Boy do some companies do a terrible job answering their calls!
Whilst completing my University degree and working part time answering incoming calls I estimate I’ve answered (roughly) 24,000 calls and I’d like to think I became quite skilled at what I did – perfecting the art of handling all types of calls and in all kinds of situations dealing with a range of callers from the angry to the hysterically.
Now I’ve graduated and I’ve moved on into the mysterious realm of the sales team I am now very much on the other side of the fence. I’ve now made hundreds of calls to different companies and I’m now experiencing all kinds of receptionists and they are not all doing a very good job.
I have pinpointed my top 5 pet peeves and if they annoy me then your staff members are probably annoying your clients and potential clients too. Bad call handling costs money.
Perhaps these points will help you in your quest to reach your goal of call handling perfection.
1) When I call a company and I’m being transferred between the departments, nine times out of ten the person transferring me will not tell me they are about to put me on hold. Resulting in simply placing me on hold and transferring me without letting me know exactly what’s going on or which department I’m being transferred to. This is the ultimate annoyance as I find it rude and also confusing – I have no idea I’m being transferred to another department and no idea who I’m about to speak to.
2) When people say “BARE WITH ME.” – WHAT DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?!?! It’s nonsense! – It means nothing! Just say – “please hold the line.”
3) When people drink and eat down the phone – you have no idea how many people I have spoken to who are sipping teas or smacking their lips over a nice juicy pastry whilst on the phone to me. It’s very rude to talk with your mouth full for starters and it shows you’re not fully listening…it’s also irritating when I‘m starving!
4) People who say “WHAT?” when they haven’t heard your question properly. This is impolite and show’s a lack of respect to who the caller. It’s only takes a second to rephrase it and to be polite – “Please would you repeat that?”
5) Leaving you on hold for several minutes without letting you know what’s going on. If the caller has been on hold for any longer than roughly 20 seconds let them know what’s going on. Hold music can often make you want to go insane (after having heard the Enrique Iglesias – Hero numerous times for two minutes at a time you’ll know what I mean) and coupled with not knowing what’s going on can make a fiery duo and often result in the caller becoming annoyed.
Please take heed of this advice and remember these points when answering the phone…. It will help you!
Ben Peirrepont
Apprentice New Business Executive at Office Response.
Thanks for sharing this Ben, it made good reading and can empathise with your views.
One of my favorites is when you ask for someone, the receptionist says ‘bear with me’ (while putting her hand on the speaker) and saying ‘it’s Ben from Office Response’ – and you can hear ‘tell him I am in a meeting’ (in a kind of hushed tone).
What do you do if this happens – I normally confront them and say ‘I am sure I recognised his voice in the background’ as opposed to a cheery ‘no problem I will try another time’?