Phone Call Management Tips

[Santiago]

I don't work in a call center, but do have to return a number of calls where people tell me something or ask me to do something. Sometimes it is many calls, and they can be unpredictable in frequency (sometimes several in a few minutes) - I wonder if there are folks out there that have suggestions on how to survive constant interruption in work activities to field these calls without conveying what becomes inevitable irritation (sometimes the calls are very stupid) - I think some of you call center/customer service folks might have some thoughts on how you handle those situations - and how I can learn to play nicely on the phone. I have considered that I am a douchebag - but I figure I still have to pretend to be nice.

[happyindprs]

I am a job manager for a construction firm here in Wisconsin. Talk about phone calls, Mine phone starts ringing by seven in the morning and doesn't stop until the end of the day. I return all calls received within that day. If I do not have an immediate answer I tell them I will get back with them later, and I do. During those times when it seems the phone will never stop ringing and I am with someone already, I let it go to voice mail. I will then screen the saved calls and call the ones that are urgent and then back track to the others.

When ever I am with a customer or when I know I will be with a customer, I change my message to reflect that and my phone stays in my truck or I'll put it on vibrate. I find it rude to stop mid-sentence with a customer to answer the phone. Nothing shows a customer their issues aren't important more than taking the call. There is nothing wrong with taking a break from the onslaught of calls as long as you return them ASAP

[Depends1578]

I believe happyindprs has said it very well. I agree with his tips and tricks here.

[Diaper Mike 05]

Azdl, not everyone has the phone skills or presence to be good at customer service (like me).

Customer service is one of my main responsibilities with the company I work for. I never asked for it, I didn't (and still don't) want it, but I was dropped into it when things at work slowed and they wanted me to take it over because they let the girl who was the CSR go.

When you have other, major responsibilities, it is nothing more than a hassle and a production killer. I also do purchasing, receiving, and am helping train a new person (who they hired to take part of the position they moved me out of), all the while trying to get a foot in with the engineering side (which is where I should be, but my company doesn't listen well to me, go figure).

Like you said, you just have to act like you care and pretend to play nice. I'm sure co-workers understand what kind of idiots the customers are (we have shared the customer service duties at my job for a while but I had the main brunt of it) because they may deal with it too. If they are the right kind of people, you can complain to them about what idiots your customers are.

Another way to deal with it is possibly to go to management and stating that the customers are an issue for productivity and you'd like to be able to stop doing it in exchange for picking up another position that would bring in as much of a workload as you want to get rid of. I tried that so I could get back the position I agreed to with the company I am at, but they decided they didn't want to do that (so they went with a dumb option they are too blind to see isn't really working well).

If you talk to management, make sure you do it professionally and state facts and hard evidence, if possible. Keep emotion out of it so they will at least have to appear to take you more seriously. Or just learn to suck it up and start looking for a new position (like I am doing).

[sarah_ab]

I'm not sure if this is an option where you work, but put your phone on send calls when you are very involved in something, and then when you are done, check the voice mails and call people back.

Many people where i work have a voicemail that specifies the hours they take calls, and the hours they return calls also, so the caller knows when to expect a call back.

I personally don't leave my phone on send calls that often, because i'd rather talk to the person right then and there, then have to call them back and risk not getting them. Part of it is having multi tasking skills. Also, i will have two windows open for the software we use to track our clmts, one is put in alphabetical order, and is used strictly when someone calls to access their case. The other is what i use to do my work from, this way if i get a phone call, i don't have to exit out of hte case I am in, but can just go to the other window.

[Patience]

At my job you have clients calling you emailing, and walk ups. And that is multitasking to the extreme. My task is when i am on the phone,gesture to the client walking up that yes you see them, and will help them as soon as possible. Emails. Just email back that you received there email and will help them as soon as possible. And by 5. RUN for the door. So phone call tips. Don't leave your customers, clients, or whom ever calling you, hanging. Later.