Following up with callers is an essential skill for phone etiquette. It shows that you care about their needs, value their time, and respect their feedback. It also helps you build trust, rapport, and loyalty with your customers, clients, or colleagues. In this article, we will share some tips on how to follow up with callers effectively and professionally.
Following up with callers can be an invaluable asset for you and your organization. It can help to confirm the details of a conversation or agreement, provide additional information or resources, address any questions or concerns, solicit feedback or testimonials, express gratitude or appreciation, remind them of an action or deadline, and reinforce your brand image and reputation. All of these benefits can ensure that your conversations are as successful as possible.
As soon as possible. Following up as soon as possible gives your client and employer how professional and serious a person you are. For example, you got a client online who asked you to remind him to patronize you, you don't wait for 48 hours to do that, the maximum time you can go is 24 hours. It can be in the form of text messages, emails, voicemail, or phone calls depending on the presence of your client.
During the conversation with the customer I ask them what’s the best way to follow up with them (email, text, call) and ask if they mind me leaving a voicemail if I call and no answer. This gives the customer reassurance and that you value their input on how the communication should be handled and I always say please allow me at least 2 business days to ensure I can give the best resolution possible. When the customer has a sense of knowing that you are genuine and want to help, they usually give you the flexibility to do what needs to be done.
Following up or giving your customers a feedback gives them confidence, assurance and a kind of sense of fulfilment and it's also giving your organization a good reputation.
Following up is essential but there also needs to be a technique to it. It's extremely important to not invade someone's space. If the person has asked you for a certain time, don't call them before that it would only push them away! It's always advisable to make a follow up call 2 days after you've spoken and haven't been asked to call at a particular date or time. And the next call should be made after a week's time. Calling someone repeatedly would only put them off track and they wouldn't wish to communicate with you and maybe not even answer their phones any more
As stated it's the best time to recap for accuracy and clarity.It's prime time to represent brand loyalty that leads to repeat coustomers and recommendations of the services to others. Also to ensure that Ive met and exceeded expectations.
The timing of your follow-up is contingent on the purpose and urgency of the call. Generally, it's best to follow up within 24 hours of the initial conversation, unless requested otherwise. However, in some cases, you may need to respond faster or slower. For example, if you need to send a confirmation email or a contract, follow up as soon as possible after the call. If you need to provide additional information or resources, follow up within a few hours or the same day. If you're addressing questions or concerns, follow up within a day or two. If it's feedback or testimonials you're after, reach out within a week or two. To express gratitude or appreciation, follow up within a day or two. To remind them of an action or deadline, contact them a few days or a week before the due date. And if you're looking to reinforce your brand image and reputation, follow up periodically or on special occasions.
It's best to follow up within a reasonable timeframe, such as within 24-48 hours for non-urgent matters. For more time-sensitive or important matters, following up sooner is advisable.
When following up with your caller, the preferred method of communication should be the same as the one used for your initial conversation, unless requested otherwise. However, some forms of communication may be better suited to certain tasks. For example, email or fax should be used when sending a confirmation email or a contract. Text or a link to a website may be used to provide additional information or resources. Phone, email, or chat should be used to address any questions or concerns. To solicit feedback or testimonials, use phone, email, or a survey. If you need to express gratitude or appreciation, use phone, email, or a handwritten note. Remind them of an action or a deadline with phone, email, or text. Lastly, reinforce your brand image and reputation with phone, email, or a newsletter.
The best way to follow up with callers depends on the specific situation and preference of the caller. However, a combination of Phone calls and emails tends to be an effective approach. It allows for direct communication and provide a written record for reference.
When following up after a call, it is important to ensure your message is clear, concise, and courteous. Begin by greeting your caller by name and identify yourself and your organization. Make sure to reference the date and the topic of your initial conversation. You should also state the purpose of your follow-up and provide any relevant information or resources. Additionally, ask for any feedback or confirmation and thank them for their time and interest. End with an invitation to contact you again if they have any questions or concerns, and close with a positive and professional remark.
When following up with callers, there are certain challenges you may face, such as not reaching your caller or getting a negative response. To handle these challenges, you should leave a brief and polite voicemail message and follow up again after a reasonable interval if you don't hear back. You should listen empathetically and apologize sincerely if your caller is unhappy or dissatisfied with your service or product, and offer a solution or compensation if possible and appropriate. Additionally, stay calm and respectful if your caller is difficult or rude and try to resolve the issue or end the call gracefully. Following up with callers is an important skill for phone etiquette that can help to improve communication and build relationships with customers, clients, or colleagues. By following these tips, you can follow up with callers effectively and professionally.
In handling a follow up challenges l have to be patience, calm observant and a little bit persistent. I exercise patience with my clients and for those that refused to pickup l send them a polite and calm message which will in return make them to reply my text or/ and make them to pick my call when next l reach out to them with this it helps me to improve my communication with them, it helps me to know the kind of person that l am dealing with and l will calmly and politely accept his/ her positive or negative feedback.