Teleconnecting: Skills and concepts providing a proactive method of making follow-up calls to your client's customers and employees to determine satisfaction. As a benefit, the call also places an exclamation mark on your client's customers' decision todo business with your client. This results in building relationships that result in word of mouth advertising and repeat business and customer/employee loyalty.

Teleconnecting - keeps things simple. The motto is: "Common Courtesy, Common Sense and a Little Bit of Science." If you haven't heard of it, fret not, it's my word. Look it up on the World Wide Web, it's there! The process has been in development since 1993.

Teleconnecting - quotes and paraphrases the actual comments made by your client's customer in a way that you can send your client reports that 'Live and Breathe' between the quotation marks.

Teleconnecting - provides a method of transferring information from the front lines to those making big decisions about the direction a company will take.

Teleconnecting always asks: "Do you have a moment for me?" Because we believe that if one does not grant time, a connection cannot be made. A connection, in Teleconnecting is when two people are on the same 'present' level via telephone.
Interested? Stay tuned, more to come.

LoriAnne Hancock
JTE UNlimited
International Teleconnecting Consultant
Boise, Idaho USA
LoriAnne@Teleconnecting.com
208-344-2662

'Teleconnecting' is the name that has been given to a specific set of skills and concepts, forms and formulas for effectively measuring customer satisfaction and placing an exclamation mark on your customer's decision to do business with you.

Previous Teleconnecting Tips can be found on this Forum. This tip involves "Asking for Time."

Ask for time? Risky, sure. Effective, absolutely. Why? Because when you ask for someone's time, and they grant it to you, you have their complete attention. If you don't ask for it and they haven't granted it to you, you never really know if they are 'with you' or not. Why should they be? All they did was pick up the phone and if you are not granted time, you might appear a yammering irritant.

If someone does not have time for you, let them off the phone right away with, "Let me call you at a better, time, I'll let you go, bye now." When you do call again, they already know that you are going to respect them in their busy environment, and again, you will ask for time. Even if they are busy the second time, you have left a good taste in their mouth.

Most of this is geared toward the follow-up satisfaction "Courtesy Call", but works in the office, at home and anytime you wish to truly connect with others.

There will be more "Teleconnecting Skills" - let me know what you think, please.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne Hancock

TELECONNECTING TIP - “Matching Energy”

My name is LoriAnne Hancock. For the past eight years I have been developing Teleconnecting Skills and Concepts. These have been primarily developed around the proactive follow-up satisfaction "Courtesy Call", which effectively measures customer satisfaction while placing an exclamation mark on your customer’s/employee’s decision to do business with you.”

MATCHING ENERGY:
Whether making outbound calls, taking inbound calls, or getting homefrom work to your family, one excellent skill to be aware of is "Matching Energy".

A prime example of UNMATCHED energy is when you answer the phone in a sleepy stupor to find an excited friend at the other end. Unless you gear up or they gear down, there will not be a starting place to bring the conversationn together.

When you are trying to connect with people on the phone, there are some vocal dynamics you can practice which will increase information flow. Try it, you will understand what I'm saying.

Another word for 'Matching Energy' is mirroring, but I think mirroring is more for in-person connections.

When you get good at this, you will be able to 'Match Energy' with anyone and possibly everyone around you (one on one), as well as, with people on the phone. The skill will make you more sensitive to another's receptivity when you wish to bring up a subject, impart information, ask for a raise,etc.

MATCHING ENERGY:

1. SPEED: The truth is, people listen most efficiently at about the same speed, tone and pitch that they talk. If you slow-poke your words to a New Yorker, they're going to say, "What?" - and have you off the line. If you speed your words past someone from a slower speaking State like Georgia, they're going to say, "What?" Matching Energy with the person you are speaking with will more than likely result in a productive/pleasing exchange.

2. PITCH/TONE: While you can match the tonal range of the person you are speaking with, take care to be aware of tones (sarcasm, negativity, etc.) which you DO NOT wish to reflect back. You can easily calm an excitable person with your tone.

