“Joe’s Service, canihelpya?” the less than enthusiastic person answers the phone, like I’ve
interrupted something important. No matter what transpires in the next phase of the contact with
this company, the first impression hasn’t been good. That means whoever takes up the mantle
from the person who answers the phone has an uphill battle to turn around the initial impression.
Why do managers and owners of businesses allow this to happen?
A pleasant, upbeat phone greeting
sets the emotional stage for a successful call. It often catches
the caller off guard. It surprises Broca. (See Roy H. Williams -
) One of the most successful ways to
engage a person immediately is to replace the thought in their mind with one that is more
interesting. That’s what a great phone greeting accomplishes. Often, it will also diffuse an angry
caller. People naturally mirror the tone of voice that they hear, so for somebody who has a
complaint or something that is bugging them, a pleasant phone greeting can stop them in their
tracks and simmer down the complainant. It’s hard to be angry at someone who is so pleasant.
So, how do you train people to be pleasant when they’re maybe not feeling it? No doubt, it takes
practice, but it also means choosing the right person for the task, someone who has the ability to
bounce back no matter what has occurred before they answer the phone. You’ll often find this
person has an engaging, outgoing personality and is naturally upbeat.
Everyone has a force field made up of the energies one brings to it. Your customers can read that
force with unerring accuracy, so you must believe in everything you say to a customer or they will
know you are not being authentic. This is transmitted down a telephone line just as surely as if
you are talking face to face. One sure way of doing that is to smile. A smile can be transmitted
through a voice and that can be heard by the caller.
So put those irritants aside and answer the phone with a smile, with energy and unbridled
enthusiasm. Your customers will love it!
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