Conversations with Clare : Never assume that “now is a good time to talk”

Want to improve your customer service? Talk to Clare Yates! She has over 25 years’ experience in the property industry and is more than happy to share what she knows to help you get the best out of your customer interactions. 

Here, she explains how asking every customer if now is a good time to talk – and genuinely responding to their answer – can make for happier conversations:

Any number of factors can affect your customers’ mood and emotions, and make them less tolerant of updates your team might need to share.

This is why your team should never assume the customer is going to be calm and accepting – and always ask “Is now a good time to talk?” at the start of every call.

If your team feel that a conversation isn’t going well, or if the customer would prefer not to talk, listening and responding to this is key. A simple response of “that’s fine, we don’t have to do this now, we can talk later” can help to leave the conversation on a positive note.

Your team should also be able to recognise when they need to call a “time out” – instead of either parties losing their temper. They can introduce this by saying, “I appreciate your frustration. I’ll go and find some more information and call you back in 15 minutes.” 

Take a step back…

Does your team always ask “Is now a good time to talk?” Are they able to quickly recognise the signs of an unhappy customer – and do they feel confident enough to suggest they call back later? Would a 15-minute chat with your team help to create a better customer experience, positive word of mouth and maybe even a testimonial?

With thanks to Clare Yates, Senior Business Development Manager at tmgroup. 

Got a question? Connect with Clare on LinkedIn.