Congratulations, Debbie, on 30 years with A Better Answer!

Debbie, our Houston Regional Office Manager, celebrated her 30th year anniversary of working for A Better Answer this Thursday!

She began as a telephone service representative (TSR) newly relocating from New York. Debbie has been through 2 major  office moves and 3 equipment changes. Her endearing personality and good nature make her a favorite to work with and for. She leads and guides our strong Houston team in providing wonderful service to our clients. In fact, our Houston Regional office  is the only recipient of the coveted Miss Emily awarded for service above and beyond by the Association of TeleServices International ( ATSI). We look forward to many more years with Debbie and we wish her continued success and joy. What a delight and privilege to work with her for all these years and we hope you enjoy your week long cruise vacation! Congratulations again!

New Guide: How to Control Your Call to Take The Perfect Message

We wrote a new Guide!

So many times we deal with callers who want to be chatty, people who want answers without giving any information, and people who just want to call back later. A Better Answer’s job is to get the message EVERY time and we’ve perfected our methods and techniques for just that!

Download our Guide today to learn the sequence of great call control, how to get the information you need without feeling like you’re interrupting or appearing rude and even how to use properly for better call control!

Tips From an Answering Service: Using Your Voice

You can set the entire outcome of any call by how you sound: You can give a caller a high level of comfort or a high level of anxiety just with your voice!

The voice you project is determined by four factors: Energy, Rate of Speech, Pitch, and Quality. You have complete control of all of these factors and can change them to gain call control as well as create a professional environment between you and the caller.

Energy

Energy reflects your attitude and your level of enthusiasm. Higher and positive energy will make your callers and customers feel like they are being listened to and will give them confidence that their message is being handled properly. Lack of energy translates into different meanings to the words we speak. It can make the secretary come off as indifferent and give the caller a sense that their message or issue is not of importance.

Rate of Speech

The normal rate of speech is 125 words per minute. A faster rate of speech creates the image you’re rushing to get rid of the caller of that the caller might not be able to understand what you are saying. A slower rate of speech creates the image to the caller that you do not know what you’re talking about OR that you’re talking down to them. BOTH conclusions reflect poorly on the operator and can cost you control of the call.

Pitch

The pitch of your voice (the height or depth in the tone of your voice) can also affect the way you are perceived by a caller. A monotone pitch, where there are no changes in the tone of your voice, is the most difficult to listen to for any long period of time (think Ben Stein as Ferris Bueller’s teacher). A High pitch wears on nerves very quickly and sounds unprofessional. Low pitch is the easiest to understand and listen to while ending sentences by bringing your voice up to a high pitch will immediately turn whatever you’re saying into a question instead of a statement.

Quality

All of the above combined makes up your unique personal voice profile. Maintaining a positive energy level, talking at the normal rate of speech while avoiding monotone and high pitches is something our virtual secretaries at A Better Answer utilize at all times. Remembering these voice control tips will guarantee that you or your telephone secretaries will sound professional and credible during any call! Your voice becomes your portrait and your signature on every call. Make sure you have complete control of all four aspects and you’re sure to impress any caller!