Business phone lines are key small business solutions that enable you to stay in touch with your clientele and build positive relationships. How you handle any concerns impacts customer loyalty and, ultimately, your business’s success. Below are a few tips for taking calls and navigating tense situations.

How to Handle Customer Calls

1. Be Patient

People typically call businesses when they have problems, so some callers may not be in high spirits. Remember to stay patient, calm, and level-headed, and not to take anger personally.

Be polite, kind, and understand that your goal is to de-escalate the situation and find a solution.

2. Stay Focused

If the customer is dissatisfied, remember to listen for the root of the problem instead of focusing on their tone. Ask for details about the problem, including their order number and date of purchase, which helps bring the focus back to the concern. 

If the issue is out of your control, such as a shipment delay, you can offer a discount on a future service as an alternative solution.

3. Connect With Them

Make a personal connection with the client to make them feel heard and understood. Customers want to know that your business cares about their experience.

Build rapport and validate their concerns by voicing the issue to make sure you understand it and empathizing with how they’ve been inconvenienced. Be sincere when you speak and avoid sounding robotic, using their name to show you’re paying close attention.

If you need small business solutions for phone service, turn to Warwick Valley Telephone Company. Serving Orange County, NY, and northern New Jersey, they offer commercial telephone packages at competitive prices. With over 100 years in business, they’re dedicated to high-quality products and attentive 24/7 support. Learn more about their small business solutions online, and call (845) 986-8080 to get started today.