Zoom's top ten answering tips!

Here at Zoom we answer all your calls professionally and handle each customer the way we'd like to be dealt with if it were the other way around. 

Here are our top ten tips for professionally handling telephone calls!

#1: Learn the callers business language. We research each sector we answer calls for, making sure we understand and can use similar phrases and terminology, so the customer feel that they can trust us. 

#2: Match the customers approach. If a customer is in a hurry, we'll always acknowledge this and if we have to get help or information from elsewhere, we always let them know an estimate of how long it will take. 

#3. Answer the call after 2 rings and before 6. Answering a call after 1 ring generally can throw people completely, they don't expect such a sudden answer and generally they aren't quite ready! So we answer all calls after 2 rings and always before 6, as no one likes to be kept waiting.

#4. Don't hang up first, let the caller. We never hang up first, as 30% of people on the phone add a sudden "Oh by the way..." and if we hung up first, we'd miss this!

#5. Sound lively, interested and efficient. This is the impression the caller has of the company and we want to keep it that way. We will never lower your businesses reputation.

#6. Have open questions ready in case of a pause. Pauses of longer than 10 seconds are unacceptable to callers, so we always have a list of questions or non-contentious things to talk about to make sure all callers feel comfortable dealing with us. 

#7. Never assume callers are like you. We will never pass comment on issues such as race, religion, politics or even sport, as we never assume that people hold the same views as us. Even a passing comment may cause an issue if there is a difference of opinion and that just won't do when the caller expects a professional phone call. 

#8. Don't worry about good vocabulary. In other words, there's no need to use long, fancy and difficult language as it may well just confuse the caller. We use plain but professional vocabulary to make sure they understand exactly what we are saying. 

#9. Don't say "I don't know". We never say this, it's highly unprofessional. Instead we'll always tell the caller that we'll find out and get back to them, it leaves them with the reassurance that we care and we want to help them with their enquiries. 

#10. Be an active listener to build trust. Listening is critical on the phone and the caller needs to know that you're paying attention to what they're saying. We use short phrases such as "ok”, "I understand" and "yes" to show we are interested and actively listening to what the caller is saying. 

Divert To Us

Here at Zoom, we understand that the importance of good business, which is why we take pride in answering each and every telephone call in a professional and polite manner. Even when you transfer your calls to us, you’ll always be in control. 

In an ideal world, every business owner would be able to answer the business’s incoming telephone calls, however as the business expands and develops, this isn’t always possible. With Zoom’s unique answering system, you can choose to divert incoming calls to Zoom Answer Call simply by activating a diversion from your very own telephone keypad. 

We will provide you with a unique Divert Number, which allows you to divert any call either when your don’t want to be disturbed or if you’re just simply out and about. The diversion occurs within a matter of seconds and is completely undetectable. 

Your call can be diverted to us in numerous ways. If you’re busy, just simply divert to us when you’re on another call so the other caller won’t experience the engagement tone. If after four rings the call remains unanswered, you can choose to divert to us automatically if you’re unable to take the call or get to the phone in time. Finally, if you’re with another client, in a meeting or simply you just don’t want to be disturbed, then you can choose to divert to us permanently. 

Call us today for free on 0800 583 5020 for more information. 

Telephone Vocabulary

There’s a fine line when it comes down to using vocabulary over the phone. You don’t want to come across as too intimidating to the caller, or even too inarticulate. It’s all about finding the right balance, and using appropriate and professional vocabulary when talking to someone and answering the phone.

We’ve all been there. You’re having a conversation with someone and they use a word you’ve never heard before, and you honestly don’t have a clue what it means. You’ll most likely spend the rest of the conversation trying to figure out what it actually means and as soon as the conversation ends, you quickly rush home to look the definition up. It’s not a great experience when this sort of situation occurs. You can end up feeling insecure, foolish and a little bit intimidated. This is exactly what a caller on the other end of the phone can feel if the person they’re talking to is throwing difficult and intricate words their way. It may be tempting to try and come across as the all wise and knowledgeable one, but most people don’t like the feeling of being outsmarted, it can belittle them and make them feel a little apprehensive about the call. 

People tend to use perplexing words in two ways. They either know exactly what they mean, or they’re just trying to sound smart and actually have no idea what they’re saying. If you’re a little self conscious about your vocabulary over the phone, don’t memorise complex words for the sake of it without actually learning the meaning of those words in the first place. Chances are these will be used in completely the wrong context, and although it can seem amusing to the caller, it will only make you seem silly and a little unprofessional.   

