Telephone Communication.pptx

Communication Skills

1. Telephone Communication By: Mahnoor S. Mufti

2. What is Telephone Communication The transmission of speech over a distance either by electric signals propagated along conductors or by radio signals; a type of telecommunication. Telephone communication permits conversations to be carried on between people (subscribers) separated by almost any distance.

3. The evolving world of technology In a world where mobility, apps, social and cloud are increasingly becoming the preferred way to do business, many companies are forgetting how important the traditional telephone is when communicating with customers. The telephone offers a more personal touch, allowing businesses the opportunity to integrate real-time two-way communication with customers. Technology has become such a vital part of our lives that we find it difficult to envisage life without our smartphones or having information at the touch of a button. We all know how important communicating with customers is to a business and how difficult it would be to operate without a reliable phone system.

4. Making it easier to do business The internet is a really powerful tool and helps businesses promote brand awareness and sales messages to customers. But customers can find it difficult to work technology and not being able to deal directly with a person. This can lead to customer frustrations and a loss of the personal touch. Offering online options for your customers to contact your business is essential nowadays for delivering great customer service, but so is providing and efficient telephone system. With a suitable telephone system in place, your customers will be able to contact your business directly and get answers to their queries often quicker than if communications are handled through email or online platforms.

5. Advantages of the telephone It is important to take time to fully understand what your business needs and goals are to help you choose the correct telecoms system to fulfil your requirements. An efficient business telephone system streamlines good communication between organization and customers. The telephone offers a faster interaction than email, is more personal, and easy and quick to use. Keeping ahead of your competitors means providing a better customer experience. Having the right tools in place can your business that extra edge.

6. Disadvantages of telephone in business communication Some most common disadvantages of the telephone – Expensive for video call and SMS The telephone is a little bit expensive for video calls and SMS on the other hand voice call, video calls, sending SMS through the internet is very cheap and this is the great facility of the internet . Physical Damage In long term use it cause headache and permanent damage to the brain especially when it is a mobile phone.

7. Often use for threat One of the greatest disadvantages of the telephone is it is often used for threats for various purposes. Network problem Because of network problems, we can not talk properly sometimes and this is a very annoying limitation of a telephone. Use for criminal activities A telephone is often used for criminal activities because criminal use the telephone for its various advantages

8. Often it causes miscommunication Sometimes the telephone causes miscommunication among people like some misunderstanding because of the same word . Habit of lying Telephones and mobile increase the habit of laying in society because people on the other side cannot judge. Absence of face to face conversation The telephone cannot provide face-to-face conversation and this is one of the most common disadvantages of the telephone though if someone uses 3G or 4G they can make a video call. Voice is not clear some time Sometimes the voice can’t come clearly because of network problems. Most people know about these disadvantages of the telephone.

9. Telemarketing What Is Telemarketing? Telemarketing is the direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the telephone, internet, or fax. Telemarketing may either be carried out by telemarketers or increasingly by automated telephone calls or " robocalls ." The intrusive nature of telemarketing, as well as reports of scams and fraud perpetrated over the telephone, has spurred a growing backlash against this direct marketing practice. Telemarketing may also be referred to as "telesales" or "inside sales ." Telemarketing is the direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the telephone or the internet. Four common kinds of telemarketing include outbound calls, inbound calls, lead generation, and sales calls.

10. KEY TAKEAWAYS Telemarketing is the direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the telephone or the internet. Four common kinds of telemarketing include outbound calls, inbound calls, lead generation, and sales calls. Due to the intrusive nature of telemarketing, including spam calls, many customers are against it. Countries such as the U.S. and Canada have federal "Do Not Call" lists where individuals can register their phone numbers to avoid telemarketing calls.

11. How Telemarketing Works Telemarketing is the practice of contacting, vetting, and approaching potential customers. It does not include the use of direct mail marketing methods. Telemarketing may take place from a call center, an office, or, increasingly, a home. Many times, telemarketing can involve a single call to assess interest or suitability, and then follow-up calls to pursue a sale. Various data may be used to narrow down large databases of names to a small number of higher-probability customer prospects. Telemarketing is used by for-profit businesses, nonprofit charities, political groups and candidates, surveying, donation solicitation, marketing research, and other kinds of organizations.

12. Types of Telemarketing Activities Outbound : Companies actively reach out to customer prospects and existing customers via outbound telemarketing calls, also known as "cold" calls. Inbound:  These telemarketing calls are based on inbound inquiries about products or services as prompted by advertising or sales efforts. These are considered "warm" calls as customers will typically have submitted an interest form online or already be familiar with the company. Lead generation : This is the collection of intelligence about the profiles, interests, and demographic data of potential customers. Sales : Telemarketers who are trained sales people engage in this persuasive activity. They aim to close a deal on the phones.

