Tagged with: Receptionist Etiquette Tip

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: Match Your Caller’s Communication Style

By | 01.26.2012 |

Virtual receptionist tip: tone mirroringWe like to think of ourselves as the best virtual receptionist team around, and one way we show our skills is by making every caller feel comfortable. We’ve found a great way to keep callers at ease is by matching their communication style. If you’d like to add a bit of Ruby® to your conversations, try matching your callers in these four ways:

Introduction. Whether it’s Doctor Smith, Ms. Smith, or Susan, refer to your caller the same way she refers to herself. When given a full name, our virtual receptionist team opts for familiarity over formality — we’d refer to Susan Smith as Susan instead of Ms. Smith. Of course, when if a client asks us to address callers formally, Ms. Smith it is! As for which route you should take, we suggest checking with your employer. And always use a caller’s name when you can — it’s an easy way to engage a caller and show you’re listening!

Pace. Fast-talkers may be in a hurry, so get them to where they need to be as soon as you can. If your caller asks brief, to-the-point questions, keep your replies concise. When a caller wants to chat, engage in a little friendly banter, and when you’re asked a question about yourself, always thank your caller and reciprocate after answering: “I’m having a great day! Thank you for asking! How about you?”

Tone. If you sense any urgency in your caller’s voice, use it as a cue to reassure your caller, and take care of business: “I’ll be happy to put you in touch with our technical support manager — we’ll make sure this gets resolved.” Acknowledge any news your caller gives, whether good (“That’s wonderful to hear! Congratulations!”) or not so good (“I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll do everything I can to help!”). When chatting with a chipper caller, have fun with ‘em, and keep your tone extra-upbeat. A caller’s a laughter is music to our ears!

Casualness. If you’re picking up a serious, uber-professional vibe from your caller, keep your tone and word choice the same. Meet casual callers with a more laid-back style. For example, positive words like Certainly! and Absolutely! work well in both cases, and expressions like You got it! or You bet! are great for those callers with an informal tone.

How do you engage your callers? We’d love to learn your tips! Share by commenting below.

Share

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: Hesitation Is an Opportunity to Help

By | 01.19.2012 |
Offering Assistance

Photo by Andreas Johannsen

Ever been met with a less-than-eager response when offering a call to someone? It happens to our virtual receptionist team from time to time, and it goes a little something like this:

Receptionist: Hi Jim! This is Stephanie from Ruby. I have Walt Smith on the line. Would you like the call?

Jim: Oh…hmm…umm…

It doesn’t seem like Jim’s ready for Walt’s call at the moment, does it?

We’ve found that hesitation like this is often a teeny, tiny cry for help. Lucky for our clients and callers alike, the Ruby® telephone answering team is driven by a desire to help! When you’re met with a bit of hesitation in this type of situation, we suggest offering to take the next step. It’s sort of a motto at Ruby: When you think someone needs help, don’t make ‘em ask for help — go ahead and offer it! In a case like this, it’s as simple as saying, “I’d be happy to take a message, or relay a message to him if you’d like.”

This is just a small example of what we call fulfilling unexpressed needs, one of the levels of our Ruby Hierarchy of Service Pyramid. Looking for ways to help the people we interact with is fundamental to being part of the Ruby team. By anticipating what a caller or client may need and offering it preemptively, we take that helpfulness a step further. The next time you sense a need for help, try offering it before you’re asked. We think you’ll find fulfilling unexpressed needs is a fun, rewarding way to WOW!

Share

No answer? No problem! How to Respond Confidently to Any Question

By | 11.29.2011 |
Don't let a tricky call stump you!

Photo by tinyfroglet

The Ruby® Receptionists team fields lots of questions from callers each day. Many of them our virtual receptionist team can answer (with the help of client-provided FAQs), but some could leave even an in-house receptionist stumped. Although a Ruby phone answering pro may not always have an answer on the tip of her tongue, she’s always ready with a helpful reply. The next time a caller asks you a tricky question, try using these magic words: let me and I’ll be happy to.

