Now you’re in contact with the customer, but you need to move through the conversation and lay some groundwork before making the “ask”:

• Adapt to Customer’s Communication Style – this goes along with knowing the “Customer Type” you’re dealing with. If this is a highly analytical person, for example, they will be very matter-of-fact in their communication style, and need hard evidence to make any buying choices, which may mean simply doing their own research. Spending a lot of time trying to convince this type of customer may be largely a waste of your time.
• Build Rapport – agents should seek to quickly identify with the customer in a way that lets them know you understand their needs and empathize with their situation, and that your only goal is to help them. Ask questions and listen intently.
• Anticipate Needs – you should ideally be one step ahead of the customer. When a customer gives a clue about a need they might have, you should instantly have in mind a service that could satisfy that need.
• Stay Positive – a recent world-wide consumer survey found that around 50% of respondents identified “rudeness”, “indifference”, and “lack of concern” among their top negative behaviors. And since 50% of those respondents also said they would leave a company after just ONE bad experience, with 93% saying they would leave with 3 or fewer bad experiences, you cannot afford to allow yourself to be perceived as uncaring or cold.