There are a variety of skills involved in telephone answering, and delivering good customer services. Our Zoomettes have years of training and experience in this, so are well placed to offer you some tips. It doesn't all come as naturally as you might think!
Active listening - imagine you are listening to someone explain something to you in person. What do you do? Do you stand there giving them no response whatsoever? Probably not! Even if you don't vocalise anything, chances are your head is nodding, or tilting, your eye brows raising, and you may even be mouthing words without sound. Much of that will not transmit over the phone, so you need to translate it into audio. A simple 'mmhmm', 'oh', 'yes' or 'right' lets the customer on the end of the phone know you are still there and you are still paying attention. Total silence over the phone worries people as they can't be sure you haven't put them on hold, or even just ignoring them!
Fill the silence - similarly, if you need to do anything that leads to prolonged silence, you should have a few uncontentious questions to ask ("did you have a good weekend") so that there isn't a silence lasting longer than about 10 seconds. You do need to be careful that you don't end up babbling or sounding nervous - you want to portray the image of a friendly, confident company!
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
How Do You Handle Snow Days?
It's snowed! A source of excitement to young and old alike, snow can also be a cause for big problems for businesses. When staff and deliveries can't get to where they need to be on time, business can end up stopping altogether. Now, here at Zoom we can't do much about any deliveries that you need to get in or out, but staff not making it into the office? That, we may be able to help with!
We offer the ability to sign up to our call answering services as an ad hoc service. You become a member for life and can use the Zoomettes as short term cover whenever you need to. That includes snow days as well as illnesses, emergencies, bank holidays or even just those extra busy times. We can even route certain calls to any number you like, so even if you're stuck at home, you can still speak to important clients as if you were in the office.
We know you can't plan for the unexpected, so we don't need you to predict the weather or anticipate staff illnesses, all you need to do is give us a call and our telephone answering service can be on line in as little as 10 minutes.
We offer the ability to sign up to our call answering services as an ad hoc service. You become a member for life and can use the Zoomettes as short term cover whenever you need to. That includes snow days as well as illnesses, emergencies, bank holidays or even just those extra busy times. We can even route certain calls to any number you like, so even if you're stuck at home, you can still speak to important clients as if you were in the office.
We know you can't plan for the unexpected, so we don't need you to predict the weather or anticipate staff illnesses, all you need to do is give us a call and our telephone answering service can be on line in as little as 10 minutes.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Try Our Call Answering Services For Free
We are so confident in the call answering skills of our Zoomettes that we will give you a free seven day trial so you can make your own mind up. We offer a range of call answering services, all delivered with exceptional customer service by our team of fully trained telephone operators. If you would like to see us in action, we offer a 7-day free trial, with no strings attached!
The process is simple. Just call us and we will discuss the way you would like your telephone calls answered, how you would like the calls dealt with, and how you want us to deliver your messages. Whatever your call answering needs, we can cater for them. Calls can be put through to you wherever you are, or messages can be taken and emailed or texted to your mobile. Then all you need to do is transfer your calls to us and your 7-day free trial can start.
At the end of the trial we will send you a report breaking down the costs, together with a monthly estimate based on your week’s calls. We're sure you will see the benefit of the service, so if you are ready to continue you can sign up on our website.
The process is simple. Just call us and we will discuss the way you would like your telephone calls answered, how you would like the calls dealt with, and how you want us to deliver your messages. Whatever your call answering needs, we can cater for them. Calls can be put through to you wherever you are, or messages can be taken and emailed or texted to your mobile. Then all you need to do is transfer your calls to us and your 7-day free trial can start.
At the end of the trial we will send you a report breaking down the costs, together with a monthly estimate based on your week’s calls. We're sure you will see the benefit of the service, so if you are ready to continue you can sign up on our website.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Call Answering Hints And Tips
Our Zoomettes may have honed their call answering skills over many thousands of calls answered, but they still have to remember the basics for each and every telephone call. No matter what mood you might be in, it is important to always smile before you pick up the telephone. Despite phone calls not being a visual media, you would be surprised how much of a difference a simple smile makes to the tone of your voice. Now wait. Don't jump to pick the phone up as soon as it rings. Most people won't be expecting an answer so soon, and it's never a good idea to make the caller flustered before you've even spoken! It's best to answer between two and six rings.
All the time you are speaking on the phone to a customer, they are forming an opinion of you and your company, so it's important to give the right impression. If you sound lively, interested and efficient then that is how they view your company. As well as how you speak, it is important to use the right language. You don't need to swallow a dictionary; complicated words could confuse things and alienate the caller, but it is important that you speak the same business language. Using similar phrases helps to build the trust between you.
How you end the call is just as important as how you answer it. You should never be in a hurry to hang up - you will often miss an "oh by the way" style opportunity. Unbelievably 30% of people remember something important at the last minute, so make sure you aren't missing out on those opportunities!
All the time you are speaking on the phone to a customer, they are forming an opinion of you and your company, so it's important to give the right impression. If you sound lively, interested and efficient then that is how they view your company. As well as how you speak, it is important to use the right language. You don't need to swallow a dictionary; complicated words could confuse things and alienate the caller, but it is important that you speak the same business language. Using similar phrases helps to build the trust between you.
