Tactic 14: Greeting - What Are The Essential Elements
Whether you deal with customers in person or on the phone,the way you begin a conversation will affect how the customertreats you. You know what they say -- first impressions are hard to change. If the other person concludes you are cold, distant, bored, uninterested, uncaring or unhelpful, their level of anger will escalate almost immediately.
Customers develop these perceptions very quickly. Project a positive image, as the customer approaches you, or
in the first few sentences of the conversation. Just as important, take control of the conversation early. Finally, you want your customer to know that you recognize them as an individual, and not just another customer.
Bet you didn’t realize the greeting was quite so important.
You can do this by using appropriate greetings when a customer approaches you, or when you answer
the phone.
An effective greeting includes:
• Appropriate nonverbal behavior
• Eye contact
• Posture that indicates interest
• Appropriate tone of voice
♦ Friendly
♦ Calm
♦ Efficient sounding
• Appropriate Content
♦ Offer/Commitment to help
♦ Acknowledgment
♦ Effective timing
Help Us By Sharing