CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
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Best Practice
Tips for Effective
Switchboard
Services
08/10/2013 12:20
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
I N T R O D U CT I O N
This Best Practice Guide has been compiled to demonstrate
why your Switchboard is such an important entry point into
your organisation, and more significantly, what you can do to
add value to your business’ brand.
1
1. Introduction
As experts in the provision of Switchboard services we
have extensive experience in guiding our customers on
best practice and have compiled this guide to furnish you
with some interesting hints and tips, to ensure that at every
opportunity you are protecting your brand and portraying
yourselves in the best possible light.
This guide is divided into six sections:
Switchboard set-up
Call handling
The “Perfect Call”
The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
How your callers perceive your brand
Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
Always ensure there is someone on your Front Desk representing your brand
When your clients visit your offices it is important that they are greeted by a friendly face, offered
refreshments and are seated in a comfortable, clean and tidy area. Many Front Desk teams wear
uniforms in keeping with their company branding and this certainly does give a professional
impression. Maintaining eye contact with visitors is vital, someone who has their head down as you
are approaching them does not give a welcoming impression!
Keeping the Switchboard and Front Desk functions separate
A common mistake made by many businesses is to ask their Front Desk personnel to take phone
calls as well as facilitate the meet and greet with clients. Both functions are equally important and
although they can be carried out by the same people on a rota basis, they should not cross over
any more than necessary. The most effective Switchboards are usually located away from the Front
Desk with calls being routed to the dedicated area; this ensures that callers are always receiving the
operator’s full attention and their enquiries are kept entirely confidential.
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The physical location of your Switchboard is an important consideration along with the general
layout of your reception and waiting areas. Here are some fail-safe tips that will assist you in your
Switchboard set-up:
S W I TC H B O A R D S E T - U P
2. Switchboard set-up
Plan for busy periods
Many businesses will receive a peak in calls first thing in the morning, over the lunchtime period
and before the end of the working day. Ensuring that you have sufficient cover during these periods
is vital to ensuring that you don’t have any missed calls. Between 12 and 2pm you may want to
adopt different call handling aligned to who is available to receive calls on specific individual’s
behalf. For example you may wish to apply a hunt group approach so that calls are routed through
to a team of secretaries over these busy periods. This will ensure that clients are always transferred
through to someone who is knowledgeable about their enquiry, or has sufficient information to
placate the caller until someone more appropriate can get in touch.
The most effective reception areas…
Have dedicated sitting areas for visitors slightly away from the Front Desk. Receptions are busy
places with people coming and going and ensuring that your visitors are comfortably sat away
from the hustle and bustle will make sure that their impression of your brand is always exceptional.
Offering refreshments and ensuring that relevant company literature is available all helps to shape
their perception.
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
3
CALL HANDLING
3. Call handling
Establishing company standard call handling instructions is vital to providing a consistent impression
of your brand. In “The Perfect Call” section of this guide we will take you through what we would
recommend as the ideal journey for any caller, examining familiar scenarios. This section includes
some pointers that even the most exemplary operators could learn from and be reminded of:
1. Answer promptly and be prepared
The industry standard is to make sure that all calls are answered within 3 rings. This avoids the
caller getting impatient, hanging up and therefore the enquiry potentially being lost. It is important
that the greeting is tailored, our preferred greeting is:
‘Good morning/afternoon/evening, ComXo, Charlotte speaking, how may I help you?’
The caller is assured they have come through to the correct company, the operator has offered her
name to sound helpful along with the questions ,’how may I help you?’. The choice of wording is
important here, as ‘may’ sounds softer that ‘can’.
2. Qualify the caller and listen to the response
Having asked the caller how you might help them, now is the time to listen. The secret to a good
operator is that they are good ‘active listeners’. Being sure to ask appropriate questions, probe
further and repeat back any important details to the caller, such as their name, company and
telephone number, all reassures the caller that they are listening to them. The key objective for most
Switchboard calls is to establish who the caller would like to speak with and connect them to that
person, or their secretary, as efficiently as possible.
