High Phone Traffic Solutions:

High phone traffic can be very stressful, and having systems and solutions in place are essential to providing necessary tools to your phone operators. Directing your overflow calls to an answering service like Dexcomm is always a great way to help manage high phone traffic. In addition, phone system features like auto-answer, voice mail options, auto-busy and auto-hold are also very helpful solutions.

In addition to management support and providing the necessary tools for your staff to succeed, individuals can play a key role in their success by following a few simple tips.

• Practicing call control is one great way to decrease the amount of time spent with a caller and achieves high customer service levels. Call control characteristics are listening, asking specific questions in order to get specific information needed, and knowing ahead of time what information you need from the caller.
• Use action statements. These statements involve explaining who you are and what you'll need in order to finish the call. Positive phrasing and direct questions are among other strategies involved in managing calls.
• Role playing, simple courtesy, knowing when to interject and stock phrases also contribute to high levels of customer service success. Proper training in these areas is sure to yield a high return.
• Learn to prioritize. Knowing what calls take precedence and what tasks are most important can help during high volume and high stress times. Try our message templates.
• Keep track of callers by name. When asking callers to hold, always remember to get as much information from them as possible so that you can call back if you are disconnected.
• Deal with long-winded callers by putting them on hold and returning to the call with a direct question rather than interrupting.