Customer Service - Call Handling Tips
Customer Service - Call Handling Tips
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” Alexander Graham Bell
Do you want to know how to handle and run client calls efficiently and effectively? Here are 5 tips and best practices our Client Service Team follows in order to exceed client expectations and customer service.
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Schedule the Call.
Connect and schedule the meeting ahead of time. Ensure the meeting invite is accepted and the proper people are on the call. Scheduling a call with the wrong business contact or scheduling a different date that the client agreed upon can cause havoc and be a huge waste of time. At Optic Marketing Group, we love to schedule client meetings at least once a month to see how business is going, what is happening internally in the client’s business, and talk about what’s happening in their industry.
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Be Prepared.
Prepare, prepare, and prepare!! Take the time to create your agenda, outline the items you want to discuss on the call. Review reporting, internal questions your team may need you to verify ahead of time will make you be a lot more comfortable and calm on your call. We practice and preach being 100% being transparent with our clients, if you have any negative feedback or results, you’re able to collect your thoughts ahead of time to deliver the information efficiently, concisely and with a solution. Review the client’s contract, ensure you have a clear understanding of what the client’s goals are and what your team has done to get closer to that goal.
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Read the “Room”.
If you are able to have an in-person meeting with your client, read everyone’s body language. Body language speaks volumes and will enable you to anticipate any uncomfortable nuances that your client may not express. If you cannot have an in-person meeting and are just doing an online meeting, pick up on the tone and hesitations in answers. Understanding the small “silences” allows you to be able to maneuver the conversation to ensure everyone is comfortable with the conversation and the solutions presented.
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If You Don’t Know, Do Not Fake It.
You don’t know what you don’t know, be okay with saying, “I need to check with the team on that for you, I am not sure.” You would rather confirm the answer with your team rather than putting your foot in your mouth and giving empty promises!
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Use Your Time Wisely.
Your client does not have all day to speak to you, so make sure you’re asking the proper questions. Prioritize the items you need to review and be flexible to adapt in case your client comes in with a left-field question or concern.
Regularly scheduled conversations with your clients provide much-needed updates on both sides. As a full-service marketing agency, we want to ensure our campaigns are aligned with the client’s goals and objectives. We understand that sometimes those client goals and objectives shift, so we adapt and have that open dialogue.