3. BODY LANGUAGE: In person, matching body language, sitting, standing, etc., can increase the chance for a connection between two people.

If you like my "Teleconnecting Tips", and use them, please let me know via e-mail @ lorianne@teleconnecting.com. I seek and very much appreciate feedback of all kinds.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne Hancock
JTE UNlimited
Boise, ID USA

I challenge you to think of one business that would not benefit from making follow-up satisfaction calls to their customers and employees.

:)

LoriAnne

Lorianne,

I am responding to your posting because almost word for word, I have described this exact process. You must have at one time been a telemarketer because there is no way, you would have this knack, or information without it!

Very well put and on time ... As far as I am concerned... It's a shame that the so-called professionals of this industry don't realize that what you have described will lead to higher SPH,increased customer service satisfaction, lower abandonment rate and more pocket lining for the owners. I would like to invite you to do a seminar with me on this exact subject. I started as a telemarketer and quickly became accustomed to this process. I thought I was the only person who truly understood that there definately is a process that all, TSR's/CRS's ,should follow. I have trained many of organizations on the techniques associated with this process, and in each and every case a 100% increase in all facets of the call center would transpire within weeks. I wouldlike to get together with you (professionally), and possibly pursue other call centers who may be interested in these techniques. Additionally, it's ironic that you are a consultant and I am a contract procurement executive... I know what??? " A contractprocurement executive ?" Yes, there is only one of us in the entire world and it is me! I may be able to refer you to one or two of my clients that can use your help and in turn perhaps you will let me know if anything passes across your desk as far as aclient needing to place business in a facility. Sorry for being so long winded but I do want you to know the clients I represent, one in particular, has over 100 yrs. combined experience throughout their executive staff. Their average SPH is a staggering2.8-3.4 depending on the project. I also would like to point out-I am directly responsible for increasing the SPH... Look forward to hearing from you.

Rick Danko
President/CEO
Danko Spade Agencies
1900 Executive Park
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18702
570-339-3427

Greetings fellow call center voices!

Here is the 'Table of Contents' of the Teleconnecting Manual that will soon be available to Call Centers to offer as a product to their current clients or future clients.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

‘COURTESY CALL’ FORM
HOW TO USE THE “COURTESY CALL” FORM

TELECONNECTING SKILLS AND CONCEPTS:

CONNECTING:
BEING PRESENT:
MATCHING ENERGY:
'SURE-FIRE' INTRODUCTION:
MOVING THROUGH "MAY I HELP YOU?"
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS:
CONFIRMING/GATHERING INFO:
ASKING FOR TIME:
CALL OUTLINE:
CALL NOTES:
QUOTING AND PARAPHRASING:
CALL RESULT CODES:
PROBLEM SOLVING:
DIFFICULT NAME PRONUNCIATION:
BOUNCING:
SENSING HESITATION:

ADMINISTRATIVE ‘TO DOS’
PROJECT GOALS:
CUSTOMIZING A CALL OUTLINE:
MAKING REPORTS PAY:
FOLLOW-ING UP THE FOLLOW-UP CALL:
HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON:
GETTING STARTED:

ADDITIONAL FORMS:
1. CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET
2. COMPUTER FORM FOR MULTIPLE RECORDS
3. COMPUTER FORM FOR CREATING A REPORT
4. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION QUOTIENT LOG SHEET

If you are interested in receiving personal e-mail about the upcoming Teleconnecting Manual, please e-mail me at LoriAnne@Teleconnecting.com and put: 'Teleconnecting Manual' in the subject box. Any comments you have about what you have read so far, will be welcomed.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne Hancock
JTE UNlimited dba
Teleconnecting International

In Teleconnecting, problem-solving involves three steps:

Sympathy: "I'm sorry that was your experience."
Empathy: "If that happened to me, I'd be upset too."
Resolve: "What can we do to make it right for you and win back your confidence?"

The customer usually already has something in mind that would make it right for them. Once you know, and can meet the request, your customer becomes loyal.