3. Treat every caller the same
You may be having an especially busy day, but every caller deserves the same treatment and their
call should be taken in a calm, professional manner. They have taken the time to call your company
and could materialise into new business for your firm or could be the CEO calling in to Switchboard
for some extra assistance. You really never know who is on the end of the line.
4. Tone of voice and phrasing – don’t be a robot!
Answering calls in a confident, professional way doesn’t mean you should come across as though
you are reading from a script. Be sure to add inflection to your voice and smile as you’re speaking,
you would be surprised at how this comes across to those on the end of the line. Be sure to obtain
the information you need but don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through and if the caller
makes a joke, always feel free to laugh!
5. Empathise where necessary
Working as partners for many legal clients means we often take enquiries relating to Probate. These
should always be handled sensitively, taking the time to empathise with the caller. It is in these
situations where putting the caller through quickly should not be the main priority.
www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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7. Make the message count!
Take as many details as the caller will give you. Ask if you can have a brief synopsis of what the call
is regarding and be sure to ask questions as necessary to glean as much information as you can.
If they would like their call to be returned ask when would be a convenient time and confirm their
telephone number. When relaying the message to the intended contact, always type the messages
up with the correct grammar and in the third person with all the information you have been
provided with. Lastly what may seem like the most important aspect, be sure to send it through!
Some operators copy in the contact’s secretary to make doubly sure that the message is received
and subsequently actioned as necessary.
3
6. Be informative, offer to help and take messages
If you are unable to connect the caller, take control of the call, keep them informed and explain
the absence of the person they wish to speak with. E.g. “Mr Jones is out of the office today”. If this
information is unknown then explain that they are unavailable and offer to take a message or ask if
they would like to be put through to someone else. Where possible avoid sending callers through to
a voicemail facility as these messages can often not be accessed remotely and therefore the enquiry
may not be answered in a timely fashion, and in some cases not accessed at all.
CALL HANDLING
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
8. Ensure your urgent calls have an escalation path
Periodically very important calls will come through to your Switchboard, it is therefore vital that
your operators are aware of the correct way to escalate in the absence of specific individuals.
Organograms and in-depth knowledge of the company’s Business Continuity procedures are vital to
ensure efficient call-handling and may enable potential disasters to be averted.
9. Closing the call
At the end of the call you will need to confirm any details you have taken and actions you have
agreed with the caller. Always end the call with a “Thank you” and use the caller’s name if you have
it. The “Perfect Call” section of this guide includes some useful information on how to greet callers
and scenarios when you shouldn’t use their first names.
Key Tip: Companywide call-handling should be agreed and implemented, from
Switchboard level to how calls are answered on direct dials and mobiles. This should be
across sites and where appropriate on a global scale. This is an area to be especially
mindful of during mergers as ensuring consistency is key to building a strong brand.
www.comxo.com
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
4
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
4. The “Perfect Call”
In our experience there are many different reasons callers ring
in to your Switchboard, but for the purpose of this guide we will
concentrate on the 3 most common and provide suggested call
handling for each:
1. New Business Enquiry
2. Sales Call
3. E
xisting Customer wishing to speak with a named individual
regarding an existing enquiry
1. New Business Enquiry (see Figure 1.)
Often people will call into your Switchboard and this will be the
first time they will engage with your business. A recommendation,
an advertisement, your company website, directory enquiries or a
business card may generate a call into your Switchboard.
K
EY TIP: Make sure your Marketing department
are regularly updating your Switchboard team
regarding their activity and preferred call
handling for each campaign – these are
designed to generate inbound enquiries so
be sure to let those who will be looking after
the initial enquiry know!
www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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ComXo Operator:
“Good afternoon ComXo,
Charlotte speaking, how may
I help you?”
