Best Practices for Creating Call Scripts That Sound Natural & Professional

Best Practices for Creating Call Scripts That Sound Natural & Professional

Developing call scripts from your live answering system from signpost.com that are a mixture of professional and authentic could be difficult for some companies. After all, when your customers are transferred to your answering service, they want to believe they are speaking to another human who can understand their concerns, not a robot following a script. Virtually no one wants to deal with a company or business that has a script that is poorly put together. 

A good script can do so, elevate the customer experience, drive call efficiency, and even have a lasting impact that fosters loyalty. Whether you are an in-house script writer or are following the script of a third-party provider, being able to write human yet professional-sounding call scripts is the secret to providing customers with high-quality interactions via your phone channel in today’s communications world.

8 Tips For Creating Call Scripts That Sound Natural & Professional

  • Use Conversational Language

Write your scripts the way people actually speak — use contractions, plain language, and natural phrases. Do not use answers unless you are sure the person knows that. Practice reading your script out loud before you decide on the final version, looking for any awkward wording that may seem stilted while making real calls.

  • Know Your Audience Thoroughly

Who you are telling it to dictates everything about your script. Based on studies, 72% of consumers want businesses to personalize their interaction with them. Develop caller personas around your average customers and what they are likely to have on their minds. Assess their technical knowledge, domain experience, and the way they prefer to communicate. Technical support scripts will greatly vary from appointment scheduling or sales scripts.

  • Build in Flexibility

Fixed scripts cause the representatives to have artificial conversations. Develop scriptlets with alternatives, more than 1 possible response for the basic scenarios. List the useful expressions rather than dictating expressions. When tested, agent scores for satisfaction were 23 percent higher when they were able to move away from scripted responses and instead have open conversations.

  • Include Natural Transitions

Insert transitional words or phrases between subjects to keep the conversation moving. The key is to keep the call from bouncing too much, and phrases like “Now that we have delivered that,” or “Let us go ahead and cover” help you move through topics while guiding the call, but without making people feel like they are being broached. These words lend a conversational air to the benefit of both the caller andthe  representative in that they can mentally track the logical flow.

  • Use Active Listening Prompts. 

Provide bullet points for representatives to confirm that the caller has said the right things. Short sentences such as ” I apologize that you are worried about…” or “That’s difficult to hear” tell your callers that you are there for them. This human element means scripts never sound too robotic but are more empathetic.

  • Keep it Concise

Scripted calls do not work as they sound forced, and the caller loses focus. Concentrate on the important details and eliminate unnecessary words. Developers should be able to present the script organically without being too fast or too boring.

  • Create a Voice That is Consistent with the Brand

Your script should convey your brand personality. A script from a legal firm will sound different from one from a children’s entertainment company. Determine the traits of your brand voice (friendly, informative, helpful, etc.) and make sure that the script language matches it.

  • Test and Refine Regularly

That is, scripts should be thoughtfully developed in light of feedback and outcomes. Record calls (with consent) and see what sounds natural and what sounds forced. Collect feedback from both your reps and your customers through surveys or focus groups. Continue to refine it instead of regarding your script as a finished piece of art.

Conclusion

Well-planned call scripts are an invaluable tool to shape conversations, while still connecting on a human level. By concentrating on a conversational approach, allowing for flexibility, and being willing to adjust as you go, your scripts can sound natural and credible without losing professionalism. Done well, your call scripts can greatly improve customer interactions, promote agent confidence, and solidify those all-important business relationships.