Body language matters, even when answering the telephone

Telephone call answering services take great note in making sure their staff are aware of their body language at all times.

When talking face to face, statistics indicate that only 7% of the message is conveyed and understood by the words used, 38% is conveyed by the way the words are spoken and 55% by body language. Of course when the conversation is over the telephone the body cannot be seen, making it easier for misunderstandings to occur.

Whether we are angry or happy, it is shown by our facial expression, and the movement of those muscles will affect the sound of the voice. When we smile our voice is lighter & when we feel anger the voice will be deeper, also the pace may be faster than normal.

When speaking on the telephone your body language still reflects your mood and feelings. The position of your body has a fundamental effect on how words sound, and breathing patterns play a major role in how words are spoken. Restriction happens as soon as you sit down due to our normal reaction of lowering our head and shoulders. Unfortunately, when your shoulders and chin are dropped the words are more muffled. Tone, pitch and pace of the voice are all affected by body language, which as a result can cause the words spoken to be interpreted wrongly.

Be aware of your body language, the way you sit or stand when on the telephone, and your breathing patterns. They all affect how you speak. Body language does matter on the telephone if we want to send messages that are correctly understood. This is why our Zoomettes always smile when we answer.

The Crucial Moment - First Contact

A company’s call answering skills tells you a lot about the level of customer service they offer. When you think about it, that isn’t surprising as a telephone call is often the first point of contact with a business and that first contact sets the tone for the whole business relationship.

The way you answer the telephone tells someone how much you value their business, and what sort of company you are. If you or your receptionists answer the telephone grumpily and are generally unhelpful or uncommunicative, that reflects negatively on the company as a whole. While you may get away with it on subsequent calls, that first call is a crucial factor in determining whether or not you close the deal with that caller.

Using a telephone answering service like Zoom UK ensures that every call is answered politely and with a friendly voice. No caller needs to hear an engaged tone or go to voicemail, so you need never miss out on a potential deal or upset a current client.

Need The Skills Not The Telephone Answering Service?

You may have decided that a telephone answering service isn’t the right thing for your business at the moment, but here at Zoom we still have something to offer you. We can train you and your staff in the art of call handling, as well as determining your customers’ needs and teaching your staff how to behave so they are meeting the customers’ expectations.

The way your customers perceive you and your staff on the telephone directly affects how they view your company. Improving your telephone operators skills in three key areas – Competency, Attitude & Impression not only makes their lives easier, but also enhances the image of your business.

More generally, if you can adapt your behaviour so that you are in tune with each of your customers’ differing needs, you are more likely to win their business. Zoom can teach you the skills you need to manage your customers' expectations and deliver excellent customer service. And happy customers are more likely to tell everyone else about you!

Test Your Phone Answering Skills

It takes a special kind of person to professionally handle a call - to make sales and deal with complaints and put across a business' personality with a friendly, pleasant manner.

That's why our Zoomettes are the best in the business - you can hear their smiles when they answer the phone.

Take the Zoom Answer Call quiz to test your own skills. Do you know the best thing to do if you can't answer a customer's question? Or whether silence always means agreement? Or how to assist understanding and clear communication?

Give our quiz a try and see how well you compare to our Zoomettes!