Phone Etiquette - The First Impression Matters Most

Every Experience we have begins with the First Impression.  The First Impression is the first "Touch Point" of the Customer Experience that the Customer either feels better or worse emotionally.  There isn't an "in-between" - the Customer either feels better or worse than when you first touched them. 

Quite often, the First Impression is through the telephone.  Unfortunately, most organizations, average organizations view this important "Touch Point" incorrectly from two perspectives. 

The first incorrect perspective is - this is Customer Service 101 - it's basic, common sense.  The reality is it isn't basic and it isn't common sense.  I am sorry to break the bad news but Customer Service is dead.  Customer Service has been dead for so long it is absolutely scarey!  (See our Customer Experience weblog for more inspiration on Customer Service being dead - http://rmg.typepad.com/sineceraexperience/) Typically, organizations grab some soul off the street, show them the phone system, but not how to answer the phone that is consistent with the branding of the organization.  What then happens is the way the phone is answered becomes the brand the Customer experiences and appreciates. 

The second incorrect perspective is this isn't important.  Strong assertion on my part, I know, but let's look at the facts.  Most organizations spend zero time working on calling scripts with the right team members.  Did you catch that?  The right team members.  Like it or not, the right team member - the right person - is critical to creating the Customer Experience you desire.  Not everyone loves people!  Not everyone enjoys answering the phone.

What to do?

First - Bring on the right team members to create the First Impression Customer Experience you desire.

Second - Create a Customer Experience "Touch Point Map" that enables your Directors of First Impressions team members to know not only what to say, but how to say it.  No, we aren't talking about creating mindless robots.  Quite the contrary.  More on this in a future blog. 

Rock on!