Customer Service Phone and Digital Etiquette 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the standard professional greeting when answering a customer service call?
- Yeah, what's up?
- Hello?
- Thank you for calling [Company Name], this is [Name], how may I help you? (Correct answer)
- Please hold.
Correct answer: Thank you for calling [Company Name], this is [Name], how may I help you?
A professional greeting includes the company name, the rep's name, and an offer to help, immediately establishing a positive tone.
Question 2: What is 'Average Handle Time' (AHT) in a call center?
- The time a customer waits in the queue
- The average total time spent on a customer interaction including talk, hold, and after-call work (Correct answer)
- The time it takes to reach a supervisor
- The average duration of supervisor calls
Correct answer: The average total time spent on a customer interaction including talk, hold, and after-call work
AHT measures the total time a rep spends on a customer interaction from start through any post-call documentation.
Question 3: When sending a customer service email, what is the ideal response time for a US business?
- 5 business days
- 24 hours or less (Correct answer)
- 1 week
- Only during business hours
Correct answer: 24 hours or less
Industry best practice in the US is to respond to customer emails within 24 hours to meet customer expectations for timely service.
Question 4: Which of the following is proper etiquette for customer service live chat?
- Use abbreviations freely to save time
- Respond quickly, use complete sentences, and confirm the issue before solving it (Correct answer)
- End the chat without warning when the issue is resolved
- Use all caps for emphasis
Correct answer: Respond quickly, use complete sentences, and confirm the issue before solving it
Professional chat etiquette requires speed, clarity, full sentences, and confirming the issue to ensure the right problem is being solved.
Question 5: Why should a customer service rep avoid using filler words like 'um' and 'uh' excessively?
- They violate call recording laws
- They undermine the rep's credibility and make communication less clear (Correct answer)
- They increase call handle time significantly
- They are considered unprofessional by most companies
Correct answer: They undermine the rep's credibility and make communication less clear
Excessive filler words make a rep sound uncertain or unprepared, which erodes customer confidence in the information being provided.
Question 6: What does 'call wrap-up' or 'after-call work' (ACW) involve?
- Saying goodbye to the customer
- Documenting the interaction, updating records, and completing any follow-up tasks after the call ends (Correct answer)
- Transferring the customer to a survey
- Sending the customer a confirmation email
Correct answer: Documenting the interaction, updating records, and completing any follow-up tasks after the call ends
ACW is the post-call administrative work including notes, case updates, and any promised follow-up actions completed after the customer hangs up.
Customer Service Phone and Digital Etiquette 1
What is the standard professional greeting when answering a customer service call?