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!
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