I should not have to write an article about business phone etiquette, but I feel I have to. I speak to auto repossession company owners by phone all day long and feel that by doing so, I have seen some problems that should not exist. All of my dealings with repo company owners usually begin with my speaking to a member of their office staff, and I am sad to report that there are plenty of times when this does not go well. I hate to say it, but I would say that close to 50% of the auto repo office staff I deal with have less than acceptable phone etiquette. You need to operate a professionally run auto repossession business office in order to have a successful and profitable auto repossession company. The only thing that your lender clients have to judge your office by is the way your staff conducts their phone calls. Here is my list of musts for phone etiquette that your office staff should follow:

  • Speak clearly, and sound professional, helpful and cheerful. I oftentimes find that the staff I deal with give off the impression that they are bothered to answer the phone. I notice this as soon as they answer the phone. It is almost like they want to say to me, “I am busy with my Facebook Farm, so let’s get this over with”. Make the caller feel important when they call.
  • Do not eat, drink, chew gum, or make bodily noises when you are talking on the phone. The other day I was talking to an auto repossession company manager and she slurped some drink through a noisy straw and then belched in my ear! Save those activities for your break or lunch time.
  • Never use slang words or curse words.
  • Address the caller with the proper greeting. Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, depending on the time of day.
  • Give the caller your full attention and listen to what they have to say.
  • Have a pen and pad ready to take notes if necessary, and take full, accurate notes.
  • Be patient and understanding. If the caller is rude to you, be pleasant back. Do not stoop to their level.
  • Always ask when you have to put a person on hold, and do not leave them waiting for longer than a few seconds.
  • Do not interrogate callers. I know that your staff may want to protect you and be your gatekeeper; however, the 20 questions with the rude tone is not needed.

You never know who the caller on the other end is. It may be your best client calling or it may be a potential client calling. It might be a debtor that is down on his luck, who, by the way, deserves good customer service too. Again, whoever the caller is, they can’t see your face, your expressions or your body language. They can only hear your voice. How you speak and present yourself on the phone will leave them to decide if your repo company has a professional office or not. Keeping clients and getting clients depends heavily on your business phone etiquette.

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