Telephone Scripts and Standards

In many companies and organisations and particularly in small business, the first ever contact with a potential customer is likely to be by telephone.

Some companies regard this position as one of the most crucial in their whole company, as perhaps for 99% of the people they deal with, their first and most significant impression of the company, is the person answering the telephone.

Courtesy and attention to detail are critical issues.

In any business, there are considerations to ensure you represent your business in the most professional light possible.

1. Who is answering the phone during working hours? Is it the serviceman while he is working on the job or a designated person that can provide their undivided attention?
2. What happens if you are currently on a call and a second call is incoming? Are you set up so that they are transferred to a message bank (with a professional voice telling the caller the business name and steps to leave a message)? Or do they receive a busy signal?
3. How often do you check your message bank throughout the day?
4. If a message is left on a message bank, how long does it take for a return call to be placed to that potential customer?
5. If you have the facility to answer second incoming calls (depending on the size of your business), and once asked if you can place them on hold, do you have a professional human voice/music that promotes your business? Or do they hear nothing only to be left wondering if you have hung up the phone?
6. If you have a 24 hour/7 day business, what happens on after hours? Do you carry a phone or one of your team? Are the rates varied? Is the person answering the call trained what to say?
7. Do you have written procedures to answer the phone?
8. What information are you capturing on this initial call? Do you ask them ‘how did you hear about us?’

Telephone Scripts

Note: These scripts are specific for our business and should be used as a guide only. We recommend you tailor your scripts to work with your business.

Good Morning/Afternoon company name, your name speaking.

Customers will tell you what the problem is, write it down.

We can definitely help you out with (problem) today (name), I just need to take some details.

Can I please have your name?

Check spelling

And how did you hear about company name?

This is important as we need to track EVERY call that comes into the office (even price shoppers)

What is the address there (name)?

I will just explain how we work, to get someone out to have a look at the job we have a $55 call out fee and from there the serviceman will give you an up front price before he starts the work. If you go ahead with any paid work, we waive the $55 call out fee.

If need further information; While he is there he will also do a FREE plumbing & safety inspection report on all your plumbing including taps, toilets and hot water

May I ask your contact number (name)?

And do you have a Mobile number; we like to have 2 numbers because the serviceman will call ½ hour before he arrives.

Do you have an email address in case we have to send you out a quote?

Gather more information on the job if needed.

I can get someone out there between (2 Hr window) for you today if that suits you. If we have time available to fill today Or Would you prefer morning or afternoon?

We have availability on (day) for between (2 hour window)

Just to confirm, one of our servicemen will arrive at your property on (date) between (time) to fix (the problem) for you.

Thank you for your call, have a great day! (Wait for the client to hang up)