You love talking to customers on the telephone, but sometimes they seem as if they want to have a never-ending conversation. When long customer service calls prevent you from completing other work, you need to find a way to end the call nice and quick while remaining professional. Below are a few tips to help you in such situations.
Ask a Close-Ended Question
When faced with a long-winded customer, ask a close-ended question. These close-ended questions will not only help conclude the conversation, but should also prevent further dialogue. Here are some examples of close-ended questions.
- Is this your first time experiencing this problem?
- Do you need more clarification?
- Is this correct?
- Does this clarify your confusion?
To form your own close-ended question, start the sentence with a verb—are, is, did, do, does, have, has, etc. Close-ended questions will also lead you to a commitment.
Take Control of the Conversation
When the customer starts talking, gather as much information as possible from the conversation. If the conversation is going nowhere, politely interrupt the customer. This can often make you feel uneasy, but you can do it.
Wait until the customer pauses and quickly jump in and take control of the conversation. You can then direct the phone call to a quick conclusion or better direct the customer to provide you with the information you need to resolve the issue.
Provide Short Answers
The number one rule for dealing with customers is that you always have to be pleasant. Sometimes, a customer just wants to make small talk, but that interferes with your ability to complete other tasks. To reduce the small talk, provide short answers to personal questions and quickly return to business.
Avoid that Rushed Feeling
Although you may be in a hurry to end the phone call, do not make your customer feel rushed. Ask short, quick questions to verify that you have received all of the pertinent information and quickly end the call in a pleasant tone. Talking with a smile will help avoid that rushed feeling.
More Business Tips with Instabill
If you would like to read more business tips, be sure to visit the Instabill Blog regularly for new posts. You can also check out these related blog posts below.
