Many of you let us know how important the telephone was to your business when we talked with you for our “Inside a Florist’s Toolbox” article on page 28. And while I know a lot of calls are taken on the run at a florist shop, it’s crucial that you follow proper telephone etiquette every time you pick up that receiver.
1. Try and snag the call before the third ring. It lets customers know you are ready to take their order (even if you’re not!)
2. Have a clear message for customers when you answer the phone. Greet them, identify your shop, give your name and ask how you can help them. Make sure all of your employees are consistent – tape a reminder to the phone if you have to!
3. Forget about how busy/stressed/angry you are when you pick up the receiver. Your customer doesn’t care and expects to hear a warm, calm and friendly voice on the other line. Breathe and clear your head before your greet. Place a mirror near the phone so you can see your face - it will make you smile, which in turn will make you speak more pleasantly.
4. If you have to put a caller on hold, ask for their permission first. Don’t let them stay on hold for any longer than 30 seconds to a minute and update them if their wait becomes longer. The potential customer may wonder if you’ve forgotten about them and could hang up.
5. Take the time to hit the “mute” option on your phone or simply put the caller on hold if you’re asking your staff a question or tending to another customer. The old “cover the receiver with your hand” method screams unprofessional.
6. Speaking of unprofessional, don’t broadcast your customers via speakerphone. It’s a good way to make the customer think you’ve got something better to do rather than give them your full attention.
7. If you transfer a lot of calls to phones located throughout the shop, train all your employees on how to transfer. A customer who hears “I’m not sure how to do that” or “call back if I lose you” might not be inclined to dial your number again if they get hung up on.
8. Always, always, always have pen and paper beside every telehone so detailed messages can be taken. Also keep on hand an order pad that outlines all of the pertinent questions that need to be asked.
9. Delegate tasks so both walk-in customers and phone-in customers are taken care of. You don’t want to ignore a customer who has taken the time to come into your shop, but at the same time that customer waiting on the phone might want to buy out your entire cooler. Proper communication is key.
10. Keep your answering machine informative and current. Let the caller know they’ve reached the right number and give your store hours. Make sure you clean up your messages on a weekly basis.
Amanda Ryder is the editor of Canadian Florist and may be contacted at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
