The way that your company answers phone calls is vitally important as it is often the first point of contact between your staff and potential clients. First impressions last and if the first impression starts off badly you've already got to make some extra ground to get back on par. Our initial phone conversations need to reaffirm the professional image that they have formed of SSW. Prospective clients may call 5 or 6 consultancies but only meet with 1 or 2 so we need to stand out. This starts with the very first phone call.
The benefits of a strong phone manner are such that clients retain positive perceptions of the service provided by the company and the staff that they interact with. Another great benefit of a proper phone etiquette is the chance to upsell, promote complimentary services or promote a better understanding between yourself and your customer. Here's a series of rules that detail some of the issues involved with maintaining a proper phone etiquette.
Do you agree with them all? Are we missing some? Let us know what you think.
First things first. You need to be able to list some of the main reasons why people may call you. When you know what some of these are it puts you in a better position to prepare yourself for action or an intelligent and helpful response. For example, if you're a restaurant you better have your reservation systems close to the phone and if you're a bank you better be ready for some abuse. At SSW we find that people call us for only a few reasons:
When you go to meetings to attract business, you always walk in knowing what they want. Why should phone calls be any different?
We use an inbound calls script. Having an inbound script does a couple of great things for you. It allows you to control the flow of the conversation, it also makes sure that you're asking them the right questions, and most importantly, you know when to listen and take notes. When someone calls always have an email open to jot down notes as well as a solid set of probing questions ready to ask the prospect.
If the phone rings after hours (or while everyone’s in the Daily Scrum) and nobody picks up, two bad things happen:
Modern voice-AI platforms such as phonely.ai or bland.ai answer every call in 400 ms, block obvious SPAM, and hand genuine callers a friction-free, human-sounding experience.
They're awake 24/7, never take bathroom breaks, and can switch language on the fly, all while routing hot leads straight to the right person or department when a human really is needed.
How many times has another staff member given you a phone number to call back which was wrong? This should never happen.
This sounds like a bit of a no-brainer but as a simple rule, we say that you should always get the prospect's full contact details. These details should then be added to your company database (just in case that post-it note they wrote it on disappears).
Here are some of the important details that need to be recorded:
Ever wondered why 007 always introduced himself as "Bond, James Bond"? Well, If he introduced himself as just James everywhere he went you wouldn't think very much of this international man of espionage and danger would you? By using your full name it instantly gives you authority. It's also useful in situations where your name is common like Peter, John or Jane.
When you speak to a salesperson and they're like UM...AH...ER... it doesn't instill a great deal of confidence in the offering. Phone conversations where people are mumbling and stumbling don't create a very positive impression. You should always aim to communicate your ideas and answer any questions that callers have promptly, clearly and effectively. If you speak with confidence, it will always inspire confidence in you and your company. Here are some general rules of thumb to follow for effective communication:
When communicating with others, it is important to match the tone of your voice with your intent. The way you deliver your message can significantly impact how it is received. A well-matched tone ensures clarity, understanding, and strengthens relationships, allowing your true intentions to shine through effectively.
This is extra important for consultants - we need to make sure our clients trust us and feel confident in the solutions we provide.
Getting the right information from prospects helps you prioritize potential leads and projects and won't have you running around unnecessarily after hot air.
High-gain questions allow you to get information that otherwise won't necessarily be provided. Important information isn't often volunteered by smart prospective clients.
Giving your fellow employees informative messages is important. Follow these steps to make sure you are providing people with all the information they need to activate the message.
How often has the connection dropped out while a call center operator was trying to transfer you, or perhaps you get put straight through to someone's voicemail, meaning you need to hang up and call again. You should have a simple method for transferring calls that ensures the caller doesn't go around in circles or is left waiting for ages, wondering what is going on.
Great consultants see opportunities and know that once they’re in at a client, they become a trusted advisor, and anything they say will have more weight than the same message coming from a Sales Person or an Account Manager.
Not all software developers are comfortable with “upselling,” but it is important to be on the lookout. There are 2 key scenarios:
Once a software developer sees an opportunity, they should have a corridor conversation and see if they get a positive bite from the customer. If they do then they should hand it over to the Account Manager to track in CRM (from there the client should be massaged until the new work is booked in).
Most prospects come to your organization to seek a solution to a problem or need. By doing so, they place a certain amount of trust in you and your judgments. They trust a software developer can alleviate their problems, address their needs, and sometimes suggest an alternative plan of action.
Say you are talking to a customer having problems with a product e.g. Upsizing PRO! - if they are still having problems with upsizing to SQL Server, they probably need some help beyond what our program can provide. Therefore tell them about how SSW has upsized smoothly, so many databases for so many clients, and that we can help them. Though this example may not come across as an up-sell, little suggestions like these can bring in more consulting plus it shows that you're on the ball and looking out for your customers' needs.
Customers normally appreciate this sentiment. You need to remember that prospects don't always know exactly what they want or need and that's exactly why they've gone to the experts - YOU.
Having a nice chat with clients is great but you should always finish the conversation with something to action. For example, if they wanted their requirements changed you should send them a confirmation email if they wanted to schedule a meeting you should send them an Outlook appointment. Here are some more examples of typical things you action after a call:
Nobody likes to hear they have an unhappy customer, but it happens. Maybe a deadline was missed, or a feature didn't work out as expected, or perhaps the client's just having a bad day. 🤬
When you get the call/email, how you respond can make or break the relationship. When handled correctly, complaints can turn into a positive outcome for both you and the client! 🎉
When we're speaking on the phone and taking down notes on your computer live is just a hell of a lot easier when you've got both of your hands-free so you can type away as you please. There's a simple solution - use headsets. With these not only can you type furiously with both hands but they're supposed to be a lot more ergonomically friendly.
I absolutely hate being put on hold. When I call someone up to buy something and I get put on hold so that they can pick up another call, it amazes me how they are willing to jeopardize a hot prospect for an anonymous phone call. I think that when you have the momentum of the conversation going, the last thing you should do is put someone on hold to answer another call.
Being on hold is often a frustrating experience for most customers (yours truly included), so it's a really good idea to employ tactics so that time can fly by a bit quicker. A good way to do this is to keep the caller distracted with music or a message that they can listen to.
Every day businesses get hounded by sales calls; recruiters, cleaners, printer cartridges - the list goes on. When you receive a call for 'the manager' or 'for Tim', that sounds suspicious, ask the caller to provide the full name of the person they are seeking. If they can't, or don't provide a believable context, screen the call.