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Phone Skills For Admins

From The Academy
8 Min Read
phone skills

Having good phone skills is essential in real estate admin roles. But, how can you showcase your professionalism and offer good customer service through a phone call?

We uncover all the secrets to making a good phone call in our ‘Phone Skills for Admins’ session at Bayut Academy. In this session, we take a look at the key phone scenarios that admins deal with, including inbound calls, outbound calls, holds and transfers and dealing with difficult clients. Here are the highlights of this informative session.

Inbound Calls

To begin, think about the types of inbound calls that you receive as an admin. For most admins, it includes:

  • Inquiries for sale and rent
  • General inquiries about real estate or asking about making contact with an agent
  • Complaints.

As an admin, you are the first point of contact, so you are tasked with dealing with a number of different types of inbound calls.

Let’s listen to a sample call:

Let’s take a look at what we would do differently

  • Answer the phone professionally 
  • Limit the use of sir and ma’am
  • Sound less ‘robotic’
  • Offer help

Let’s talk about using ‘miss’, ‘ma’am’ and ‘sir’

While these terms are LOVELY, they are not universal in usage. And sometimes, overuse of these terms may:

  • Make people feel older than they are
  • Come across as cold (not personal) and robotic
  • Risk addressing someone with the wrong gender (some voices are hard to distinguish on the phone)

However, these terms are VERY NICE to use once or twice, once at the beginning of a call and once at the end when signing off.

Think about this. If people are not using ma’am and sir with you, limit using these words with them.

Now, remember the call above? Let’s listen to a second version of the same call.

Let’s take a look at why this call is better.

  • Answers professionally
  • Uses phrases that show a helpful attitude, such as ‘I can definitely help you with that….’ and ‘However, I have some questions….’
  • Sounds very helpful
  • Relays agent’s name and phone number to the client
  • Uses better tonality

Here at Bayut, we would rank this call a 10!

What is Tonality?

It is the way in which a person sounds when they are speaking. Your voice is your tool, so use it to communicate effectively.

Tonality is about:

  • Pace: the speed at which you speak
  • Intonation: the ups and downs of your voice
  • Emphasis: the importance you give words
  • Pauses: making sure to include pauses to help make sure you are easily understood

Good tonality sounds sincere, while bad tonality sounds robotic and insincere

Let’s play a quick game: Which of the following two “phrases” is better?

  • “Can I have your good name, Sir / Ma’am?” versus “May I have your name, please?”
  • “Umm…could I get your callback number?” versus “Is this the number you would like us to call you back on?”
  • “Reference number, please?” versus “May I get the reference number of the listing? It’s on the top right corner”
  • “Hello” versus “Hello, this is Mary with ABC Properties”

Here are a few tips to improve your tonality:

  1. Slow down: make sure your pace is correct (even if you are nervous)
  2. Smile: even if a client cannot see you, they can detect if you are smiling and happy or not.
  3. Avoid repetitive words (‘ma’am, as per my system’, ‘can I get your name[, ‘can I get your email’, ‘can I get the reference number’)
  4. Make sure you do not sound robotic. We sometimes can sound robotic when we get the same calls all day or are bored
  5. Talk like you would with a friend. This is the best tone for on the phone, the relaxed and friendly tone we use with friends.

When clients call a real estate agency, they seek:

  • Information and help
  • Professional and friendly service.

So let’s listen to a real call we have heard here at Bayut:

Has the client received any help here? Absolutely not!

Think about how the client would feel being on the receiving end of this call. They would most likely feel like they have been added to a database, and that no one will call back.

Here’s how we would improve the same call:

To summarise, here’s Bayut’s steps to follow when it comes to inbound calls:       

  • Identify yourself and your company’s name
  • Ask the caller for their name and use it
  • Listen without interrupting or talking over
  • Take notes and repeat the information
  • Be aware of your tone

Outbound Calls

When do you make outbound calls?

Outbound calls may include:

  • Following up with clients on behalf of an agent
  • Confirming appointments
  • Relaying a message (sometimes bad news, like an agent being late for a viewing)

What is the big difference between inbound and outbound calls?

With inbound calls, the client is reaching out to you and is interested in talking to you at that moment. With outbound calls, your call is unexpected and you are likely interrupting that person. These calls are much more difficult than inbound calls.,

Let’s listen to a not-great outbound call.

What went wrong with the call?

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  • Did not identify themselves immediately.
  • Did not get straight to the point.
  • Did not use the clients’ name (ma’am is impersonal and doesn’t catch one’s attention)
  • Doesn’t sound prepared or professional
  • The client has to ask, “Who is this?” and “Why are you calling?” (never good on a call)

Let’s compare this to a better version of a call:

Let’s discuss why this call is better

  • The identifies themselves
  • The caller shares the reason they called (“The reason I am calling is….”)
  • The call is smoother and does not waste the clients’ time

At Bayut, we recommend a 4 step “model” for outbound calls.