Caller:
“Hello I was hoping you can.
I have come across your
company on the Internet
and was hoping to speak to
someone regarding your
voice conferencing service”
4
The caller is a
genuine new business
enquiry and needs to
speak to someone asap.
They have specified that
they wold like to discuss
the conferencing
service.
ComXo Operator:
“Certainly, I will try our
Sales Department for you.
Can I take your name and
company name please?”
The operator
knows that this is a new
business query and that it
should be put through to
Bash, Account Executive.
Communicating this to
the caller makes them feel
informed and that their
enquiry is being handled
efficiently.
The operator is
reassuring the caller that
they are through to the
right company and that
they are friendly and
ready to help.
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
Caller:
“My name is Andrew and I am
calling from Andrew Try LLP”
ComXo Operator:
“Certainly Andrew, I’m
putting you through
to Bash”
The operator is
informing the caller that
they need to be directed
to the sales team and has
asked for their details prior
to putting them through
to the right person. If the
operator can hear that the
caller is on a bad line, it
is recommended to ask for
their telephone number
so that their call can be
returned should they be
disconnected for any reason.
Caller:
“Thank you”
Figure 1:
The “Perfect”
new business call
handling
Bash, ComXo Employee:
“Hello Andrew, you’re
through to Bash. I understand
you would like to discuss
MultiVoice our voice
conferencing service?”
The operator
passes on all the
details to Bash prior
to transferring the call
to ensure the caller
doesn’t need to repeat
themselves unnecessarily
and Bash is prepared to
advise accordingly.
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2. Sales Call (see Figure 2.)
Switchboard teams are often busy dealing with un-solicited sales
calls. Calls of this type can sometimes be frustrating for operators;
however it is important to remember that a pushy sales person
today is a client of tomorrow. Being rude and abrupt is never the
preferred way to deal with these callers.
4
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
K
EY TIP: Many companies have a strict no
sales calls policy. Some even take it as far as
not giving out names when asked who is
responsible for which areas, this is all to do
with confidentiality and should be upheld by
each operator as a matter of course. Be
mindful of the particularly experienced
salesman who has a way with words!
www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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The caller doesn’t
have a named contact
so is unlikely to have
spoken to anyone at the
company before. It is a
clear sales call. Some
companies have a strict
“No sales calls” policy,
however ComXo do allow
calls to go through to their
departments announced –
a defined process in
their call handling.
Although this
is a sales call the
marketing team may
be interested in the
services they are
providing and the
operator announces
the call to a member
of the team.
Caller:
“Hello I would like to speak
to someone in your Marketing
department regarding your
digital marketing strategy”
ComXo Operator:
“Certainly, I will try our
Marketing department for
you. Can I take your name
and company name please?”
Caller:
“My name is David and I
am calling from Digital
Marketing Gurus”
The operator is
reassuring the caller that
they are through to the
right company and that
they are friendly and
ready to help.
4
ComXo Operator:
“Good afternoon ComXo,
Charlotte speaking, how may
I help you?”
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
The operator is
informing the caller that
they need to be directed to
the marketing team and has
asked for their details.
ComXo Operator:
“Thank you David, I‘ll try the
line for you”
Caller:
“Thank you”
Figure 2:
The “Perfect”
sales call
handling
ComXo Operator:
“Hello David, unfortunately
our Marketing Team have
declined to take your call.
Can I suggest that you email
marketing@comxo.com
detailing your enquiry and
should it be of interest then a
member of the team will be
in touch”
The team member
has declined to take the
call. The operator takes
control and passes this
information onto the
caller. This avoids them
continuously calling
back and turning into a
nuisance caller.
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3. Existing Customer (see Figure 3.)
A client may be directed through to your Switchboard or perhaps
end up there if they do not want to leave a voicemail. If the
person they would like to speak with is unavailable, then every
effort must be taken to either direct them to someone else or take
a meaningful message and relay immediately.
