A customer’s perception of your business is a fragile thing. Even the most innocuous of interactions, whether positive or negative, can significantly impact how someone feels about you.  

With the current economic uncertainty and competition for business fiercer than ever, it’s crucial that you do everything you can to boost customer satisfaction. That way, you’ll convert one-time buyers, into loyal brand advocates who come back time and time again. 

How a single phone call impacts your customers 

Every touchpoint you have with your customers can help to build a positive perception of your brand. Each social post, marketing email or telephone call will contribute to the overall impression they have of you. Even just one negative touchpoint can sour the whole relationship and end with a customer taking their business to one of your rivals.  

Phone calls hold great weight than something as simple as a social post. Actually speaking to a member of your team in real-time can have the biggest impact on the customer-business relationship. If the call goes well, you’ll leave the caller with (from your perspective) the right view of your business. But if the call goes poorly for any reason, you may struggle to ever repair the damage. 

So how can you ensure your customers end each call satisfied? 

1. Excellent call quality   

Firstly, each customer should be able to call without fear of a dropped connection or poor quality. Low-quality calls will add to their frustration and leave them even more exasperated than when they first rang.  

No matter the size or scale of your business, today’s customers expect total professionalism and that includes your phone system. Any dropped calls paint your business negatively and are more likely to cause someone to take their business elsewhere.  

2. A clear team structure 

A customer’s time is precious. The last thing they want is to have their time and energy wasted because they’re having to explain their issue to someone who can’t help. They want to be able to easily navigate your teams and departments so they can find the right person for their specific query.  

Who is the first person that a customer speaks to when they call your business? How easily can they transfer the call to the right person? You should have a phone system in use that allows for simple transfers and clear navigational menus to prevent delays that frustrate callers.  

3. Friendly and positive conversations  

We’ve previously written about the key to holding good conversations with customers. There are some key skills that your team should sharpen to make sure every interaction casts a positive light on your brand.  

• Empathise with the caller. A simple apology from your part can diffuse a situation and give someone the satisfaction they’re looking for. Don’t be dismissive or disinterested. In that moment, the most important thing is resolving the customer’s issue.   
• Make sure you know your stuff. Your customer service team should be experts in your products and services. If they struggle to answer a query, then customers might get the impression that they aren’t an expert and their money would be better spent at a rival. 
• No matter the situation, be positive and don’t lose your cool. Even if there is genuine anger on the other end of the line, always remain positive. Your language should focus on possible solutions to their issue, rather than any disagreement you might have with what they’re saying.   
• Avoid following a script. After dealing with hundreds of customer calls over time, you might accidentally start to sound as though you’re speaking from a rehearsed script. Customers want to feel as though their interaction is bespoke to them. If at any point you sound robotic or as if you’re just following a script, then you’ll start to lose them. Be human, engage in a conversation and you’re more likely to leave a positive impression.  

Are you using a phone system that’s up to the job?

Does your current phone system provide high-quality calls that are reliable 24/7? Does it feature clear navigational menus so callers can quickly and easily reach the right member of your team? Customer service can make or break any business, no matter how big or small it is, so you should do everything in your power to provide the absolute best for your customers.  

CircleLoop is a powerful and reliable cloud-based phone system that can power your customer interactions whether your teams are in the office or working remotely. Our phone system is packed with useful features that will give you the foundation you need to boost customer satisfaction.  

To see how it can work for your business, get started in just minutes with a free trial by clicking the link that’s below.