You’re in the tax business. You know the drill: every year, around tax season, your phone starts ringing off the hook with people looking for help with their taxes. It can be a little overwhelming, but don’t worry! We’re here to help you with some best practices for answering calls from potential clients during tax season.
In part 1 of this blog post, we talked about the first steps you can take to improve the way your team answers calls. In this second part of the series, we’ll delve deeper into some of the best practices you can use when answering calls from potential clients. Here are some tips to keep in mind when answering calls from potential clients during tax season:
Tip #1: Always Mention Your Company’s Name and Ask How You Can Help Them
When you answer a call from a customer or client, always begin by mentioning your company’s name. This helps to establish trust and credibility from the start. From there, ask how you can help them. This shows that you’re interested in assisting them and that you’re willing to go the extra mile to do so.
Of course, that includes asking for their name too. Using the caller’s name shows that you’re paying attention to them and that you care about them as a person. It’s a small detail that can make a big difference in how the caller perceives you and your company.
Tip #2: Listen to Their Problems and Be Empathetic
We all know how frustrating it is when we’re trying to solve a problem and the person we’re talking to isn’t really listening. They might be half-listening at best, and it can make us feel like they don’t really care about our problem.
When you’re on the phone with a customer, it’s important to really listen to their problem and be empathetic. Show them that you understand their frustration and that you’re here to help. This can go a long way in building trust and rapport with your customers.
Here are some tips for really listening to your customers:
- Pay attention to their tone of voice. This can give you clues about how they’re feeling and what they might be leaving out.
- Try to picture the situation they’re describing. This can help you understand their perspective and what they might be trying to accomplish.
- Ask clarifying questions. This shows that you’re interested in understanding their problem and that you’re not making assumptions.
- Repeat back what you’ve heard. This ensures that you’ve understood the problem and gives the customer a chance to correct you if you’ve misunderstood anything.
By really listening to your customers and trying to understand their perspectives, you can build trust and rapport and resolve their issues more effectively.
Tip #3: Establish the Person Who Answered the Call as the First Point of Contact for Addressing the Client’s Problem
When you answer a call, it’s important to establish yourself as the first point of contact for addressing the client’s problem. This means that you should take the time to introduce yourself, explain your role, and let the client know how you can help them. This will help to build trust and rapport, and will make it more likely that the client will turn to you for help in the future.
Tip #4: Don’t Leave Them Hanging, Even If You Can’t Resolve the Issue
Even if you can’t solve the caller’s problem, it’s important to let them know that you’re still there for them. Thank them for their call, let them know that you understand their problem, and assure them that you’ll do everything you can to help.
If you have to transfer them to another department or put them on hold, let them know what you’re doing and why. This will help to keep the caller calm and reassured, and will make it more likely that they’ll stay on the line.
Conclusion
Many tax businesses rely heavily on the phone to communicate with clients and potential clients. As such, it’s crucial to have proper phone etiquette to project a professional image. After all, your clients trust you with their personal financial information, so it’s important to give them the best possible experience when they call your office. Are you looking for innovative solutions that can streamline your tax preparation process? At Keystone Tax Solutions, we offer professional tax software for CPAs. Call us at 1.800.504.5170 to see how we can ensure the growth of your tax business.
