Customer Service Tips for the Phone

Any business, large or small, has a phone but with the advent of the internet and smartphones that can do anything at the touch of a button, it can be easy to forget the importance of etiquette and customer service when answering a business phone. Because it seems so rare these days to actually pick up the phone and call a business when you could just open up a chat window, send an email or post a question on their social media page, some businesses need to freshen up their phone skills.

Make It Work

This may seem obvious, but make sure your business phone number works. Customers often find that a business mistyped its number or failed to include it altogether on all of the various social media accounts, websites and ads that customers see. On the other hand, some businesses forget to have one at all, simply relying on personal cell phones if needed but otherwise trusting that people will contact them through some online means.

Think Like Them

Remember that not everyone has internet access and some prefer to speak directly to people; with the ease of VoIP numbers and digital call forwarding and answering assistants, there is no excuse to not have a number handy when someone wants to call. Test the phone number by calling it yourself and running through the menu options to make sure that it is user-friendly and won’t frustrate the customer. Train your employees to answer the phone promptly and with a smile so they can convey that they care and to use patience and active listening to direct them to the information they request.

For your business to be successful, make sure it reaches customers in every way they prefer whether it’s online or through a phone call; carry your customer service ethos through every type of interaction and you’ll gain appreciative customers no matter how they contact you.

Contributed by The Startup Magazine

The Startup Magazine started as a blog for entrepreneurs to share their experiences, and learn from one another. Community is at the heart of The Startup Magazine as we take our online presence offline. We support, sponsor and attend events to help startups make meaningful connections with each other and the wider community, including corporations and investors.

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