Most people who use the telephone are aware of the English phonetic alphabet and it can actually come in use as a pretty handy tool. Don’t get disheartened if it doesn’t come to you straight away, chances are the caller will still be impressed that you know the English phonetic alphabet. Using the phonetic alphabet can actually give you the chance to clarify certain spellings over the phone, and although it may seem like a lot to remember, it’ll most definitely prove to be useful when talking over the phone. 

It’s important to remember that when speaking on the phone you remain professional at all times. Taking on the phone with a prospective client isn’t the same as talking to your friends over the phone. Try and avoid using terms such as “uh’, “yeah” and “maybe”. These aren’t exactly promising or professional terms from the callers point of view. 

If you’re unsure about how to speak in the correct professional manner over the phone, there’s nothing wrong with practising. Whether this is carried out with a friend, or by yourself, it’s true when they say that practise makes perfect. 

Be Phone Professional

Call answering to someone involves a lot more than just being polite and friendly, although these key aspects do help; it involves a whole manner of tactics and techniques. We’ve outlined a few to help ensure you’ll stay professional as possible whilst on the phone. 

First of all, start off by trying to answer the phone within a few rings, but only a few. You don’t want to startle the caller by answering it straight away. Recent studies have shown that the caller at the other end of the line usually isn’t ready for the call to be answered straight away and it can seriously off put potential clients. However, you also don’t want them to be continuously hanging on the line waiting for their call to be received, this could lead them to becoming disgruntled even before the call has actually started.

When you do take the call, make sure that your own greeting is professional and polite. Identifying yourself is a great way to start. The caller feels as if they’re being tended to on a more personal level, rather than dealing with an automatic machine. Try and thank the caller for calling in the first place within your greeting. Asking how you can help the caller is practically inviting them to get to the main point of the call, and helps you deal with the enquiry for efficiently. It might be worth playing around and constructing a few phrases together to see what greeting suits you best. Once you have your greeting sorted, try practising it out loud. Ensure that your tone doesn’t come across as monotone and mundane, people don’t want to feel as if they’re burdening you with their call, it can also put you and the company in a bad light. Try not to be too enthusiastic either, people can find this off putting and a little bit fake. It’s all about finding the right balance between the two.

With the greeting out of the way, it’s now about dealing and directing the call in an appropriate manner. Sometimes it’s not all about the caller on the other side of the phone, it can also be about the person they wish to be directed to and being professional towards them. If the caller wishes to speak to someone else, don’t just instantly put them through, try and take control and find out the nature of the call, this will seem more professional to the person you’ve just put the call through. It might be tempting to just put the call though straight away from the callers point of view with no questions asked, but not asking any questions can also come across as quite unprofessional. Try and establish who exactly is calling, what the purpose of their call is and whether the other person taking the call is expecting their call. 

It might be tempting to try and get the call over and done with as soon as possible, but listening is a key factor in maintaining professionalism throughout. If you hang up too quickly or don’t even wait or a response, you can miss vital key points which will only end up reflecting badly on you. The customer also won’t be too impressed. It may be easier to pass judgement on some callers you’ll deal with, however this is the definition of unprofessionalism! If you find that you’re getting a little frustrated with the caller, try to take notes and stay calm throughout the call. Shouting at the customer will most likely start a full blown argument over the phone. 

Just because the person on the other side of the line can’t see you slumped over your desk, doesn’t mean that they can’t tell you’re fed up. A caller will definitely be able to tell if you’re bored over the phone, making them feel as if they’re burdening you. The same goes for eating, chewing and drinking at your desk. Just because the caller can’t see you, doesn’t mean that they can’t hear you munching over the phone. 

This may seem like a lot to remember, but at the end of the day (and the phone call), it’s all about maintaining a good standard of customer service over the phone. 

Let Zoom Help

Everyday, we continuously hear about how times are getting tougher and tougher, and how stress levels are now a record high. 

“Work smarter, not harder” Here at Zoom, we believe that a stable and resourceful environment helps develop a brilliant work ethic, which is exactly what our services aim to do, achieve and accomplish. 

