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Dealing with numerous callers each and every day requires a large array of skills. Patience, politeness and having a vast amount of knowledge are just to name a few. You learn how to direct calls to the appropriate place, solve various issues and answer many many questions. However, there will be instances when you just don’t know what to do with the caller on the other side of the phone, how to solve the problem at hand or answer their questions. When this sort of situation occurs, it’s easy to become panicked, but there are ways to deal with these issues when situations like this occur.  

No matter what issue you face, hanging up the phone in a panic is never going to be the solution, this would only annoy the customer and put you in a very bad light! There are many techniques to ensure that the customer on the other end of the phone has no idea that you’re struggling. If you don’t quite understand what the caller is after, there’s a certain limit to asking the caller to repeat themselves. Before you do this, try and read whether the caller is getting impatient. If so, then it might be worth trying to find someone who can help, or pass the caller onto someone else who you know is available and can help, this doesn’t mean you’ve failed the call, people interpret things differently. If you find that the caller is quite patient, it might be worth asking them to clarify what they’re after.  There’s nothing wrong with simply asking them to clarify, just as long as it’s done with a polite and professional manner.  If you have a vague idea of what the caller is after, try and quote that instead. For instance “So you’re interested in purchasing our new product?”. It’s best that you don’t actually say you that you don’t understand, this leaves the caller in an awkward position, and reflects badly on you and the company you’re representing. 

If you find that you’re becoming a little bit panicky because you’re just not understanding, then it’s worth jotting down key phrases the caller is telling you. You can look back on these notes at the end of the call and have more time and less pressure to understand. If you find that you simply can’t help the caller, then there will be times when someone else will have to contact them. Yet again try not to make any false promises with regards to who will call them back, people’s schedules can change on a day to day basis. 

At the end of the day, the key point is to not panic. Becoming increasingly worried and nervous about a situation will only put stress on yourself, and will most likely make the caller a lot more stressed too. Not all calls will be smooth sailing, but at least you know you’ve done everything possible and properly in order to correct the situation. 

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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. 

Dealing with a disgruntled caller

Talking on the phone and dealing with callers can generally be quite a pleasant experience. Although from time to time, there will be that one caller that can be quite difficult to deal with, and no matter how polite and civil you are, you still can’t appease the person on the other side of the phone. Dealing with this type of situation can be quite difficult, however there are various ways to diffuse the situation and ensure that it doesn’t escalate any further. 

It all starts by listening to the caller, although this may be the last thing you want to do if they start getting abusive towards you. In this type of situation, the first thing to do is to make the caller aware that you won’t tolerate abuse of any kind, you’re there to help them, not be their verbal punching bag. Saying something along the lines of “I understand that you’re frustrated sit/madam, but I won’t tolerate being spoken to in that manner, I want to help you and ensure that this issue gets resolved” will help tame the situation, as well as putting the caller in their place. If you’re struggling to understand or listen to the caller for whatever reason, jot down key points on a piece of paper, looking back on these notes at the end of the call can sometimes make more sense than in the midst of a difficult phone call where tension levels are high. 

Nothing gets a caller more rattled if they feel as if they aren’t being listened to. This is why it’s key to ensure that you’re actually listening to them, and not just agreeing for the sake of it. You could end up missing key points, misunderstanding the situation and repeating yourself, or worse, making the caller repeat themselves. Try not to pass the caller around to different people either, the caller will only get more rattled and end up having to repeat themselves over and over again. Certain words and phrases can diffuse the situation and ensures that the customer feels as if they’re being listened too, such as “I can understand why you’re frustrated” or “I too would be upset”. Clever vocabulary doesn’t have to stop there. Using words such as honestly, sincerely and genuinely reassures the customer that you are indeed being honest and fair with them. 

When people are angry, all they want to do is vent out their frustrations. It’s important that you let the caller do this, as interrupting mid sentence will only make them more irritable, as you’re stopping them from getting their point across. Sometimes the caller can make you angry as well, but it’s paramount that you remain calm, and most importantly don’t turn the call into a raging argument by passing judgement. This will only reflect badly on you.

It may seem obvious, but don’t shout back, don’t tell them they’re stupid and don’t say they’re wrong. Sometimes it’s about being the bigger person. You know that they’re wrong, other people around you know that they’re wrong, and at the end of the day the caller probably knows that they’re wrong too. Diffusing a difficult situation is much more rewarding than proving someone wrong and letting your pride get in the way.   

Sometimes resolving the situations straight away isn’t always possible, and making false promises may seem like a great solution in the short while, but can be detrimental in the long run for you and the customer. Ensure that the call ends on a high note if possible, it’s always a good sign if someone calls up angry and they go away satisfied.

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.

Surge in Start-ups in 2013

The UK launched half a million start-ups in 2013 with 10,000 loans totalling over £50 million awarded by the Government's Start Up Loans scheme. Entrepreneurs hoping to grow businesses in the UK can get ahead of competitors and make an impact in the marketplace by proving they have great customer service and a dedicated telephone answering service is an essential element in growing small businesses and managing larger companies.

Call answering services provide a point of contact for customers day and night with professionally trained call handlers who can accommodate a range of different services according to your company's needs. From virtual reception services to diary management, brochure sending to call centre services, franchise call handling to non-geographical numbers - Zoom Answer Call offers high quality tailored services to start-ups, SMEs and large established businesses.

With a record number of start-ups emerging in the UK last year, we hope 2014 is the year of success for your company, and if you need help managing your incoming or outgoing calls let us help you to find the perfect solution with Zoom's dedicated telephone answering service. Try a free 7-day trial to see just how effective call management services can be for your business and watch your company grow in 2014!

The Benefits of Outsourced Call Services

Increasing numbers of companies are choosing outsourcing as an affordable and practical solution to their needs, enabling them to provide high quality services, increase profits and work more efficiently. For many, the term 'outsourcing' sounds a little scary - something that only applies to large companies and involves the loss of jobs - but in reality, outsourcing certain aspects of your business, like call answering, simply means all your staff are able to concentrate on their jobs while your phones are manned and you never miss a call again!

Small and medium-sized businesses can benefit greatly from outsourcing essential services such as call handling and virtual reception services with options to suit every budget from Zoom UK. Smaller businesses put so much pressure on managers and staff to handle every aspect of their work, which often means that your front line is left unmanned. Missed calls and appointments mean missed opportunities and sales, but with a dedicated phone answering service you will have the backup and resources you need at all times. Your business will run far smoother when you have the support of call centre services or a virtual reception desk, allowing you to get on with your work and expanding your company. 

One of the great things about outsourcing your calls to Zoom UK is that our services can grow with your company, or be reduced when you need to cut back. For busy periods, holidays, staff illnesses and marketing drives, we can take on extra responsibilities - or we can offer one-off cover services with the same high level of dedication and professionalism. When you need us, we're here! 

Based in the UK and staffed by highly experienced call handlers, we adapt to your needs and offer a versatile array of outsourced services including:

• call answering
• call centre services
• appointment making
• call diversion
• virtual reception
• brochure and info sending
• recruitment campaigns
• non-geographical numbers
• franchise call management
• holiday cover
• telemarketing

Try our 7-day free trial to see how well our services work with your existing business arrangements. And when you're ready to outsource - we'll be waiting!