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Home » Business And Finance Articles » Increase Your Profits By Training Your People

Increase Your Profits by Training your people

Hi!

What impression do outsiders get when they call your business?

Is it a welcoming greeting such as "Thank you for calling The Office Organiser, this is Lorraine", or do they hear:

"Lorraine's phone"

"Hold the line" (before you even speak)

"Hold the line please" (before you have even opened your mouth)

"Lorraine speaking" (doesn't even mention the name of the business)

or they speak so fast you miss the name of the organisation and have to check you rang the right number.

Sometimes the initial contact has been positive only to be let down when the person has said:

"Hold the line for a tick/sec"

"I need to find a piece of paper to write your message down"

"Can you hold on while I find a pen"

"Just a tick, I'll pop you on hold"

"Alright, I'll see if she's available"

How to Effortlessly Lose Business

Recently my 22 year old had three weeks off from her job as a flight attendant. She wanted to book into a health retreat for a few days.

As her mother, I was very excited by this, as it's not often you hear of someone so young, invest their own money...and we're talking around $2000 plus, who would do something so positive for themselves.

Anyhow, we spoke about her options and she decided on a well-known retreat in Queensland (where else?). On the two occasions she spoke with the receptionist and sales person, Tia (my daughter) was treated with indifference. The staff were not enthusiastic or very helpful...a major turnâ€"off.

Tia had never been to this retreat yet the impression she gained indicated it was very disorganised and not professional. Her thoughts were â€" if this is how they respond to potential customers, what would the actual experience be like?

In the end she decided to go to Camp Eden which both my husband and myself have experienced. When she made her enquiries and consequently her booking, she was treated with respect and they made her feel special.

She's spent the past 5 days at the retreat and has rung me to tell me how much she has enjoyed it.

Who Answers Your Phone?

The person who answers the phone automatically conveys to outsiders an impression of your organisation. So what impression is your phone answerer/answerers, receptionist or Director of First Impressions conveying to the world?

You can have the glossiest brochures, presentation kits, business cards, employ polished sales people who drive fancy cars and have flash premises, however if your physical image isn't backed up with a professional image in the office, then you could lose credibility and even business.

On occasions I have spent my money elsewhere because of the treatment I received from the receptionist.

Whose Fault Is It?

Can you blame your people? No. The buck stops with the owner or manager of the business. Often they are too busy to pay attention to the customer service side of the business and avoid investing time and money into their most important asset...their people.

Here are some simple, yet very effective solutions to shape up your phone image.

Top Telephone Tips

Train your people in how to answer the phone.

Place a script next to each phone so they cannot forget what to say.

Smile and stand up each time the phone is answered. The smile projects down the line and standing up gets you off your butt!

Ask some of your clients and a few outsiders (could be possible prospects) to ring into your organisation and provide you feedback as to what they experienced i.e. welcoming greeting, professional manner, etc.

Have a system for taking messages that everyone adheres to. i.e. use duplicate message pads, message boards or email. (Tie pens to the message pads).

Answer the phone as quickly as possible, ideally on the third ring. If it takes too long to answer then the caller may think no-one is there and may take their business elsewhere. If you answer too soon it may appear you have nothing to do.

Learn the words" "Please" and "Thank You".

The Final Word

It's always the little things which count. The simple, basic, nitty gritties of life.

Ignore them and you risk losing business, credibility, respect, and who knows what else? Pay attention to the details because if you don't, other people may not pay attention to you!

Have a great week

Lorraine Pirihi

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Who Do You Go To For Your Mortgage?

Mortgages are available from a number of different sources. There are specific mortgage brokers as well as banks, building societies and other financial institutions, all fighting to get your custom. This is because they make money out of it and so they all want you to sign up with them. It is now common to see advertisements for companies who want you to change your mortgage supplier and who are willing to pay the costs associated with this for you. It is always worth questioning why companies are willing to do this. It isn't because they truly value you as an individual, it is because the more people who have their mortgage with them, the more money they make. However, it can also be beneficial to the borrower as repayments can decrease or more flexible terms introduced.

A mortgage broker has access to mortgages being offered by a wide range of financial institutions. They can compare offers for you and work out which would be most beneficial to you personally in your situation. Obviously they have to make their own money and so they charge a fee for their services. However, they do save you time and possible confusion by searching through a large number of possible solutions for you. It is vital that you ask exactly what the broker's fees will be before you commit to anything so that you can decide whether you feel that a better value loan in the long term is more beneficial than a larger outlay in the short term. These brokers generally do a good job and 50% of all mortgages taken in the UK stem from a mortgage broker.

A mortgage banker is someone who works for a bank and sells mortgages. This works on the same principle as a bank which also provides mortgages. As these institutions are generally nationwide they tend to have set interest rates and charges and do not deviate from them. This means that they offer more stability in terms of how much it will cost you. In addition to this, the company where you took the mortgage out is the company who you will continue to deal with for the life of your mortgage. With a broker, once the deal is finalised you then deal directly with the loan provider and do not have further contact with the broker.