11 Phone Etiquette Tips for Self Storage Employees

Sometimes the first - and possibly the only - impression that your prospective customers have of your business is from the phone conversation they have with your employees. Good telephone etiquette is vital in the self storage industry because many customers call for information before they decide to rent a unit. Good phone etiquette helps to rent storage units. Here are 11 tips for your employees to keep in mind when talking on the phone.

1. Answer the phone in one or two rings. Customers get anxious when the phone rings more than that and the call gets off to a bad start.
2. Be cheerful when you answer the phone. A perky, bright tone of voice is more appealing than someone who sounds half asleep, belligerent, or bored. If you smile when you say hello, the smile comes through in your voice. Customers are drawn to a pleasant voice and turned-off by gruffness.
3. Do not talk fast. This makes it hard for the customers to understand you.
4. Do not chew gum or eat food while talking on the phone. This is very annoying to customers.
5. Avoid using slang. Use proper grammar. Be professional in the language that you use.
6. Make sure you know as much as possible about the business (such as the unit sizes and rates, and accessibility to the units, how to make payments, late payment fees, etc.). It is frustrating for the customers when the person on the phone can't answer their question
7. When you are busy helping a customer and the phone rings, politely ask the person on the phone if they can hold. Never let a customer be on hold for more than two minutes. If you can tell that you won't be able to get back to the customer on the phone within two minutes, ask for a name and number to call the person back. And, then make sure you call the person back.
8. If a person has introduced herself, use her name when appropriate. This personalizes the conversation.
9. Determine your customer's needs. When will they need to move in? What do they plan on storing? How long will they need storage? Will they need a moving truck? When you understand their needs, you can point out the benefits of using your storage facility.
10. If the caller is an unhappy customer, listen intently to what she says. Repeat back to the person what they said to make sure you understand the problem. Remain calm and always speak politely. Make sure you know solutions to some of the common problems so that you can immediately fix the problem. Accept responsibility of following through with the complaint until it is completely resolved.
11. Don't end the call with "Have a nice day." That phrase is so over-used and trite. Instead, say something pleasant such as, "Thank you so much for calling ABC Storage. We appreciate your business/call." Sincerely telling a customer you appreciate them goes a long way.

Sources Used:

"Talk Smart Prescriptions for Improving Your Phone Skills." The Communication Doctor.

"Positive Telephone Communication." Phone Skills Trainer.