Every business owner has his or her own concept of how to run a business.
Unfortunately, the manner in which the phone is answered is often ignored – yet that is the pivotal point of contact for a company, according to Ed Van Istendal, WeisburgerGREEN Insurance, White Plain, N.Y.
“Your phone voice should be professional, polite and enthusiastic – an unpleasant phone presentation can drive away customers,” Van Istendal said.
Here are Van Istendal’s tips to help companies sound more professional:
- If a live operator answers the phones, it would benefit to have a “canned presentation” for that person to use. Something like, “Thank you for calling Ed’s Landscaping. This is Gina. How may I help you?” Short, sweet, polite and to the point. Anything longer would start to take up the customer’s valuable time.
- If the phones are on an automated system designed for callers with touch-tone phones be as succinct as possible with recorded greetings. “Thank you for calling Ed’s Landscaping. Your call is important to us. If you are calling from a touch-tone phone, please enter (number) now, otherwise, stay on the line and our receptionist will assist you.”
- Answering machines are a must for some small operators. Again, brevity is important. “Thank you for calling Ed’s Landscaping. We are not able to answer your call at this time, but your call is important to us. Please leave your name, phone number and a message when you hear the tone, and we will return your call as quickly as possible. If this is an emergency, please call my cell phone at (number). Thank you for calling Ed’s Landscaping.”
To test out a system once it’s in place, Van Istendal suggested contractors call in from the field as if they were customers and evaluate the way the phones are handled. Contractors also can have friends call in and provide feedback. Van Istendal concluded: “The better you sound, the better impression you will make on your customers and your bottom line.”
The author is Managing Editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at nwisniewski@lawnandlandscape.com.