I have to run a telephone training technique course at work as staff are not ansering the phones correctly or?

Question

on time. Does anyone know of any websites etc where I can find some workbooks or any good tips on how to go about this (been flung in at the deep end on this one)

Answer 1

www.pitman-training.com/portsmouth

having trouble with one of ours, sending her on a course with the above, The Professional Receptionist seminar

Answer 2

Well, first of all, why aren't the phones being answered on time? Is it because there is no designated receptionist, or that she's too busy with other tasks?

Maybe you could set up a schedule where people take turns answering the phones (Each hour covered by a different person.) During that time, they have to be at their desk, working at stuff that can be easily interrupted.

Next, work on basic phone manners. When a person answers the phone, they are the Voice of the Company. They should smile, say "Hello, this is XYZ company. How may I help you?"

Everyone who answers the phone should have a list of the extensions (and names of people and what they do, if necessary) right next to the phone. They should also have one of those "While you were out" memo pads to take messages.

When taking a message, politely request the caller's name (and ask for the spelling), the caller's number, and a brief description of what the call is about. Note the time and day, and whether someone should call the caller back.

Handling a multi-line phone would also be a good practice session. "Excuse me. I have a caller on another line. Will you please hold?"

I'm sure you can find good youtube clips demonstrating proper phone manners.

Practice with real phones, if possible. If not, you could practice with bananas, to inject a bit of humor into the course. Make up situations -- good callers, bad callers, Monster Callers, etc. Wrong numbers, too -- these should be handled politely. People should also do pair work, taking turns being the caller and the receptionist. You can make up "situation cards" for the callers, which explain who they are, and what kind of trouble they want to make (-:.

Good luck! Phone manners are really important!

Answer 3

Can you not create one of your own, on the basis of how a customer would expect their call to be treated?

You know, answered swiftly, imagine it's the Managing Director calling, say "Good Morning, IT (or whatever)" if it's an internal call, "Good Morning, Fred Smith and Partners, how may I help?" for an external call.

Avoid the curt " 'ello!" or the gabbled recitation of "Fred Smith Tracee speaking 'ow can I 'elp?"

I always trained mine to think that it might be the Managing Director on the phone, a man of old-fashioned ideas and a notoriously grumpy attitude. I used some stooges to "reply" in various way, such as with a deeply bored sigh and " 'ello?" or in a fashion implying that they were actually interested in the call, then asked the audience which they would prefer if they were calling. Worked every time.

Answer 4

I worked for BT long time ago and the past 10 years a call centre- we have always been taught that the first contact with the company is the most important, smile when you answer the phone, the customer is not a disturbance to our work the customer is our work, always be pleasant even when the customer is angry, always leave the customer with a good impression of the company and or yourself.

Answer 5

I wish you luck on this one, all the answers are spot on.
I am now going to ring my bank to see why they have made a pigs ear of my account.
What's the betting that I get brain dead Brenda, you know the type, ya what?, I dunno, howd ya spell yer name....