Courtesy matters, especially in this digital world. Picking up the phone and being warm and conversational seems to be a lost art. Nearly half of the calls that Americans receive today are spam or robocalls. According to The Washington Post, Americans got 26.3 billion robocalls last year, up 46 percent from 2017. This means that it’s already a challenge to get people to pick up their phones, but when they do, how are you setting yourself apart and keeping them on the line?

Three Ways to Set Yourself Apart:

1. The Human Touch
It might be cheaper and faster to use robocalls, but as the saying goes…. “You get what you pay for”. Use people to make these calls! You’ll likely have better luck with gatekeepers and customers will be more receptive to actually speaking to a live person. Technology is great, but there are just some things that it shouldn’t replace.

2. Be Polite
Believe it or not some of the smallest phrases still have the biggest impact on the phone. Simply asking, “How are you?” or using phrases such as please and thank you still go a long way. We have found that people are willing to listen on the phone or transfer you where you need to go if you are polite and respectful; we call it getting through the “gatekeeper.” You’ve already overcome one of the biggest challenges, getting them to pick up. Now make it count and call with courtesy.

3. Dial Tone
Having a good script is important, but if your tone and delivery are off, it likely won’t make a difference how good your copy is. Two associates can sit side-by-side and make phone calls with the exact same script, but achieve completely different results; simply because of the tone of their voice and delivery of the message. Scripts are ever evolving and you’re likely not going to get the same call twice. Reps need to be prepared for the unexpected and not rely solely on their scripts. How they deliver the message will likely be remembered more than what the message was.

You can’t always control who picks up the phone or the amount of robocalls your customers/members are getting from other companies, but you can start with 1) Using real people 2) Training your reps to be polite and knowledgeable on the campaign as a whole and call with courtesy 3) Making sure your reps have a good tone and attitude on the phones.

Most of the time if you have a good attitude and meaningful information to share, it can be hard to say no. Being empathetic, personable, and having an upbeat, positive tone on phone calls can go a long way in a conversation….and here at Aria that is what we are all about. If you’re looking to put the human element back into human interactions, please contact us today.

Written by: Andy & Breana