  • Grab the client’s attention using their name
  • Identify yourself
  • State the purpose of your call
  • State if any action is required

For example:

  • Hello Caroline
  • This is Alfred from ABC Properties
  • The reason I am calling is _____
  • To confirm _____

Here’s a scenario for you to practice your outbound phone skills. How would you approach this call:

Your agent, Fred, is rushing out of the office and realises he is running late for his viewing in Dubai Marina. He has asked you to call his client –  Francis Smith, to let them know.

  • Agent’s name: Fred
  • Client’s details: Francis – 050-123-1234. The viewing is for an apartment in Ocean Heights at 03:00 pm. Fred has just left the office in Bur Dubai, It is 02:45 pm

Below, write what exactly you would say. Here is our recommendation

“Hello Francis, this is Caroline with Bayut Properties, I am calling on behalf of your agent Fred. He is running 30 minutes late for the viewing and asked that I call and let you know. Will you still be able to meet him?”

Holds and Transfers

Clients do not like being placed on hold. Why?

  • Frustrating
  • Uncertainty about wait time.
  • Unproductive when asked to repeat information

Let’s listen to the type of ‘hold’ call that clients generally dislike

How would you rate this call? We would rate this call as a 1, because it is rude, abrupt and not at all professional

Let’s take a look at the steps to follow to place a caller on hold:

  • Ask for permission
  • Set a hold time
  • Explain next steps
  • Check back with the client

It will sound like this: “…may I place your call on hold for a moment while I check to see if the listing agent is available to give you more information?…”

Warm Transfers

A warm transfer is when one employee answers a call and then transfers the call to someone else but passes on all relevant information so that the caller does not have to repeat themselves.

How would you rate this call? Here at Bayut, we would rate this call a 10/10.

Here’s why we would rate this call a 10:

  • Phrases like “thank you for your call”, which showcases friendliness
  • Phrases like “Let me transfer you to Tom, our Springs specialist”, and “But first, may I get your name, please?” shows the client that you’re ready to help
  • Phrases like “It will only be a moment” sets a time expectation

The shares information about the client with the agent. The agent then addresses the client by name and knows what she is calling about. Overall, it is a professional call.

The above call is a perfect warm transfer. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of a warm transfer.

  • Less frustration
  • More productive
  • The caller knows who they are being connected to.

Dealing with Upset or Angry Clients

Think about situations where you have to deal with angry clients. This could be because they were not called back, did not receive the correct information or have a complaint of some sort.

Let’s listen to an example:

Let’s break this down: Client perspective

  • The client says, “I am so frustrated I can’t get anyone to call me back”
  • The admin says, “Can I get your name and property number?”

What could the admin have done differently?

“I am sorry; tell me, what is going on?”

Does anyone believe, “I promise this time the agent will call you back?”

As an admin, it is awful to have to be on the receiving end of phone calls such as this. The admin, in this case, is likely:

  • Anxious and unsettled
  • Thinking, “this is not my fault”
  • Not enjoying their job
  • Often clueless as to what to do

Let’s listen to an example of how to handle this type of call:

Let’s highlight the phrases that worked in this call:

  • I get your frustration”
  • Encourages the client to talk with phrases like, “I am so sorry, tell me what is going on?”, “Let me tell you what I am going to do”
  • Let’s talk about her tone
  • “I hate to ask…” (when asking about property again)
  • “You are my priority and I will call in an hour to follow up”

To summarise, here are the steps to dealing  with angry/frustrated clients

  • Acknowledge
  • Be calm
  • Shut up, and listen
  • Show understanding and support
  • Watch your tone
  • Have a plan to follow through

Okay, let’s play another quick game. Which of the following would you say?

  • “Sir/Madam, calm down first and let me ask you some questions about the issue?“, versus “I understand your frustration, I’m sure I’d feel the same way. Can I ask you a few questions so we can get this resolved?”
  • “What is the problem?” versus “I’m very sorry to hear that. Can you tell me exactly what happened so I can help?”
  •  “Sorry, but it’s not my fault!” versus “I completely understand. Let me tell you what I can do for you…”

Key Takeaways

  • Inbound Calls: Answer professionally, limit the use of ma’am/sir, limit holds and use warm transfers
  • Outbound Calls: Use the client’s name, identify yourself, and share the reason for your call
  • Dealing with upset/angry clients: Allow them to vent, apologise, and tell them what you can do.

Improve your phone skills and learn helpful tips for admins by registering for the next Phone Skills for Admins session by Bayut Academy. You can also listen to real calls recreated by our team and learn how they’ve been improved in our Calls From The Vault series.

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