This article is part of an ongoing series on Delivering Great Customer Service.
Every time I join an internal company meeting with Mary, our Director of Engagement, she greets me with a smile. She’s always enthusiastic about being there. It’s my glimpse into how she and her team handle every customer service call – they answer with a smile.
Wait, we answer the phone with a smile?
Yes. The customer can “hear” our smile. They can tell if we are happy to answer the phone or if their call is just an interruption in our day.
Answering the phone with a smile goes all the way back to the earliest days of AdjusterPro, when it was just co-founders Dan and Adam working out of Adam’s Florida garage. Dan remembers that every time Adam took a customer call, he would sit down, take a deep breath, put a grin on his face, and answer the phone. Dan thought it looked a little strange, but it made a great first impression on the customer.
And it’s a genuine smile. It’s not a fake smile, although it is an intentional smile. And over time, it becomes a habit, as is so clear with Mary. A smile makes us feel better, reminds us that we love serving our customers, and keeps us focused on the phone call. It’s good for us, good for the customer, and good for business!
So whether you’re answering a call from a client or arriving to check out someone’s roof, stop, and put a smile on your face. It can make all the difference.
