GREAT phone calls – How to have GREAT customer conversations over the telephone

An interactive half-day, face-to-face workshop or a 90-minute virtual session

Despite the many ways of contacting companies digitally, telephone support is still the go-to choice for many customers. With easy service, fast resolution and direct contact with a human being a priority for many, it’s no surprise that 62% of customers still prefer to call an organisation. This session explores the specific skills that can make, rather than break, a telephone-based interaction.

How will it help?

This workshop will help your people to:

  • Describe what makes a positive difference when communicating with customers over the telephone
  • Be conscious of their Vocal Dashboard and ensure that their tone of voice is congruent with their words
  • Effectively use space in the conversation to build trust with the customer rather than suffer silences
  • Positively position the potential ‘breakers’ of a GREAT telephone customer conversation

Who should attend?

Anyone in a customer-facing role who has attended the GREAT customer service workshop.

What happens in it?

A highly interactive and practical session, using real scenarios relevant to your people in their role. Your people will learn three key strategies that will help them to have great customer conversations on the telephone, and have the opportunity to practise the strategies in the context of their everyday customer interactions.

How’s it delivered?

Option 1 – Face-to-face
A half-day session for a group of up to 12. The session is approximately 3-hours and each participant will receive a printed take-away summarising the three strategies.

Option 2 – Virtual
A 90-minute session for a group of up to 12. The virtual option is just as interactive and each participant will receive a PDF take-away summarising the three strategies.

Session outline

This is the overview for the half-day, face-to-face session. Timings are approximate and will flex depending on the needs of the group. Virtual delivery follows the same content and sequence but with different timings and excludes the additional practise section.

1 Welcome to GREAT phone calls (30 mins)

  • What will you learn? Session overview and objectives
  • Activity: What’s the difference between face-to-face and phone?
  • The Mehrabian Communication model – busting the myth

2 Three strategies (90 mins)

  • Be aware of your Vocal Dashboard
    • The Vocal Dashboard – what it is and the messages you give your customer
    • Activity: The Vocal Dashboard – looking for clues in calls
  • Avoid silences and build connection
    • When might silences occur in your calls?
    • Activity: How might you use the silence and build connection instead
  • Position positively
    • A strategy to position compliance or process statements positively
    • Activity: Practise positive positioning

BREAK (15 mins)

3 Practise (F2F only – 30 minutes)

  • Activity: Two activities to apply your learning

4 Action plan and close (15 mins)

  • Reflect and prepare actions
  • Activity: surprise!
  • Close

To check that this is the right programme for you, just give us a call on 01582 463464 and we’ll be happy to talk it through with you – we’re here to help!