4
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
www.comxo.com
Tel:01753 710430
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The operator is
aware that Luke Maddon
is part of the Client
Management team and
that this is likely to be an
existing customer.
From the detail
provided, the
operator is aware
that this is an
important call
and it should be
transferred as quickly
as possible to the
intended individual.
Caller:
“Hello I would like to speak
to Luke Maddon please”
ComXo Operator:
“Certainly, I will try his
line for you. Can I take
your name and company
name please and what your
call is regarding?”
The operator
is trying to get as much
information as possible in
order to pass over to Luke.
Caller:
“Its Helen Turner calling
from Jennetts Legal . I spoke
to Luke yesterday and I would
like to clarify something in a
proposal I have just received”
ComXo Operator:
“Thank you, I‘ll try the line
for you”
ComXo Operator:
“Helen, I’m connecting you
through to Luke now”
Figure 3:
The “Perfect”
existing customer
call handling
The operator is
reassuring the caller that
they are through to the
right company and that
they are friendly and
ready to help.
4
ComXo Operator:
“Good afternoon ComXo,
Charlotte speaking, how
may I help you?”
T H E “ P E R F E CT C A L L”
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
Luke, ComXo Operator:
“Good afternoon Helen,
you’re through to Luke. I
understand you would like to
discuss the proposal I sent
over?”
It is worth noting
that if the caller had
been male the operator
should have addressed
him as “Mr X”. With
female callers it is more
difficult to decipher their
title – noone should ever
assume.
Luke greets
his customer and
reiterates what she has
already said regarding
the nature of the enquiry
to avoid her having to
repeat herself.
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
5
T he 4 P ’ s of great S witchboard S er v ices
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
ComXo is a business built on 4 core values, better known to our customers and team members
as the ComXo 4 P’s. These values are paramount to our success and help to guide us in how we
communicate between ourselves, our clients and suppliers. We pledge to embody the following
core values: Politeness, Proficiency, Professionalism and Personality.
Having worked diligently to ensure that we embody the appropriate behaviours for each of the
4 P’s, we have put together a guide applied to switchboard services. The guide includes red and
green flag behaviours and the impact these have on your clients and potential clients who call into
your Switchboard. We have also added in potential blockers that may mean your Switchboard team
are unable to embody the true green flag behaviours.
Key Tip: These are great starting points when looking to put together an appraisal
for each operator or of course, looking to recruit these individuals in the first place!
Politeness
Always be polite. Politeness and a gentle, but in control deference will cover up for a multitude
of sins. Even if an operator stumbles, spells a caller’s name incorrectly or is unable to access
the correct information, politeness will bring you quick forgiveness.
Green Flag Behaviour
Being mindful of the language you are using, saying please and thank
you and speaking clearly and eloquently.
Red Flag Behaviour
Not listening to callers properly and being unaware of their individual
circumstances and the potentially confidential nature of their call.
Potential Blockers
Senior stakeholders being concerned about the time that each call is taking
to be handled and transferred where necessary. This can lead to operators rushing through calls
due to the increased pressure, when the real focus should be on the overall caller experience.
Key Tip: Never use a heavily accented voice on a Switchboard. For some people accents
mean diminished clarity and they find it very difficult to understand what is being said.
As you do not have the benefit of any visual communication, the voice has to say it all.
Proficiency
Individuals who are competent, efficient, thorough and well-planned. Each call should have a
defined escalation that leaves the caller knowing the operator is an expert at their job and that
the company is truly professional and efficient to deal with.
Green Flag Behaviour
Being on time and well-prepared is a sign of a great Switchboard
operator. Having all the information necessary to carry out their role is vital. This may be by
ensuring that they are aware of their colleagues movements for the day/week and equipping them
with the correct call handling instructions in each situation.
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Tel: 01753 710430
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Potential Blockers
Not having the tools and information available to them. Individuals within
the organisation or their secretaries should be responsible for ensuring the Switchboard have all
movements recorded.
