Enhanced Call Skills Training

Enhanced Skills for Calls

• The presentation focuses on improving call skills with clients or assistants.
• Learning objectives include successfully preparing and conducting calls, understanding influencing principles, and feeling confident during calls.
• Five key areas for building call confidence are clear and concise communication, building rapport, being assertive, increasing influence, and enhancing empathy.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will learn steps to effectively prepare and conduct calls.
• Participants will understand the core principles of influence and how they apply to their role.
• Participants will recognize and feel confident in their value while making calls.

I Want to Feel...

• This slide acts as a visual prompt, encouraging reflection on desired feelings during calls.

To Build Confidence on the Phone

• The presentation will focus on five areas to build confidence on the phone.
• These areas include clear and concise communication, building rapport, being assertive, increasing influence and enhancing empathy.

Clear and Concise Communication

• The importance of clear and concise communication during calls is highlighted.
• No specific details given.

Active Listening

• The presenter emphasizes active listening, highlighting the limited retention of information. This technique involves focusing on both verbal and nonverbal cues.
• Active listening involves focusing on words, tone, and body language and responding thoughtfully.
• This process allows for deeper understanding and more meaningful and productive conversations.
• Key elements of effective listening include being attentive, avoiding interrupting and/or premature planning of responses, and reflecting on and clarifying what is being communicated.

Speaking in Positives

• Focus on positive communication during calls.
• Replace negative language with positive solutions.
• Examples:
  • Instead of "Sorry, that's not possible" say "Let's work together to find a solution."
  • Instead of "That's against our terms and conditions" say "We do have terms and conditions in place, but let me see if there is any flexibility."
  • Instead of "I don't know" say "That is a great question, give me 24 hours to find out."
  • Instead of "We're not able to do that" say "Let me see what I can do to help."

Building Rapport

• Building rapport is important, creating meaningful and memorable experiences to build stronger relationships.
• Future calls will be easier if the relationships are positive.
• Ways to build rapport include : -Personalizing conversations by referencing previous interactions or shared experiences. -Being authentic -Researching the person you're talking to, to tailor interactions better.
• Focusing on common ground including shared values, humour, and similar goals.

Being Assertive

• Understanding your position is crucial in advocating for yourself or your company during calls.
• Specific questions to focus on include who knows most about the company, who has handled similar issues previously, and who has access to necessary internal resources.
• The ideal assertive position is you.

Be 'In It Together' With Them

• This slide emphasizes teamwork, emphasizing that both sides benefit from working together.

Taking Control

• Control over a call leads to confidence and productive interactions.
• Guide conversations expertly.
• Pre-call preparation is vital, deciding on the call's outcome, outlining the agenda, addressing roadblocks, and managing expected objections are important elements.

Being Assertive in Practice

• The presentation details assertive communication techniques.
• Techniques include using "I" statements, stating needs clearly, laying out intended actions, and replacing open-ended questions with direct inquiries.

Being Assertive in Dealing with Unreasonable Requests

• Being assertive during unreasonable requests involves clarifying understanding, setting expectations, being honest, suggesting alternatives, and buying time if necessary.

Being Assertive when Dealing with Ranting/Venting

• Techniques include limiting rant length, slowing down the conversation, interjecting to encourage understanding, and redirecting focus toward solutions.

Influence VS Manipulation

• Influence involves guiding behavior with mutual benefit, while manipulation is deceptive and self-serving, emphasizing the importance of sincere intentions in communication.

Why is Influence Important?

• Influence is essential in achieving desired outcomes, leading to more agreeable interactions and fewer conflicts during calls.

Core Principles of Influence

• The presentation discusses influencing principles, such as Principle of Reciprocity, Principle of Authority, and Principle of Liking.

Empathy

• This slide discusses the importance of emotional and cognitive empathy in communication.

• Cognitive empathy means understanding another person's emotions without feeling them yourself in order to deal with any issues you have in a better, more controlled way.

• Emotional empathy involves experiencing another person's emotions to better understand the situation.

What if you're not naturally empathetic?

• Empathy can be developed through effort, focusing on active listening, and putting yourself in another person's shoes.

How to Deliver Empathy

• Deliver empathy by using reflective responses, expressing understanding, apologizing sincerely, and personalizing the response.
• The presentation offers examples of these approaches.

How to Close a Call

• The presentation outlines different call closing strategies depending on the call type and tone (long, emotional, or positive).
• Strategies focus on summarizing positive aspects, expressing gratitude, recognizing timelines, and offering positive conclusions.

Being Assertive in Handling Surprise/Unanswered Questions

• The presenter recommends pausing, reiterating the question, and expressing transparency while requesting time to find the answer.

Your Mindset

• Recognize and demonstrate your value; your role is to offer advice, direction, and strategies
• Maintain control during calls. You are the expert
• Stay ready and poised to help.

Revisiting Learning Objectives

• Review and summary of the key takeaways. Steps to prepare for and conduct successful calls, understanding influence principles, and recognizing your value.

How to apply cognitive and emotional empathy

• A six-step process is given for applying emotional empathy and cognitive empathy. This involves recognizing personal responses, stepping back, focusing on your understanding, thinking analytically, responding appropriately, and reflecting.

This presentation focuses on developing essential skills for successful client calls. Participants will learn effective preparation techniques, principles of influence, and strategies to build confidence while communicating. Key areas include clear communication, rapport building, assertiveness, influence enhancement, and empathy.