Business Breakthroughs for Photographers: Part XI

by Skip Cohen

I started this series to help photographers overcome the chaos that prevents them from making their businesses a greater success. While some of you may think paying attention to your phone style is outdated, replaced by texting and emails, it's anything but obsolete. The art of conversation is desperately needed more than ever in business today.​

How you handle yourself over the phone is at the top of the list of critical marketing tools. Even though email and texting drive the world, a live call is still one of the very best relationship-building techniques in business!

There was a time when "Ma Bell" used to teach classes on phone etiquette for business clients. I remember being sent to a workshop in my Customer Service days at Polaroid and thinking how stupid it was to suggest I didn't have the skill set to answer the phone. But it wasn't about answering the phone; it was about using the phone as a customer service tool.

At least once a week, I'm chasing a company to find an answer to a question. Comcast is one of the worst, but in all honesty, they're not alone. We live in a world of defaults and A.I. which rarely gets you to a live body.

Recently, it took me three transfers before I got the right department and an expert capable of answering my question at one of the most recognized companies in the world. Plus, my call was answered offshore, and only one of the four people I spoke with actually sounded sincere when empathizing with my complaint. By the time I got to the last person, I was so tired of being handed off. I was frustrated and rude, and it really wasn't the fault of the rep but the people who designed the response system of their company.

As seasonality starts to pick up again with Easter, Passover, Mother's Day, graduation, and Father's Day on the very near horizon, this is the perfect time to brush up on your phone style and bring a stronger sense of professionalism to your phone skills. 
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• How's your overall system of communicating with your clients? Don't rely on a contact form on your website that clients fill out and then click "Send."  If a client is excited about your work, they want to talk to you, not fill out a form.  
• Answer the call quickly, and if they leave a voicemail, return the call as fast as possible. When they do call, make sure your system is working right so you get the call or at least the message quickly. Make sure you call them back promptly because if you don't, one of your competitors will. It's only human nature to think something negative when you don't get a timely response.
• Pay attention! Don't take or make calls when you're in the middle of chaos. We all multi-task, but the key to a great phone conversation is being dedicated to listening more than talking.  If you're in the middle of other things and can't give the person on the other end of the line dedicated time, then wait until you can.
• No matter what bizarre things are happening in your day, smile when talking to people on the phone. This is all about being cheerful and having a great attitude. You can tell when somebody is smiling on the other end of the line. Getting a phone call from a client is an opportunity for you to show your personality.
• Use your phone to play offense! With so many changes in the way we communicate today, it's becoming a lost art for people to use their phones for a conversation. When it comes to relationship building, talking directly to somebody is second only to a face-to-face conversation.
• Be proactive! Look over your database of clients and use the phone to keep in touch with those people most special to you. I'm a huge fan of texting and social media, including Facebook and email, but calling somebody you know and have worked with is still at the top of the charts, and you don't have to be intrusive. The other day, I was on an IM with a good friend, and after typing a few lines, I just picked up the phone and called him...my opening line was, "It's great to catch up to you on Facebook, but we've been friends too long for an IM...how are you?" We were both busy, and it wasn't a long call, but so great to actually talk to him rather than type!
• It's about what you say and how you say it. I wrote about this in a previous post, but when you have an upset customer, the best way to diffuse the situation is with a call that starts with, "I understand you're not happy with our service. Well, the buck stops here. What can I do to help?" You'll be amazed at the initial change in attitude just because you've established that you're there to listen, help, and resolve the challenge.
• If you have staff answering calls, give them the authority to make decisions. Most of you are small businesses and don't have the luxury of a large staff, but you may have 1-2 people who handle Customer Service. Train them and give them the authority to make decisions and be problem-solvers. It's great when there's a challenge to handle it quickly rather than return calls and add time to the resolution process.

"The greatest technology in the world hasn't replaced the ultimate relationship building tool
between a customer and a business...the human touch!"
Shep Hyken

Looking for more great reminders on Customer Service overall? Check out Shep Hyken's blog. He's always sharing ideas on how to exceed client expectations!