Your fountain of knowledge may be interesting to you, but it could bore customers. Here are signs they’ve lost interest in what you’re saying – and how to get them interested again.
Many customers zone out because you’re giving too much detail or have gotten off track, says sales and customer service expert Renee Walkup.
Here’s how to tell if they’ve zoned out:
- They repeatedly use perfunctory responses such as “Oh, really?” and “That’s interesting.”
- They don’t interrupt to ask questions, agree or disagree.
- They only ask simple questions such as, “Where did it happen?”
- They make an abrupt change in topic, indicating that they’re ready to move on.
So how do you pull them back into the important conversation? Walkup suggests:
- Vary your tone. Let your voice rise and fall, rather than use a monotone. Smile — it really does come through in your voice on the phone.
- Add a visual. In person, you can point to something of interest. On the phone, direct customers to a website or something around them as a reference.
- Use colorful words. You don’t have to give longer sentences, but try to use lively verbs like those used in sports stories and headlines.
