Effective Call Handling
A one or two day workshop for organisations taking incoming calls

Manchester 11/12th December 2008

In today's competitive world, great client service is the primary differentiating factor. The telephone is still one of the best business communications tools and usually the first point of client contact.

The relationship your front-line staff build with clients on the phone is also a prime factor in them feeling good about dealing with your organisation and staying loyal.

So, doesn't it make sense to provide some professional coaching in telephone skills that will really set your organisation, and its offer apart?

Athene Business Solutions are delighted to have Rob Earnshaw on our team, an ex First Direct/Abbey customer service trainer.

In addition to this role Rob has also delivered and managed telephony system design and call centre training for other clients including Vodaphone and Norwich Union.

All members of your team can benefit from this workshop if they are in a position where they can affect your business, positively or negatively, during customer contact e.g. sales support, finance, business development, etc.

The workshop is structured as two consecutive one day sessions, which can be taken as a complete course or as individual days.

Day 1 Content (Basic Skills)	Day 2 Content (Advanced Skills)
Voice quality Receptionist skills Managing difficult calls Voicemail etiquette Communication Message taking Call structure and control Listening properly First impressions Attitude and helpfulness Leaving messages Questioning Recognising interest and disinterest	Identify, develop and adapt inherent telephone skills Understand and appreciate the benefits of using an inbound call structure Understanding of questioning techniques Appreciation of listening skills Identify differing levels of customer emotion Develop robust tactics to professionally handle difficult calls Appreciation of the 8 behaviours of influence and negotiation

At the end of the workshop participants will

• Use customer care and communication skills to establish positive relationships
• Add value to every client contact
• Care for the needs of every client
• Use techniques to become the client's advocate
• Provide appropriate product and service information
• Solve problems, reduce conflict and exceed client expectations
• Use a world-class telephone voice, etiquette, and call handling skills to manage calls and achieve maximum efficiency
• Build and maintain loyalty through exceptional communication and customer servicing skills