How you end the call is just as important as how you answer it. You should never be in a hurry to hang up - you will often miss an "oh by the way" style opportunity. Unbelievably 30% of people remember something important at the last minute, so make sure you aren't missing out on those opportunities!
Friday, 30 December 2011
Expanding Your Business In 2012?
Firstly, everyone at Zoom hopes you had a fantastic Christmas, and are ready to bring in the New Year tomorrow night. As a business owner, you will have already been making plans for 2012. We think you should consider using our call answering services to help your business expand in the new year.
Your time is best spent on the work your business does for its clients, and on growing your business, whether that's through networking or meetings with clients. Answering the phone, on the other hand, is not something that needs to be done by you personally, and by outsourcing to a telephone answering service like Zoom, you are freed up to do all the things that do need you. With our personal service, and highly trained team, your clients will never notice the difference. And you won't have to deal with any more annoying sales calls!
Zoom's Virtual Reception service is another option which enhances the image of your business and allows your calls to be put through to the right person, just as an in-house receptionist would. Even when you're out of the office, your clients' calls can be put through to you, as if you were still in the office, truly allowing you to get on with expanding your business without your current clients suffering.
Your time is best spent on the work your business does for its clients, and on growing your business, whether that's through networking or meetings with clients. Answering the phone, on the other hand, is not something that needs to be done by you personally, and by outsourcing to a telephone answering service like Zoom, you are freed up to do all the things that do need you. With our personal service, and highly trained team, your clients will never notice the difference. And you won't have to deal with any more annoying sales calls!
Zoom's Virtual Reception service is another option which enhances the image of your business and allows your calls to be put through to the right person, just as an in-house receptionist would. Even when you're out of the office, your clients' calls can be put through to you, as if you were still in the office, truly allowing you to get on with expanding your business without your current clients suffering.
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Winter - The Perfect Time To Use A Call Answering Service
We all know that as well as a feeling of winding things down and taking things easy, Winter brings with it a host of illnesses. Not many offices escape cold season without one or two staff absences due to illness. And with the Christmas festivities and the bank holidays, many of the working days that are left will be cut short with Christmas celebrations. While the party atmosphere means a happy workforce, it can also lead to staff being slightly more relaxed than usual. A call answering service can help fill the gaps in this busy time period.
As far as the staff are concerned, business may be winding down for the end of the year, but actually, most businesses will still have the same workload. Unfortunately the bank holidays, Christmas parties and staff illnesses mean there are less people available to do that work in less time! By outsourcing your telephone reception or your call centre services, you can make the most of the time you do have available.
Zoom offers an ad hoc service so that you can use our telephone answering service whenever you need it to cover staff illnesses, holidays or bank holidays. We can even cover your phones over the Christmas period if your business closes down. No matter how unexpected, the Zoomettes will be there to help!
As far as the staff are concerned, business may be winding down for the end of the year, but actually, most businesses will still have the same workload. Unfortunately the bank holidays, Christmas parties and staff illnesses mean there are less people available to do that work in less time! By outsourcing your telephone reception or your call centre services, you can make the most of the time you do have available.
Zoom offers an ad hoc service so that you can use our telephone answering service whenever you need it to cover staff illnesses, holidays or bank holidays. We can even cover your phones over the Christmas period if your business closes down. No matter how unexpected, the Zoomettes will be there to help!
Friday, 11 November 2011
The benefits of a telephone answering service company
Businesses of all sizes appreciate flexibility when it comes to their call handling. A company’s telephone answering service speaks volumes about them. It is one of the first opportunities a company has to present a professional image to the outside world.
A quality telephone answering service needs to be prompt, answering all calls within a few rings, even when the reception is busy; it needs to be professional, answering with the name of the company; and it needs to be friendly and helpful, with the receptionist asking how they may direct the call and quickly and effectively putting the caller through. Should the requested person at the company not be available, an accurate message taking service should be in place so that the caller receives a call-back.
All this may seem obvious, many of us have been put on hold for too long or have been put through to the wrong person or have never had a call back. Unfortunately this is a basic customer service that many companies still get wrong.
By employing a company such as Zoom to run a virtual reception service and act as your first point of contact, answering promptly with your company name, you will not have these problems ever again. Zoom can also transfer messages via email, SMS or fax instantly to the relevant person.
A quality telephone answering service needs to be prompt, answering all calls within a few rings, even when the reception is busy; it needs to be professional, answering with the name of the company; and it needs to be friendly and helpful, with the receptionist asking how they may direct the call and quickly and effectively putting the caller through. Should the requested person at the company not be available, an accurate message taking service should be in place so that the caller receives a call-back.
All this may seem obvious, many of us have been put on hold for too long or have been put through to the wrong person or have never had a call back. Unfortunately this is a basic customer service that many companies still get wrong.
By employing a company such as Zoom to run a virtual reception service and act as your first point of contact, answering promptly with your company name, you will not have these problems ever again. Zoom can also transfer messages via email, SMS or fax instantly to the relevant person.
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