Ruby rule: When we don’t have the answer you’re looking for, we’ll help you find it. Being a stellar receptionist isn’t about knowing all the answers — it’s about helping callers find the info they seek. Beginning a reply with the words “let me” or “I’ll be happy to” lets callers know you’re on board and ready to assist them.

The key to using “let me” and “I’ll be happy to” is to use them instead of negative phrases like “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure.” The fact that you don’t know or aren’t sure isn’t important to your caller. Your desire to help is, so let it show!

When you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s second nature to reply with “I don’t know,” but it’s a habit worth breaking. Check out this exchange:

Caller: What’s Jim’s email address?

Receptionist: I don’t know.

Ouch! That receptionist sure doesn’t sound helpful. Let’s try that again:

Caller: What’s Jim’s email address?

Receptionist: Let me find out!

The “let me” reply is a world apart. Positive replies beginning in “let me” and “I’ll be happy to” are the perfect segue into finding a caller’s answer. What’s more, these great starters work wonders in lots of situations — you don’t have to save them for your next phone call! There are many more like them, too: I can, I’d love to, I’ll be sure to, and the list goes on. The key is to resist the urge to say you “don’t know,” and dive in to finding out.

What helpful phrases do you use on the phone? Share by commenting on this post!

Share

Ask a Virtual Receptionist! Topic: Client Contact Info

By | 07.29.2011 |
Virtual receptionist Melissa W.

Virtual receptionist Melissa W.

The live virtual receptionist crew at Ruby® deftly fields calls for a wide variety of businesses every day. With each call, our bright, friendly receptionists take to heart both the interests of the caller and that of our client.

Occasionally, callers may ask for more information than we are authorized to give out, such as a client’s direct number or personal cell phone number. So how do we decline in a polite and helpful manner? When there’s a Ruby, there’s a way! This week we ask virtual receptionist Melissa W. how she would handle this sticky wicket:

 

What would you say if a caller asked for the client’s cell phone number?

Melissa: “I would say, ‘Unfortunately, I am unable to give out his cell phone number, but I would be happy to try his line or take a message for you.’”

We are certainly able to customize what information you would like us to give out to callers, so feel free to let us know! We’ll be sure to add a note to your account indicating which information is ok to relay. And rest assured that our receptionists will protect your privacy with their usual Ruby charm!

Share

3 Ways to Make a Great Impression When Answering the Phone

By | 07.07.2011 |
Welcome mat
Photo by Craig Dennis

When potential clients call your business, you want to be sure they’re met with a friendly, helpful voice, like those of our virtual receptionists. How does the Ruby® team make a great impression every time? Here are three tips from our telephone answering experts:

Greet gracefully. As the phone answering pros at Ruby know, a greeting is an opportunity to present your company and yourself well, offer assistance to your caller, and extend a bit of friendliness and goodwill, all within a few seconds. Don’t discount the importance of the first words your callers hear — check out these tips for making a great greeting!

Deflect with style. When you answer the phone, you’re on the front line for answering callers’ questions. Knowing all the answers may not be a must, but knowing how to respond is. Keep a few helpful phrases like these in your arsenal, so you’re ready to respond to any query:

     “Great question! Let me find out for you.”

     “I’d be happy to find out for you!”

     “Great question! Let me put you in touch with the best person to answer it.”

Don’t go easy on “please” and “thank you.” Being polite is one of the simplest ways to make a great impression on your callers. Look for opportunities to say “please” and “thank you,” and try using exuberant words like “Wonderful!” “Absolutely!” and “Certainly!” instead of “sure” or “okay.” You may only have a few words to share with your caller, so make them count!

How do you wow your callers from word one? Share your tips by commenting below!

