A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so. Mahatma Gandhi
Let the customer vent.
Most reps feel so uncomfortable with customers' anger that they rush them off the phone. But a wise choice of words can empower the rep to take full responsibility for the customer's experience on every call. For instance, while the customer is blowing off steam, the rep should use empathizing phrases, such as "I can see how that happened" or "I understand what an inconvenience that must have been." Statements like these almost inevitably calm the customer down after a few minutes. www.integritybpo.com
Don't snow the customer with policies and regulations.
Customers want your company to be easy to do business with, and will only become more infuriated if your rep says that the company can't fulfill a request because "it's our policy." Instead, the rep should say, "Let me check to see what I can do." This gives the rep time to judge the caller's level of irateness and salvage the customer.
Never make the customer wrong!
If a rep tells a customer that he or she is wrong or unfair, even if this is the truth, you will lose the customer -- even if you give the customer everything that was requested. If you cause customers to lose their dignity, they will always feel uncomfortable about calling your catalog.
Defuse the customer's anger.
The most effective way to do this is to place the situation in perspective and avoid inflammatory words and phrases. For instance, even if the customer says he has a "problem," the rep is better off responding, 'Tell me about your situation (order, delivery)." It becomes a bigger problem if you call it a problem.
Similarly, saying things like "You'll have to wait until Friday for delivery" automatically pushes the customer's button. Your customer is calling on a voluntary basis and does not "have to" do anything. "We'll get the order to you by Friday" is a softer approach. www.integritybpo.com
These substitute words and phrases help the rep stay neutral, neither toeing the company line nor siding with the customer. They defuse the customer's ire sooner, cut call time, and allow the situation to be resolved before the rep moves into sales.
Ask open-ended questions ... but only after giving the
customer ample time to vent.
Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no," so the customer will provide the details of his or her complaint. But if the rep's questioning and problem solving begin too soon, without allowing the shopper to express irritation first, the customer will perceive the questioning as interrogation. This steps up the tension several notches and lengthens the call.
The most effective open-ended questions begin with, "what do you need to...?" "Tell me about..." "How can I help?"
Questions should start with "what" rather than "why," which can intimidate and put the customer on the defensive. www.integritybpo.com
CLOSING THE SALE
Congratulations! Your rep has resolved the customer's problem and is now ready to move from service to sales. Here's where the rep's energy and enthusiasm come in. Reps should assume that sales will happen on every call, so they should ask for additional sales on every call. Again, however, the right techniques and words make all the difference. Here are some suggestions:
Take charge of the call.
It is essential to control the customer's reaction by assuming a positive ending to the conversation. For instance, instead of asking, "Would you like to hear about our specials?" The rep should say, "By the way, did you know we have ... on special this week at just $60?" Similarly, to ask "What other items would you like to add to your order?" is a far better upsell tactic than to say, 'You don't want to add anything else to your order, do you?" www.integritybpo.com
Use command words.
In this situation, it is acceptable for reps to use words such as "must," "need," and "have to." In fact, such words can help close a sale. For example, when a rep has suggested the perfect add-on item, he or she may tell the customer, "You have to have this! It would ..." (add the benefit the customer might like to hear, based on the customer's own words if possible).
Take charge of the call.
It is essential to control the customer's reaction by assuming a positive ending to the conversation. For instance, instead of asking, "Would you like to hear about our specials?" The rep should say, "By the way, did you know we have ... on special this week at just $60?" Similarly, to ask "What other items would you like to add to your order?" is a far better upsell tactic than to say, 'You don't want to add anything else to your order, do you?" www.integritybpo.com
Use command words.
In this situation, it is acceptable for reps to use words such as "must," "need," and "have to." In fact, such words can help close a sale. For example, when a rep has suggested the perfect add-on item, he or she may tell the customer, "You have to have this! It would ..." (add the benefit the customer might like to hear, based on the customer's own words if possible).
Sell the product's benefits, not its features.
Reps must remember that from the customer's point of view, 90% of a sale is emotional. Active verbs such as "gain," "improve," and "save," along with words that express benefits, such as "new," "free," and "proven" are likely to appeal to the customer's emotions. The impact of these words will be greater if reps combine them with any needs that the customer may have expressed earlier for example, "You'll gain a savings of 50% if you buy this new cushion, which will make your back feel much better."
Appeal to emotion, not intellect.
Reps should ask customers how they feel, not what they think, about adding the suggested item or items to their order. Asking them to think may cause them to question the appropriateness of an item, whereas asking their feelings about it tends to help them see how it might be suitable. www.integritybpo.com
Close on an upbeat note.
The last comment the customer hears is what he or she will remember. Rather than ending with "Have a nice day," the rep should invite customers to "call back again," especially if they were upset, then say "goodbye" or "'bye," with an upward inflection at the end of the word. This keeps the door open and ready for the customer to walk through again soon.
Reps must remember that from the customer's point of view, 90% of a sale is emotional. Active verbs such as "gain," "improve," and "save," along with words that express benefits, such as "new," "free," and "proven" are likely to appeal to the customer's emotions. The impact of these words will be greater if reps combine them with any needs that the customer may have expressed earlier for example, "You'll gain a savings of 50% if you buy this new cushion, which will make your back feel much better."
Appeal to emotion, not intellect.
Reps should ask customers how they feel, not what they think, about adding the suggested item or items to their order. Asking them to think may cause them to question the appropriateness of an item, whereas asking their feelings about it tends to help them see how it might be suitable. www.integritybpo.com
Close on an upbeat note.
The last comment the customer hears is what he or she will remember. Rather than ending with "Have a nice day," the rep should invite customers to "call back again," especially if they were upset, then say "goodbye" or "'bye," with an upward inflection at the end of the word. This keeps the door open and ready for the customer to walk through again soon.
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