9 Customer Service And Telephone Mistakes Advisors Are Making by Laura Reilly

You are in the business of customer service.

Are your team members representing you professionally and effectively and showcasing the level of service you provide? Are your systems working?

In my ongoing effort to garner interest in having Simon speak at future events within our niche, I call people, some of whom I know and some I don’t, and take a few minutes of their time to make a re-introduction or introduction to the value Simon can provide to their audience.

What consistently amazes me when I am dialing and making these calls is the inconsistent and poor customer service I experience. The majority of businesses have very poor systems for answering the phone and dealing with enquiries.

Now admittedly I am a hard marker; I sometimes cringe when we stay in a hotel with Simon as my standards can be extremely high. My background is hospitality and I believe in providing the guest with the best possible experience. As a hotel customer, I value staff who go the extra mile to provide service.

From the moment a guest places the call to the reservation department, to entering the lobby, the guest’s first contact with the front desk agent and bellman and concierge is so important. One point of contact gone wrong can taint the remainder of the experience for the guest.

What do your clients or prospects experience when they call your office to ask for information or arrange an appointment, or when they walk into your office for their first appointment?

Some of what I have experienced on the phone recently…..

1. The voice on the other end of the phone, who really does not care
2. The voice on the other end of the phone, who speaks so fast and puts me on hold before I can blink
3. Calls dropped and disconnected
4. A receptionist who does not know how to transfer my call
5. No voicemail available, really??? How is this possible in this age of technology???
6. An answering machine
7. Voicemail that does not allow you to leave a message
8. Hold music that features heavy metal music or the local radio station DJ yapping away in my ear
9. An advisor who answers the phone himself……

Any of these sound familiar or hit close to home?

You know what they say about first impressions…..

What impression are you leaving? What impression are your team members leaving with your prospective and current clients?

The ultimate test – try calling your office anonymously.