Operators Can Sell
I recently needed to
get some information and called the company involved. The operator didn't have the answers I needed
and asked me to hold whilst they contacted the sales team. After three minutes on hold, I gave up.
At another
organisation with which I was dissatisfied with the counter service, the
operator seemed to be fully informed and was able to answer my questions
without hesitation. When she needed to
clarify something with a colleague, she promised to call back, and did!
Comparing these two experiences, which organisation would
have kept my business and goodwill? Of
course, the second – even though their counter staff had not provided good
service in the first instance.
It’s not unusual for the switchboard operator not to have answers
to every question at their fingertips, particularly in the modern era of
“job-sharing” or in situations where whoever’s available answers the
phone. What isn’t good for business is having our customers waiting… and
waiting… and waiting for a response or a callback. If we’ve decided that operators will simply
“field” calls and sort them into the right queue, then we also need to make
sure that:
- The call is routed to the “right person” as quickly as possible;
- That the “right person” can answer questions and has the authority to commit the organisation to a course of action.
Operators can be a vital part of the sales force. They are the first person to whom customers
and suppliers speak and should be as well-trained (if not even better trained)
than Customer Service Staff. They also
have the disadvantage that they don't have face-to-face contact with the
customer, along with often being the first point of contact for unhappy
customers.
I always wonder why we don't pay more attention to this
vital resource. The old adage of “If you
don’t look after your customers, someone else will” holds true. What would it
cost to train our operators?
I have spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services. For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.
Labels: Customer Care, Leadership, Selling, Strategy, Teamwork
posted by William Martin @ 07:58
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