How to Follow Organisational Procedures When Making and Receiving Telephone Calls

The organisational procedures when making and receiving telephone calls can vary from business to business, but there are some similarities. There is usually a general guidance and training for staff and especially for the reception staff.
Many customer service jobs involve contacting customers by telephone. Making an effective telephone call involves some very specific actions and should not be seen as a casual activity. By making a call to a customer you have the opportunity to prepare and are therefore more likely to be able to lead the conversation in the direction you want it to go.
To make a phone call effective you can:
a. Use all appropriate customers information to plan your call.
b. Anticipate your customer’s expectations and assemble all the information you might need before your conversation with the customer.
c. Identify the objective of your call and the way in which you expect the call to end.
d. Think about possible answers.

You also have to use your communication effectively by:
a. Operating telecommunication equipment efficiently and effectively.
b. Speaking clearly and slowly and adapt your speech to meet the individual needs of your customer.
c. Listen carefully when collecting information from your customer
d. Selecting the information you need to record and store following your organisation’s guidelines.
e. Update your customer records during or after the call to reflect the key points of your conversation.

You also have to be focused on your customer:
a. Open the conversation positively and establish a rapport with your customer.
b. Confirm the identity of your customer following organisational guidelines.
c. Ensure that your customer is aware of the purpose of your call.
d. Respond positively to queries and objections from your customer.
e. Summarise the outcome of the call and any actions that you or your customer will take as a result
Practical outcome 3