13. Telemarketing: Criticism and Regulation The intrusive nature of telemarketing, together with its association with scams and fraud, has turned a vast number of people against this direct marketing method. Often, telemarketing phone calls are unwelcome, and the companies that operate in this space are persistent. Suspicious activity together with a backlash from the public has led many countries to lay down laws and police how telemarketers can operate.

14. What Is an Example of Telemarketing ? If you receive a call from somebody you don’t know who seeks to sell you products or services, you are talking to a telemarketer. These individuals contact people usually with the intention of selling something and can be very persuasive.

15. Challenges in communicating with customers over the phone These challenges can include lack of body language, no eye contact, long wait times, lack of follow-up, and using slang, jargon, or acronyms. You can use your voice, tone, and careful word choice to ensure your customers have a positive experience with your company .

16. Five Tips for Effective Communication Speak slowly and clearly, and don't use medical jargon . In person we can usually tell if patients understand us, but over the phone it is not as obvious. To optimize comprehension during phone visits, we must be extra thoughtful about how we speak. Listen actively . It may seem cumbersome, but during phone visits it is particularly important to clarify what patients say. We may need to ask them to repeat themselves, ask a few clarifying questions, or restate what we heard, beginning with, “So I want to be sure I am understanding what you are saying. I heard you say that ….” Develop rapport . It is important to spend a few minutes at the beginning of the call establishing rapport, just as we do upon entering the exam room. Be sure to explain why the in-person visit (which some patients have waited months for) now has to be a telephone visit. Focus on why we want to keep patients out of the clinic right now. Give each call your full attention to help the patient know you are listening . We must resist doing anything else while talking on the phone. Try not to check your e-mail or read that text that just came through. Your divided attention is more obvious to the patient than you think. Be clear about the plan . Review what you discussed during the call, and establish what will happen after you hang up. If you have the capability, send an after-visit summary through the portal so the patient will have something in writing from the phone visit.

17. Importance of Tone of Voice On the phone, where face-to-face interaction is impossible, (we mean traditional phones that you communicate with clients on, not FaceTime and similar apps) tone of voice takes on a significant importance. In fact, listeners glean emotion better from voice-only communications, according to Yale. A defined tone of voice is essential in establishing clear communication between both parties. Here are two reasons why: 1. Your tone of voice projects what message you want the other person to hear when you speak to them. A wide spectrum of messages can be conveyed through your tone in communication. Compassion and empathy are two important signals to a caller who is distressed, worried, or impatient.

18. 2. Your tone of voice projects your company’s brand. How you come across over the phone when communicating with a customer in the first 7 to 10 seconds establishes the impression that the caller will take away about your company. You can come across as genuine and positive on a call by: · Breathing into your stomach and not from your chest · Smiling when you speak · Speaking around 120 to 150 words per minute. Any slower of faster than this means you are likely not listening or do not come across as a good listener. · Don’t take notes based on everything that is said. Writing every little detail means that you are not actively listening. We train our CSRs to take the “meat of the message”, meaning what is most important to accurately relay the message or input it into our client’s customer relationship management software or field service software.

19. Setting the Tone Setting the stage for a positive call starts with a warm, comforting tone. This puts your customer at ease and increases the likelihood of the agent capturing an accurate and complete message. This is vital in industries where compassion and accuracy are essential, such as funeral homes or doctor’s office. 

20. Tone of voice is comprised of 3 factors: 1. Rate of Speech:  A normal rate of speech is 125 words per minute.  Anything faster will seem rushed. And, a slower rate will impart a sense of disinterest and boredom, or worse-a feeling of condescension. 2. Pitch:  Height or depth in the tone of voice. A monotonous voice can be interpreted as robotic or disengaged. Higher pitches can be perceived as annoying or less trustworthy.  3. Quality:  The above three factors, when taken together, will determine the overall quality of tone of voice. A telephone agent who is conscious of all four elements will have an easier time gaining call control and creating a professional engagement. The attitude conveyed by tone of voice will determine the outcome of the call, i.e., a frustrated customer or a happy, satisfied one.

21. Confidence is Key A caller has only a person’s tone of voice and helpful attitude on which to base their opinion over the phone. A tone that displays confidence will have an advantage over a weak tone. Furthermore, a confident tone commands attention, gets interrupted less often, and is more likely to be considered a leader.

22. Compassion and Empathy Over the Phone Because your company’s reputation is on the line, deciding who answers your calls is an important decision for your business. If your business is considering hiring an after-hours telephone answering service, or already works with a call center, you want to make sure the phone agents answering your calls are highly skilled and have received voice training. A good place to start is their core values. Do they align with your company’s? Do they include compassion or empathy?  Communicating with compassion is critical for your business. A tone of compassion and empathy in communication means that you are engaged and builds trust. When you treat your callers and clients as partners, rather than an accounting entry, they will want to establish long term relationships with you. Relationships will outperform price every time.

23. https:// study.com/academy/lesson/challenges-in-communicating-with-customers-over-the phone.html #:~:text=These%20challenges%20can%20include%20lack,positive%20experience%20with%20your%20company .