Share

3 Reasons Our Virtual Receptionists Suggest Sending FYI Messages

By | 05.18.2011 |

Our virtual receptionist team knows that little actions often make a very positive impact. One easy way to go above and beyond is by sending FYI messages: brief messages intended to give heads-up, or answer potential questions before they’re asked. If telephone answering and message taking are part of your work routine, the remote receptionists at Ruby® recommend sending FYI messages in these situations:

When your caller declines to leave a message. Here’s the funny thing: you know that caller who keeps trying to reach your boss, but says “Oh, I’ll just try back” each time, declining to leave a message? When that caller finally reaches the boss, she’s liable to say “I’ve called several times! Didn’t your receptionist tell you?” Zing! When a caller opts not to leave a message, play it safe and take one anyway: “Maria declined to leave a message. She said she’d call back later. Just an FYI.”

When you transfer a caller to voicemail. Our virtual receptionists send clients a brief message any time a caller is connected to voicemail. Occasionally, callers may get distracted and end up not leaving a message after they’ve been transferred. Imagine how impressed they’ll be when they receive a return call anyway, simply because of your thoughtful FYI: “Just wanted to let you know I connected Mr. Significant to your voicemail.”

When a missed call may be noticed. Let’s say a caller asks to speak with your teammate. You try your teammate’s cell phone, but there’s no answer. When you return to the caller, you find you’re able to answer the caller’s questions, and the call wraps up nicely. Because your teammate may wonder about the missed call, we recommend sending a quick message in situations like this: “I tried your line with this call, but ended up being able to help the caller. Just an FYI in case you noticed the missed call.”

Our phone answering pros find FYI messages are an easy way to be proactive and helpful. What little steps do you take to wow your team?

Share

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: How to Answer Any Question With Confidence

By | 04.21.2011 |

Answer any question with confidenceIf you answer phones like our live virtual receptionist staff, you probably field a lot of questions each work day. The Ruby® telephone answering team knows that no matter how complex a question is, there’s always a friendly, professional way to respond. And here’s the best part: you don’t even need to know the answer to a question in order to respond with confidence. Is this magic? Nope — all you need to be confident in your call-handling skills is a few solid multi-purpose responses. Want to learn how to field any question without flinching? Take a gander at these riveting replies from the Ruby playbook!

When it’s a basic question, but you need a moment to find the answer:

  • Great question! Let me find the answer for you.
  • I’d be happy to find out. Would you mind holding for a moment?

When you don’t know the answer, but you know who does:

  • Great question! Let me put you in touch with Susan — she’ll be happy to answer it.
  • Tim would be the best person to help you. He’ll be happy to return your call. May I have your telephone number?

When you don’t know the answer, and you’re not sure who does:

  • Great question! Let me find the best person to answer it.
  • Great question! I’ll find the best person to answer it, and have that person return your call. May I have your telephone number?

When the question is about someone’s whereabouts or schedule, such as “When will he be back in the office?” or “When can I meet with her?”:

  • He keeps his own schedule, but I’ll be sure to have him return your call as soon as possible. May I have your telephone number?
  • She keeps her own schedule, but she’ll be happy to return your call and set up an appointment. May I have your telephone number?

When your caller presses you for information you don’t have:

  • I would hate to give you any misinformation. Susan is the best person to answer your questions, and she’ll be happy to talk with you. May I have your telephone number, so Susan can return your call?
  • Our attorney will be happy to help you — I would hate to give you any misinformation. Let me try to reach her for you.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting your first answering service job or you’ve been fielding calls for fifty years — anyone can shine like a Ruby by using variations of these great replies! We hope these examples boost your phone answering confidence. Do you have any tips for fielding tricky questions? We’d love to hear them!

Share

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: Share Suggestions

By | 02.24.2011 |
Telephones

Photo by Jeffrey Goonberg

“Hi, I have Jim Smith on the line for you.”

“Jim Smith? Oh, great. (Sigh.)”

Ah, the call you’d rather avoid — we all have them, and we all dread them. But with the aid of an awesome receptionist (or virtual receptionist!), fielding an unwanted call is just one of many options. If you sense hesitation when offering a call, turn apprehension into relief by making suggestions. It’s a great way to be helpful and show how resourceful you are! Here are some go-to suggestions from our attentive virtual receptionists:

Would you like me to take a message?