Being stressed will essentially develop into more stress. Many people believe that if you consistently keep on working, things will get completed eventually down the end of the line. This is somewhat true, however there’s a point of when enough work is enough, and there’s not much point in continuous hard work if the work that’s being produced lacks in quality. 

At Zoom, we take a smarter approach. We can reduce your work load by a sufficient amount, and keep your clients and customers happy, and happy customers mean better business, easing your stress levels, which is why Zoom have taken a new direction into answering and managing phone calls. 

If you’re away on business, travelling or just out of the office, our Zoomette’s will answer calls in your business’s name, as well as transferring calls directly to you as if you’re right in the office. You can be assured that we’ll always represent your business’s name to the highest standards. 

We act as a virtual receptionist for your company. We’ll be the first point of contact, meaning that calls won’t be passed on time and time again, infuriating you, and your clients. 

Times may be getting stressful, but we’re here to help and support you, and your company calls, leaving you with one less thing to stress about. 

We answer calls with a BIG difference

Answering a telephone call is now a natural occurrence of everyday life, we don’t even think twice about doing it, and this is acceptable when we’re answering calls for personal reasons, but from a business point of view, it’s important to know how to handle and answer your clients’ calls correctly, efficiently and professionally.

A phone call can make or break a business. It’s obvious that if someone experiences a rude and upsetting phone call, they’ll probably want nothing to do with the person, along with the business that they’re associated with. Word of mouth spreads faster than wild fire, and one bad phone call can seriously hurt you and your business’ reputation. 

Here at Zoom, we know all the Do’s and Don’ts when it comes down to telephone mannerisms. It’s important to remember that first impressions always count, and the only aspect the other person over the phone has to go on is your voice. Believe it or not, it’s easy to tell the difference from someone who answers a call with a smile, than compared to someone who doesn’t. You can be assured that our Zoomettes will always answer your businesses calls with a big happy glorious smile. 

We’ll always answer calls as if we’re based right in your office, and if we can’t give the user the answer then and there, we’ll never say “We don’t know” we’ll always pass the enquiry on directly to you or the appropriate person.   

Here at Zoom, we strongly believe that customer service is one of the most important factors for a business. We always work in a professional and effective manner, helping to ensure your business develops as strongly as it possibly can.   

Start our FREE 7 Day Trial Today!

Here at Zoom, we strongly believe in ‘trying before you buy’. This allows you to ensure that you know what services you’re getting, and that you’re always 100% happy.

Our 7 day trial is perfect for allowing you to get to grips with the services we provide. Let us take control for a week, and you’ll soon see and hear the tremendous difference in your customers. Your clients will no longer hear an automated answer phone message when you become unavailable to take their call, and nor will they ever have to listen to the ‘busy/engaged’ tone ever again. They’re not left to deal with random robot technology, they’re automatically diverted to an actual human being, who is always perfectly happy to answer the call with a smile. Your clients will become more satisfied with not having to leave repeated messages on your answering machine, and instead you and your clients can be assured that the enquiry or message will be directed immediately to the appropriate person. 

Our FREE 7 day trial incorporates our Business Service (Monday to Friday). This is a no obligation service, although all we ask is that you’re not on holiday when the trial is in place. Feel free to have your friends, colleagues, family members call us, and let them report back to you their own opinions and perceptions of our service. When the trial ends, you’ll receive a report from ourselves that includes a breakdown of our costs, as well as a monthly estimate based on the week’s incoming calls. At the end of the day, there’s honestly nothing to lose, apart from your phone’s ‘busy’ tone… 

Please Don’t Leave A Message After The Tone

We’ve all heard that recognisable beep when we can’t get through to the person we’re trying to get hold of. We’re then forced to decide whether to leave a brief message, or have faith that they’ll return the call. 

Having an answer phone system in place is great for personal use, but from a business perspective, it’s not ideal and can actually leave you more unorganised than you intended to become. Having an answering machine service in place gives off the impression that you’re not a well established company, and only having a ten-second voice message isn’t great for putting disgruntled customers at ease. If you become unavailable for a long period of time, you could get hundreds of missed calls and messages from potential clients and business opportunities. Not only does this come across as unprofessional from the clients point of view, but you now have to sift through all those messages and missed calls, and attempt to work out who’s who, therefore also increasing the chance of taking down the clients’  details incorrectly. In some cases, people tend not to even leave a message; they just don’t believe it’s an effective way of communication.