Professionalism
Individuals who are organised and presentable, are accountable, knowledgeable and
polished. Operators will be dealing with a range of callers from couriers to CEOs and should
look after their calls in a structured and professional manner that reflects the professionalism
your company would like to aspire to.
Green Flag Behaviour
Arriving at work on time and well presented. Your switchboard team are
the shop window to your brand and should be presented immaculately.
Red Flag Behaviour
Being late to work and back from breaks, resulting in other team members
having to cover the absence. This gives an impression that these individuals are not team players
which impacts negatively on group cohesiveness. If their colleagues were unwilling to cover then
reception may be left unattended and calls could be missed.
Potential Blockers
Individuals may not be invested in the company and could feel like they are
not valued. They therefore are unmotivated and uncaring about the impact their behaviour has.
Being sure to have regular 1:1s with team members should alleviate any grievances which may
cause changes in attitude. It is for these reasons that you should avoid bringing in temporary staff –
this important touch point should be serviced by individuals with a vested interest.
5
Not completing tasks in a timely fashion and missing deadlines all impacts
Red Flag Behaviour
on other people within the organisation.
T he 4 P ’ s of great S witchboard S er v ices
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
Personality
Definition: Individuals who are charismatic and cultured. Personality is a key differentiator, if
your organisation differentiates itself through people, then ensure your operators’ personalities
shine through from the initial greeting.
Green Flag Behaviour
Being happy, approachable and welcoming to visitors.
Not making eye contact with visitors or other colleagues, being loud and
Red Flag Behaviour
opinionated and generally over-bearing to be around.
Potential Blockers
Individuals not having the correct skill set for the role. When recruiting for
Switchboard staff it is vitally important that each individual encompasses key skills to enable them to
perform the role effectively.
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
6
H ow y our C allers percei v e y our B rand
6. How your callers perceive your brand
At ComXo we pledge to help our clients remove operational challenges and help them protect
their brands. This section of the guide has been compiled to give some theoretical reasoning
behind the impact that less than perfect call handling can have on your brand, and how the
presentation of your company impacts on your clients’ and prospects’ overall perception. It will
include some thought provoking take-aways that will certainly resonate and go some way to
explaining the suggested best practice tips included.
Branding and its importance to the Marketing Mix
The Marketing Mix was initially defined by McCarthy in 1960 who defined the mix in terms of
Product, Place, Price and Promotion, conveniently all beginning with the letter “P”, so the phrase,
“the 4 P’s of the marketing mix” was born. (Cited Blythe, 2006) These four components quickly
became seven with the addition of three more components, People, Process and Physical assets.
(Doole & Lowe, 2008).
To expand our understanding on what the Marketing Mix constitutes we have called upon some
well-known writers in this field for some definitions. Murphy (1987) defines the Marketing Mix as
being, “a little like cooking - part of the skill is in the selection of the elements in the mix, part is in
the blending and cooking and part is in the presentation” (Murphy, 1987). Murphy led the way with
his definition and his ideas are shared by The Chartered Institute of Marketing who in 2006 stated
that, “each of the ingredients of the Marketing Mix is a key to success. No one element can be
considered in isolation - you cannot for example develop a product without considering a price, or
how it will reach the customer”. It is therefore vitally important for elements of the Marketing Mix to
compliment each other to ensure that the Brand is made up of the right elements and is presented
to your clients in the best way.
For the purpose of this guide we can only assume, based on our experience with our own clients
that the importance of consistency across the mix has been recognised as a priority. We have
however chosen to focus on the People element, “People are crucial to success in marketing”
(Blythe, 2006). How your Brand is presented, is largely dependent on the people you have
representing you and the way they are presenting you. Please see the Switchboard set-up and Call Handling sections of this guide for examples of good practice in presentation.