Would you like me to relay a message to him?

Would you like me to gather more information?

Would you like me to ask him to call back at a different time?

Would you like me to tell him you’ll return his call?

Not every call needs to be attended to immediately, but it can be easy to forget that. Remind your team of the many options you can provide by prompting them with suggestions. Your indispensability to the team will shine through when you do!

Do you have phone answering tips to share? Please comment below—we’d love to hear your take on what makes a superb receptionist!

Share

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: 3 Ways to End Silly Mistakes in Your Writing

By | 02.10.2011 |

You’ve read it, re-read it, and confidently sent it, but a scan of your “Sent” folder reveals the dreaded blemish: a goofy little typing error. Argh! Even the best proofreader is probably guilty of sending a letter or email with a silly mistake now and then. Editing your writing isn’t easy, but each virtual receptionist at Ruby® aims to be a proofreading pro. Before sending your next important email, try these three tips from our phone answering team:

1. Isolate individual words. Sure, you want to proofread for tone and cohesiveness, but it’s important to read your text word-by-word before putting your red editing pen away. Many errors slip through the cracks because we simply scan over them, so do something that will jar you out of your typical reading routine. Try reading your text aloud, for example. Better yet, read it backwards, so you’re sure to focus on individual words rather than overall content. It’s a surefire way to find missing or duplicate words.

2. Check your spellcheck. If you’re anything like me, spellcheck is a lifesaver. But using it effectively requires a bit of savvy at times. When spellcheck says you’ve mistyped a word, be careful to select the correct alternative spelling option. Your computer is smart, but you’re smarter. Let spellcheck narrow down your choices, but take care to select the right choice.

3. Scour for sound-alikes. Ever written “their” instead of “there”? Ugh! Embarrassing. We all learned the difference between common homonyms in elementary school, but that doesn’t mean our fingers always type them correctly. Be on red alert for its and it’s, the theres, and other words that sound alike when proofreading.

You’ve seen how our virtual receptionists edit their email messages; how do you make sure your writing is error-free? Spill the beans on your proofreading secrets and comment below!

Share

Receptionist Etiquette Tip: 3 Things to Do When You Can’t Hear Your Caller

By | 02.08.2011 |
If callers can't hear you, try lowering your pitch when answering phones

Photo by Tanki

We’ve all encountered a crackly or faint phone connection before, and it can be a real drag. Each virtual receptionist at Ruby® is skilled at handling all sorts of telephone calls gracefully, even those that are tough to hear. If answering phones is part of your job, try these three tips the next time you’re on a fuzzy phone line:

1. Keep your cool. A tough-to-hear call is a frustrating situation, but don’t let your caller see you sweat — keep your tone super polite. Skip “What?” and “I can’t hear you,” and go with “Would you mind repeating that?” Don’t blame your caller, either. Rather than saying “Your phone is cutting out,” try “It seems we have a poor connection.” A crumby connection is just as aggravating for your caller as it is for you, so remember to stay patient and kind.

2. Mind your pitch. You may have heard of The Mosquito, an anti-loitering device that emits a high-pitched sound people older than 25 typically can’t hear. As we age, we lose the ability to hear certain frequencies, and high-pitched sounds are the first to go. When you speak up, try doing so without elevating your pitch. Speaking a little louder may make your voice easier to hear, but maintain (or lower) your pitch as you pump up the volume.

3. Consider Plan B. Sometimes, there’s no saving a phone call. When you’re ready to throw in the towel on a difficult-to-hear conversation, suggest an alternative before hanging up your receiver. Perhaps you can email your caller, or communicate through text messaging. And, of course, you can always hang up and try the call again, but be sure to let your caller know before you end the call (or give it your best shot). Better yet, don’t end the call — let your caller decide when to call it quits.

How do you handle tough-to-hear calls? Share your tips by commenting below!

Share