For example, asking someone about their values or how they hope to grow can help us connect more deeply.
Keep it light
For some, picking up the phone for a fun call can feel like a Herculean task. They rehearse what they’ll say, dial with shaky hands, and get that panicky feeling in their chest when the phone rings.
A fun phone call doesn’t need to be deep and meaningful. It can be as simple as asking a friend how their day was or joking about something that happened in the news.
A simple and light approach can be as practical as any other technique in combating phone anxiety. It’s all about practice and changing how you think about phone calls.
Ask open-ended questions
Open-ended questions enable individuals to share their thoughts and feelings without any constraints or limitations. They are more meaningful and energizing than closed-ended questions, which require respondents to select from predetermined responses. While closed-ended questions are more straightforward to analyze, they need the ability to uncover fine-grained insights and may miss valuable information.
Closed-ended questions can also lead to biases, resulting in respondents being prompted to choose the answer they think they want. It can lead to biased data that is difficult to interpret, especially regarding customer insights.
Instead, open-ended questions allow you to understand your customers’ needs better. They’re also great for building rapport and boosting likeability1. They make the respondent feel valued and can bring a dynamic energy to your call.
Don’t be afraid to laugh.
The ability to laugh at what stresses and embarrasses us is an excellent resource for our emotional health and relationships. For some people, this is natural and comes easily. For others, it may be a skill that needs to be practiced and built upon.
Even if it’s not funny at the time, remembering past moments of laughing with a loved one can help you feel better about challenging phone calls. Practice smiling before and during your calls, it feels good for you and is contagious.
Ask for feedback
Phone calls are a crucial way to connect with customers and help them build meaningful relationships. To make the most of this valuable channel, asking for feedback on every call is essential.
The key to effective feedback is delivering it regularly and making it a two-sided conversation. It’s essential to start with praise and then move into areas where you must focus on improving. People are less likely to feel defensive when receiving positive feedback than negative feedback.
One easy way to collect feedback is for your agents to self-score their performance after each call. It also helps you tie feedback to goals, which makes them more receptive to constructive criticism.