Often, customer service agents are faced with the challenge of delivering a professional and enthusiastic greeting, repeatedly, to numerous callers throughout their day. While this ritualistic opening may seem monotonous, it remains an indispensable aspect of the customer service experience. In this article, we delve into the best opening spiels that you can use. We explore the art of transforming routine greetings into genuine connections that elevate the caller experience.
Best Opening Spiel
The best opening spiel for customer service will depend on your company’s culture, customer base, and desired tone. The best one according to us is:
“Good morning/afternoon. How can I help you today?”
It is the simplest, oldest and the most common opening statement used by customer service agents around the globe. It has the benefit of being brief, to the point and friendly. Keep in mind that the customers have some pressing issues and have already gone through the tedious process of calling and waiting though the IVR before the call has reached you.
What Makes a Good Call Centre Opening Spiel?
- Don’t Be Too Formal: Keep the greeting friendly and natural.
- Mirror the Customer: Use the customer’s name and mirror their language.
- Ask “How Can I Help You?”: Keep the greeting informal and focused on assistance.
- Introduce Yourselve: Personalize the greeting by introducing yourselves.
- Don’t Apologize for the Wait: Thank customers for waiting instead of apologizing for the wait.
- Don’t Repeat What’s on the IVR: Skip repeating the company introduction if the IVR already covered it.
- Don’t Just Rely on Words: Match friendly words with a genuine tone and intention.
- Get Involved: Fine tune the greeting based on your experience at the company.
- Don’t Delay: Be concise and get to the point quickly.
Examples of Opening Greetings at different Companies
| Company | Opening Spiel |
| Lego | “Welcome to Lego Customer Service. My name is [INSERT NAME]. How can I help you?” |
| John Lewis | “Good afternoon! You’re through to John Lewis. My name is [INSERT NAME]. How may I help you today?” |
| DPD | “Good afternoon. You’re speaking to [INSERT NAME]. How may I help you?” |
| Visit Wales | “Good afternoon! Visit Wales, [INSERT NAME] speaking. How may I help you?” |
| UCAS | “Hi! You’re through to UCAS, how can I help you?” |
| Autoglass | “Hello, good afternoon. [INSERT NAME] from Autoglass speaking. How can I help?” |
| British Airways | “British Airways! How can I help you?” |
| DW Sports Online | “Good afternoon! DW Sports Online, how can I help?” |
| Lidl | “Good afternoon! You are through to Lidl customer service. Can I take your name please?” |
| DFS | “Good afternoon! Welcome to DFS customer service. My name is [INSERT NAME]. Just to let you know our calls may be recorded.” |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What to Say to Start the Call?
Begin the call with a professional and enthusiastic tone, using a friendly greeting like “Hello,” “Thank you for calling,” or “Good morning/afternoon.” Remember to keep the conversation uniform for every caller, regardless of their position in the queue.
2. What Makes a Good Call Centre Greeting?
A good call centre greeting should be friendly and not overly formal. Use the customer’s name and mirror their language to create a personal connection. Avoid apologizing for the wait; instead, thank customers for waiting. Use pronouns like ‘you’, ‘I’, ‘your’, and ‘my’ to establish involvement and trust. Encourage agents to introduce themselves to add a personal touch.
3. What are the Opening Phrases for Customer Service?
There are several opening phrases for customer service that can be used to start the conversation pleasantly. Some examples include:
- “Thanks for calling [company] customer service. My name is [name], how may I help you today?”
- “Welcome to [company] customer service. This is [name], how can I help you today?”
- “Hello! This is [name] with [company] customer service, how can I assist you today?”
Feel free to customize these greetings to match your brand voice while ensuring agents provide their name and get to the point to create a great first impression.