Turn it into a tool to prompt conversation and engagement.
The big names in show business will tell you they don’t memorize the dialog in their scripts. The script is so well written that it becomes nothing more than a reference prompting them for a response. A good call script should do the same thing. It’s a collection of talking points, not recitations.
How do you put one together so it can be used that way? How can you make it a productivity tool that prompts conversational dialog instead of robotic pitches? You’ll have to come up with the words, but use these prompts for intention.
Can you skim it?
A call script is not something that should be read to the person on the other end. Its purpose is to streamline a conversation. Set up your script so it displays chunks of information, and make that chunk no longer than a paragraph.
Keep each information chunk as a self-contained thought, but make sure there’s a progression. There are times when the person you’re talking to will leap forward in that progression. You’ll want to be able to quickly catch up on the script.
Learn, don’t memorize
The only way to not sound like a robot reading a script is to get intimate with the concepts the script represents. There are times when it’s necessary to say something exactly as it’s written on the script because it’s highly technical or there’s a legal reason.
In most cases, though, you’ll want people to paraphrase what’s on the script. That’s important because they probably don’t talk the way the document reads, anyway. It’ll sound awkward if they memorize it. In fact, they’ll sound just like a robot reading a script.
Often, it’s helpful to actually get your people involved in coming up with a call script. They can act as advocates for the people they’ll be talking to. Besides, they’re the ones who have to use the document. Shouldn’t you show them you trust their skills by asking for their participation?
Role play and record it
Make this all about your customers. What will they get out of the phone call? What are the variations of that result? The objective here isn’t to stump your own people; it’s to anticipate what needs to be included in the call script to keep the customer successfully engaged.
Take it for a real-life spin once you believe you’ve got a viable version. Record it so you can examine it and see where there are opportunities to make changes that will move the process further, faster.
Embrace change
Your people are having conversations with customers—or perhaps prospects. This involves listening just as much as talking. Make sure your people know it’s okay to let the script evolve as input and responses come in. It’s meant to keep them on track and help with prompts, not lock them into something that loses relevance with a customer.
You may conclude that your call script is not a script at all. It’s more of a tool that increases the confidence level of your call center agents. It works best when the chunks of information are familiar and comfortable reference points. Your agents are using it the way those big names in show biz approach their scripts. Quiet on the set. Action!
No script will matter unless a customer can hear your reps clearly, not to mention if the call is never routed properly in the first place. Choose a VoIP provider that gets the essentials right. Get in touch with CallSprout and let us help you connect!