Let me give an example using a dining experience:

Your meal arrives hot and looks great.
The server comes by and asks, how everything tastes?
Your meal tastes burnt, and you tell your server.
Your meal is apologetically whisked away, after having been given a choice of the same meal, or another.
A 'complimentary' appetizer is offered along with an apology and estimated time of arrival on your new meal.
Your meal comes, it is perfect and delicious.
Your server asks, "Is there anything else we can do to make up for your first meal?"
Your tummy is happy.
You are pleased.
You pay full price.
Now, you know how problems are solved here.
You become loyal and bring business associates to that restaurant.

A pro-active follow-up call to determine satisfaction would bring all of this to light for the owner of the restaurant in a quoted and paraphrased fasion. The customer, having had the opportunity to verbalize the experience, will return even sooner to the restaurant. The business owner benefits because he willld sleep well, knowing his business is going to grow because his employees (number one customer to a business) are taking good care of his customers, the life force of his business.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne

Greetings and thank you for following this thread on Teleconnecting: A Product. The tips are in the training portion of the upcoming manual.

#1: BEING PRESENT
If you are not in the 'Present' you are time travelling. While we must all take jaunts to the past, and the future, to reflect and dream, all of what is life is made up in the NOW. Being Present is the only way to fill your now's completely as they pass.

‘NOW, and it's gone, NOW, and it's History.' Wayne Dyer

Being aware of when we are time travelling is half the battle. Chances are, your eyes will shift left when thinking about something past, and right when thinking about something future. There's always lateral travel, which is, wondering what someone is doing right now, for instance. Still, when on any of these roads, the Present is passing you by.

We look briefly to the past for snippits of information that will aid us in the Present. We must dream of the future so we can move continually in the direction of our most dominant thoughts. However, the Present moments as they pass, require that you be in them fully. Interesting that the word Present and 'gift' are interchangeable at times.

Being Present in your job, will help you to enjoy the gift(s) that only the Present can offer.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne Hancock
Teleconnecting

Whether you are receiving calls for your clients or making calls for them, one of the main goals should be building relationships. If you stress this to your employees, and 'show' them, by building the relationships you have with them, your company willlikely move and grow profitable. It takes a lot of time and money to hire and train.

Offering ontinuous positive feedback, along with the fine tuning and honing of an employees skills, can make a big difference in whether people see your callcenter as a stop-over point between the good job they think they want, or a place for them to become 'experts' and shine - both for you and your company.

Recently, I saw a verification office that, along with holding sales, allowed for a free-flow of positive information to get back to the rep. Simple things like, 'Great job on State abbreviations!', or 'You sound so good!' - in tandem with the more critical comments - is an excellent way to add balance to the honing process and build lasting relationships with your employees.

When you are talking with prospective business clients, if you make certain that your scripts and services are designed to help them BUILD RELATIONSHIPS with their customers - it will be easy for them to see the benefits of hiring your call center.

Hope this helps some.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne Hancock
JTE UNlimited
Teleconnecting Consultant

Come on everybody here in call center world, help me out. Last time I posed this challenge, no one answered.

The challenge:

Name one business/organization that would not benefit from making follow-up satisfaction calls to their customers/members.

If you can't come up with any, then hey, there may be something to this follow-up satisfaction stuff.

For instance, you could fill your call centers with reps who do nothing but outbound calling to determine satisfaction.

Just for the record, keep thinking about it:

Just one business/organization that would not benefit from making follow0up satisfaction calls to their customers/members.

Go ahead, post here.

@ Your Service,
LoriAnne

LoriAnne

I totally support most of what you have posted todate however as you wish some sporting interaction I could not resist but suggest "prepaid funeral customers once they have taken delivery".

Please dont howl me down for my lack of respect. I hoped to meet your challenge.

Jim Wyatt

Good one Jim. Now, if there's someone to talk to to determine satisfaction, there might be another eventual customer(s) in there somewhere yeah? :)
LA

My one friend said Lawyers - but they could use feedback on their services as much (or more) than anyone. Keep thinking...