Here at Zoom, we can ensure that none of these familiar answering machine issues will occur if our systems and services are put into place. If you find that you do become unavailable to take calls, your clients will be directed straight to one of our fully trained service representatives, who will answer your client’s call with a big difference; a smile. We will then immediately send across the enquiry or message straight to the appropriate person, along with a daily report via email or fax, allowing you to keep track of the day’s enquiries. 

We believe that customer service is of the most important aspects for a company. Call us on 0800 583 5020 to find out more about how we can help you.

In challenging times, customer service quality matters most...

A great customer experience matters now 

more than ever. Here are six reasons why:

1. Customers want to be appreciated

When people buy during an economic downturn they are extremely conscious of the hard-earned money they spend. Customers want more attention, more appreciation and more recognition when making their purchases with you, not less. Customer service quality is simply essential.

2. Customers want value for money

Customers want to be sure they get maximum value for the money they spend. They want assistance, education, training, installation, modifications and support. The basic product may remain the same, but they want more service and higher customer service quality.

3. Customers want guarantees that their purchase was the right thing to do

In good times, a single bad purchase can be quickly overlooked or forgotten, but in tough times, every expenditure is scrutinised.

Provide the assurance your customers seek with generous service guarantees, regular follow-up and speedy follow-through on all queries and complaints.

4. Customers want a great experience

In difficult economic times, people spend less time travelling and “wining and dining,” and more time carefully shopping for each and every purchase. Giving great service enhances the customer’s shopping experience and boosts your own company’s image.

When times are good, people move fast and sometimes don’t notice your efforts. In tougher times, people move more cautiously and notice every extra effort you make. Customer service quality is vital because people will pay attention and remember.

5. Customers want to feel good about you

When money is tight; many people experience a sense of lower self-esteem. When they get good service from your business, it boosts their self-image. And when they feel good about themselves, they feel good about you. And when they feel good about you and your customer service quality, they buy.

6. Customers want to tell others

In tough times, people talk more with each other about saving money and getting good value. Positive word-of-mouth is a powerful force at any time. In difficult times, even more ears will be listening. Be sure the words spoken about your business are good ones by making your customer service quality exceptional!

How to Answer a Business Call Professionally

Are you answering your business calls professionally? The way we deal with customer calls makes a big difference to company reputation, customer retention and generally efficiency within your business. Have a look at the following checklist of how to answer a business call professionally to see if you make the grade. If not, you  might want to consider employing a professional call answering service to deal with your calls on your behalf! Our Zoomettes are friendly, responsive and highly trained, and will always answer your calls in a way that ensures your customer service experience is positive.

10 ways to keep your business calls professional:

1. Be polite! Even when faced with difficult customers or an awkward situation, remain unfailingly polite at all times and sometimes the most hostile of callers will come around in the end.
2. Think before you speak. Make sure your responses are accurate and work towards a positive customer experience. If you're unsure about an answer, find out before you give information to a customer.
3. Communicate clearly. Be honest and straightforward and ensure that both you and your customer understand what's going on, whether you're dealing with an enquiry, a transaction, or a complaint.
4. If you've made a mistake, apologise. Even if it isn't your fault, as a call handler, you are representative of your company and you need to make sure that wrongs are righted and your customers feel valued and responded to.
5. Use a good vocabulary. Using appropriate vocabulary not only appears more professional, but it helps you to communicate more effectively.
6. Say "please" and "thank you"! Good manners go a long way... Ask questions politely and thank your customers for their call, their enquiry or their purchase.
7. Repetition aids understanding. Sometimes repeating information back to a customer can help keep things clear, such as phone numbers, quantities, details of products or requests for information.
8. Be friendly and make each call personal. If you have details of an existing customer, let them know your company values their business and make them feel as if you have a personal business relationship.
9. Know what you're talking about! If you don't, it's better to be honest and admit you need to find out more to be able to answer a query properly. Don't be tempted to wing it and make something up or assume...
10. And finally: Make follow up checks at the end of the call. Is there anything else your customer would like to know? Is everything clear and understood? Is there anything else you can do for the customer? Are they satisfied with everything? The little details count and going that extra mile rather than a quick, "thanks, goodbye" can make all the difference.

Oh, and one final thing - our Zoomettes answer each and every call with a SMILE. For more information on professional call handling, call centre services and virtual reception services, get in touch with us at Zoom Answer Call UK.