Happy New Year, friends! I'm coming to you live from my recording studio (where I'm recording courses for multiple clients) with one of my best tips for controlling calls with venting, friendly, or upset customers.
The tip is signposting.
It used to be difficult for me to wrap up coffee meetings and lunch dates.
Now, I signpost graceful, swift exits. Whenever I'm ready to leave, I pick up my phone, glance at it, and put it in my purse. After that, I'll lean back in my chair to detach from the conversation.
Finally, I'll say something like, "Jamille, what are your plans for the weekend?" I listen with interest and then loop my goodbye to my friend's response to my weekend question. When it comes time to depart, I'll grab my handbag, stand up, and say, "Have a fabulous time at Shae's grand opening!"
Much like I do with friends, you can control customer calls with signposting. When it comes to signposting with customers, there are two ways to do it.
One. Give your customer a heads-up on what you'll need from them.
Signposting is useful if you're entering data into your computer and require the customer's information later.
"In a moment, I'll need the social security numbers for each of your dependents, so you might want to get this ready."
By letting your customer know that you will need social security numbers, you give them a heads-up and time to get what you need. You can cut seconds off your talk time by doing this!
Two. Prepare to wrap up the call.
Remember, I glance at my phone and lean back to prepare my coffee date to detach. In phone calls, you can prepare your customer by saying something like:
"The last thing before we disconnect is for me to give you _______"
"I have everything I need on my end…"
"The only thing left is for me to wish you a fantastic afternoon!"
"I don't want to take up any more of your time, so…"
"I'm glad I was able to help you today. Enjoy your afternoon!"
"The final thing we need to do is give you your claim number."
"One last thing I need to tell you."
There you have it! I hope my signposting tip helps you this week! For more help with call control, check out my LinkedIn Learning course. If you already have a LinkedIn Learning subscription, it won't cost you anything!
