In this day and age, it might be true that, as we connect more intimately in a global sense, our communication skills might be falling by the wayside due to automation. As more of us seek refuge on the internet and on our smart devices, some of us are getting worse at talking to each other.
This extends to our telephone conversations as well, whether it be at work or in our personal lives. But fear not! Below TAB Answer Network goes over a few ways you can brush up on your interpersonal skills over the phone, which will help you be more confident, convincing, and assertive in your life and in the workplace.
1.) Speak with Confidence
Making sure that you’re in control of what you’re saying is key to building conversational confidence. Make sure to stop using extraneous terms and expressions. Try to speak plainly and simply, without overexplaining.
2.) Speak How You Would Like to Be Spoken To
Treating others with the same amount of respect that you expect to be treated with is key in creating lasting partnerships, not to mention having constructive and effective conversations over the phone. Being more respectful over the phone, in the end, will help you get what you want and achieve your objectives easier as well. Everyone wants to help a nice, respectful person, when it comes down it!
3.) Try to Match Your Caller’s Pace
If your caller is in a hurry, then try to oblige them. Some people would like nothing more than to skip the formalities and get straight to the point and, in such cases, you’ll want to make sure to respond with short, concise answers. Brevity usually will go a long way. If your caller would like to be friendly, cordial, and conduct their business at a leisurely pace, allow that to happen as well.
4.) Be Helpful at All Times
Instead of forcing our agenda onto a caller, let’s make sure that we’re bringing something to the table as well. When we get into the service mindset and focus on actually helping people solve problems and get what they need, it’s amazing how much a business can flourish in a short amount of time.
5.) Ask for Your Caller’s Permission
Remember that each and every caller wants to feel like they’re in control of the conversation. Honestly, that’s the way it should be since we rely on them to keep our businesses running. Make sure to refrain from making any sort of demands on the caller and instead ask for permission, especially in cases where you need to put someone on hold.
Using the golden rule (treating others how you’d want to be treated) and always thanking your callers for their time will go an extremely long way. If you have any other questions about how you can be more effective on the phone or are interested in our phone answering services, contact TAB Answer Network today.