Professional Telephone Skills Training Course

Professional Telephone Skills Training Course

Course Description

The Professional Telephone Skills Training Course will provide your staff with the skills they need to handle phone calls professionally. This course will ensure that a positive image of your organization is reinforced and strengthened with every conversation.

Do you wonder why dealing with customers on the telephone can often generate problems that you will not encounter face to face?
While telephone inquiries provide sales opportunities, one bad experience with someone on the phone may be enough reason for a customer – even a regular customer – to look elsewhere.

The telephone is your customer’s lifeline to your company. Yet, although it provides fast and relatively inexpensive communication, it is an impersonal medium — and switchboard and other telephone staff must prevent negative behaviors on both sides. It is essential to understand which techniques can be used and the advantages and disadvantages of communicating by telephone. We will work with you to produce a solution that enables delegates to be brighter, more responsive, and far more effective in their telephone work.

The result? Customers will have a positive response when dealing with you on the telephone, creating better and longer-lasting relationships.

Learn how to communicate more professionally on the telephone, manage demanding customers, improve your listening skills, and much more with our 1-day Professional Telephone Skills Course. This course will help your staff conduct better business-related phone conversations and provide excellent service and support via the telephone.

The telephone etiquette displayed by employees indicates a staff’s willingness and ability to assist customers efficiently. The skills and attitude projected over the telephone can form a lasting impression in customers’ minds, making it a critical and memorable customer experience.

Virtual teams are becoming the norm rather than the exception, and one of their primary communication channels is the telephone. Hence, virtual employees must have a good understanding of business telephone etiquette to provide the best outcome for the customer.

Course Objectives

• Learn how to provide effective client service over the phone
• Project a professional image over the phone
• Master a professional, effective & reassuring telephone voice
• Gain client’s trust using proven communication techniques
• Learn to question effectively over the phone
• Master proven techniques to professionally manage irate customers
• Learn tips for handling a busy reception
• Phrase words more effectively for positive and clearer communication
• Establish the right words for unambiguous, positive & productive communication
• Leave effective voicemail messages

Course Modules

Lesson 1 – Providing Effective Client Service

• Welcome
• The Ten Commandments of Good Business
• What Makes An Effective Client Communicator?
• The Seven Deadly Sins of Service
• Reflection

Lesson 2 – Your Personality/Your Telephone Voice

• LDP Review – Communication Evolution Tool
• The Communication Model
• The ABCDE (Five Qualities) of a Good Telephone Voice
• Your Welcome – Should HAIL
• Voice Modulation – The 6 P’s to Para verbal Communication
• Reflection

Lesson 3 – Gaining Your Client’s Trust

• You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a Good First Impression
• Create a Positive First Impression:
• 4 Key Parts to Your Phone Greeting
• Put Your Clients at Ease with Positive Language
• Show Urgency
• Getting to the Point Quickly – Saying Too Much
• Ending a Call Politely and Professionally
• Put It Into Practice
• Reflection

Lesson 4 – Handling Barriers Over The Phone

• Managing the 5 Barriers
• Words That Must Never Be Used
• Reflection

Lesson 5 – Effective Questioning

• WIIFM
• Good Questioning Techniques
• Ask Yourself the Following 5
• Open and Closed Questions
• Clarifying Questions
• Seek Satisfaction/Understanding
• Questions to Keep Control of the Call
• Arrange When You Will Call Them Back
• Reflection

Lesson 6 – Irate Clients

• How to Deal with Angry Clients
• The Challenge of Angry Clients
• Do Not Allow Negative Emotions to Affect You
• High Emotion – Low Intelligence
• Use the HEAT to Defuse an Irate Client
• Reflection

Lesson 7 – Prepare Yourself

• Planning Phone Calls
• Check Your Ringtone
• Transferring Calls
• Asking a Client to Hold
• Taking Messages
• Reflection

Lesson 8 – Reception Tips

• Serving Clients at the Reception: The Dos
• Serving Clients at the Reception: The Don’ts
• Reflection

Lesson 9 – Professional Voicemail Messages

• What to Include in a Voicemail Message?
• Customized Messages for Different Callers
• Closed Greeting
• Internal Greeting
• Practice, Practice, Practice
• Reflection

Lesson 10 – Reflections

• Create an Action Plan
• Accountability = Action