Phone support is the heart of most call centres and many bank, telecom and fintech support teams. A call is personal and fast, but it is also live: you cannot delete what you just said. A clear structure helps you stay calm and sound professional, even on your hundredth call of the day.
The five stages of a call
- Greet. Say the company name, your name and offer help.
- Verify. Confirm who you are speaking to before you discuss any account. Use the checks your company sets, such as full name, registered phone number or a recent transaction.
- Understand. Let the customer explain, ask questions and repeat the problem back.
- Solve or log. Fix it if you can. If you cannot, log it, tell the customer exactly what happens next and when.
- Close. Summarise, check there is nothing else and thank them.
A sample inbound script
Here is an original script for an invented delivery company. Treat it as a guide, not something to read like a robot.
Greet: "Good morning, thank you for calling Kpalang Parcels. My name is Wumpini. How can I help you today?" Verify: "I can check that for you. Please may I have the full name and phone number on the order?" "So I have it right, your parcel was due yesterday in Wa and it has not arrived. Is that correct?" "Please may I put you on hold for about two minutes while I check with the depot?" Then come back on time: "Thank you for holding." "The van was delayed at Kintampo. Your parcel will reach Wa tomorrow before 2pm. I have added a note and you will get an SMS when it leaves the depot." "Is there anything else I can help with today? Thank you for calling Kpalang Parcels, and have a good day."