Brand Perception and its direct influence on behaviour
The success of Brands is based entirely on consumer’s perceptions that are shaped by their
functional experiences with the product or service, as well as the emotional experiences the
customer associates with the product and company. (Capv, 2008) Although the writer is
focussing on consumer perception, and although alluding to the B2C sector, this concept is
easily transferrable to B2B also. How our perceptions are shaped of anything, be it people, an
organisation or a consumer brand is dependent on the experience we have; bad experiences will
remain in individuals’ minds and influence future behaviour.
www.comxo.com
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The Cambridge Dictionary (2009) has defined perception as being, “a belief or opinion, held by
many people and based on appearances”. Although this definition is rather simplistic it is useful
in order to understand the basic concept. The idea that perception is based on appearances
reinforces the idea that Davidson (1997) states in the Branding Iceberg (Figure 4). There is a
difference between what can be seen and what cannot be seen and it is these visual representations
that influence their perception.
Symbol
Brand name
Presentation
Advertising
Price
Key assets and
competencies
WHAT
YOU CAN
SEE
High quality
Efficient production
WHAT
YOU
CAN’T
SEE
Figure 4:
The Branding
Iceberg
Strong R&D
Low cost operation
High service levels
Effective selling
(Davidson, 1997)
6
Strong supply chain
H ow y our C allers percei v e y our B rand
1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
As well as the general appearance of a company and their brand it is important to remember, as
Davidson stated in his ‘Branding Iceberg’ that High Service levels are key competencies that can
only strengthen your overall offering. Kotler et al (2005) places emphasis on the relationships
formed between the customer and the organisation and suggests that Relationship Marketing is “the
process of creating, maintaining and enhancing strong, value-laden relationships with customers
and other stakeholders.” This is moving into a very current phenomenon in the business world of
Customer Relationship Management. CRM at a basic level refers to a company’s ability to retain
their customers and the processes they have in place in order to ensure their loyalty. Consistently
good service is a great example of how organisations can maintain this loyalty and this needs to be
executed at all touchpoints.
Your Brand as a key differentiator from the competition
The Professional Services sector have long understood the importance of differentiating themselves
to the competition and one way they do this is by adding value to what could essentially be
perceived as a commodity sell.
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5.The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
HIGH
6
price
differentiation
H ow y our C allers percei v e y our B rand
BRANDED
MARKETS
COMMODITY MARKETS
LOW
HIGH
product/image
differentiation
LOW
Figure 5:
From Brand to
Commodity
(De Chernatony & McDonald, 2003)
De Chernatony and McDonald (2003) have plotted product differentiation against price in
comparison with commodity markets. In order to justify high prices, organisations need to
differentiate themselves; many professional services organisations do this by offering their clients
other services such as consultation, seminars on areas of interest and ultimately diversify their
offerings to reflect what their clients need.
Exceptionally high service levels maintain customer loyalty and can go some way to justifying a high
price point. If customers are looked after when they come into your offices, feel valued and their
queries are dealt with professionally and efficiently, they will have little reason to look elsewhere.
These elements affect the customer’s experience with the brand and can offer an important source
of differentiation from the competition.
Protect your Brand
When formulating a brand it is vitally important that time is taken to ensure that it is built with a
long-term strategy in place, “you should never underestimate how important it is to get it right at
the very beginning” (Bridge, 2008). Ensuring that all elements of the marketing mix are consistent
and messaging is communicated to all employees should be made a priority at the very beginning.
This should be at all touch points - in the marketing, in the way the calls are handled through to
the service delivery. We often have clients coming to us who have recently merged or are opening
international offices and are looking to maintain consistency across all offices; we do this by
plugging in our services and providing the same service levels irrespective of where they are in the
world.
‘Brands are a company’s most precious asset’ (Kapferer, 2000) and it is with this in mind that we
seek to help our customers recognise how important it is to protect their brands and add significant
value.
www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
We have considerable experience in helping clients improve the quality of their Switchboard
call handling. Mystery Shopping is a key method that we suggest as a means to identify the first
impression callers are receiving when they call into yours or your competitors’ Switchboard.
