback on how they can improve their call handling Promotes the consistent handling of contacts and provides employees and supervisors specific guidelines used in measuring performance Some companies use as both a training tool and as a way of measuring performance Fine-Tuning Your Telephone SkillsPart 5 of 8 125 Ch. 3: Winning Telephone Skills

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