Researchers usually pose as customers or potential customers to experience how you portray your
brand at various touchpoints within your business.
It’s relatively easy to set up some research yourselves, but it does take a while to build up some
experience and apply the technique to your own company. However we have found that if you have
done your own research in-house then you may be more likely to act on the findings.
In order to carry this out we have developed our own Mystery Caller service which you can access
for free at this link: http://www.comxo.co.uk/Mystery_Caller_Test.axcms which allows you to record
your own calls. Whilst listening to the calls work through the checklist below:
GREETINGS
Has the correct greeting been given in full?
PROFICIENCY
Have we taken the correct details for the
call? Have we listened and understaood
what the caller wants?
PROFICIENCY
Have we confirmed and checked all details
with the caller?
PROFESSIONALISM
Confidence &
Taking charge
Do we sound as if we know what we are
doing? Do we take charge of the call and
come across with confidence?
POLITENESS
Is there appropriate use of the callers name
and please, thank you, certainly etc?
PERSONALITY
Have we made the caller feel welcome and
looked after? Have we used our personality
to positive effect and engaged with them?
VOICE
Is the voice clear, welcoming, bright,
attentive and sounding interesting
Details
Confirmation
Not acceptable
Coaching required
Acceptable
Exceptional
7
Checklist
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
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S witchboard M y ster y C aller C hec k list
7. Switchboard Mystery
Caller Checklist
Tel: 01753 710430
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional Front of House services that will portray your brand in
its best light. If you have any questions about anything that has been covered in this whitepaper or
would like some more information on the services we provide, please do not hesitate to contact us
on the details below:
Call: 01753 710430
Email: info@comxo.com
Web: www.comxo.com
8
getting in touch
8. Getting in Touch… www.comxo.com
Tel: 01753 710430
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1. Introduction
2. Switchboard set-up
3. Call handling
4. The “Perfect Call”
5. The 4 P’s of great switchboard services
6. How your callers perceive your brand
7. Switchboard Mystery Caller Checklist
8. Getting in touch
9. References
Blythe, J. 2006. Principles and Practice of Marketing 4th Edition. FT: Prentice Hall.
Bridge, S. 2007. Brush up on branding. Times Online. Available from: http://business.timesonline.
co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article1186892.ece- accessed 2nd August 2013
9
Davidson, J. 1997 Even more offensive marketing: an exhilarating action guide to winning in
business. Penguin. London Ltd.
references
9. References De Chernatony, L. and McDonald, M., 2003 Creating powerful brands in consumer, service and
industrial markets. 3rd edition . - Oxford : Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
Doole, I. And Lowe, R., 2009. International Marketing Strategy. 5th Edition. South-Western.
Cenage Learning.
Kapferer, J.N., 2000, Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long
Term. 2nd Edition. Kogan Page.
Kotler, P., Armstrong, J., Saunders, G. and Wong, V., 2005. Principles of Marketing. 4th edition
Harlow: FT Prentice Hall.
Murphy, J., 1987. Branding: A Key Marketing Tool. Macmillan Press Ltd.
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WHO WE ARE
At ComXo our talented, well-spoken teams deliver
exceptional Switchboard Support Services to the corporate
sector 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Using our own
proprietary technologies we drive business efficiency and
enhance and protect the voice of our customers’ brands.
Our purpose is to improve your customers’ experience of
your organisation at multiple touch points, by providing
simple, easy to use solutions that deliver huge value.
As trusted partners, we have been working with our
customers for almost 25 years helping to remove
operational challenges and inconsistencies, combining
talented people with our pioneering technologies to
deliver truly superior and unrivalled products and services.
If you would like to learn more about how ComXo has
helped similar businesses to yours, please do get in touch.
www.comxo.com
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