Inbound Adventures (Part 1)
About the Course
Want to improve your inbound call experience at your funeral home or cemetery? In this 15-minute PowerMod, customer experience expert Nicki Wiedeman and sales pro Pat Downey share practical strategies to help you create a welcoming atmosphere, stay mentally prepared, and handle emotional calls with confidence.
Key Takeaways
Mental Well-being: Preparing mentally for the day can significantly improve interaction quality. Taking a moment to breathe helps alleviate stress and focus on the caller’s needs.
Workspace Organization: A clean and organized workspace leads to efficiency and reduces anxiety, allowing for better customer interactions. This simple step can enhance productivity.
Role-Playing: Engaging in role-playing exercises with colleagues can build confidence and improve phone skills, making it easier to handle various types of calls.
Empathy in Communication: Understanding the emotional state of callers ensures that responses are compassionate, fostering trust and positive experiences. This is crucial in the funeral industry.
Call Metrics: Monitoring call metrics can reveal areas for improvement. Short call durations may indicate a lack of connection; longer, more engaged conversations often result in higher satisfaction.
Moments of Truth: Each customer interaction is a “moment of truth” that shapes their perception. Handling these moments well can lead to repeat business and referrals.
Continuous Improvement: Focusing on customer experience and striving for better service can lead to increased satisfaction and more positive reviews, benefiting the business overall.
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About the CXperts
Patrick Downey
Patrick has over 40 years of experience in the cemetery and funeral profession. He has worked in top sales leadership and management roles, building and developing successful sales and marketing programs for multiple cemetery and funeral firms. He also serves funeral and cemetery clients across the country as an independent sales training and coaching consultant.
Patrick is a past President of ICCFA and past Chancellor of ICCFA University, and continues to lead classes in the J. Asher Neel College of Sales and Marketing. He was awarded the honorary degree, Doctor of University, in 2019. His passion continues to be teaching, training, and coaching sales professionals and sales leaders in cemetery and funeral services.
Nicki Wiedeman, CSE
Nicki answered her first customer service call in 1989 for a bank in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has since cultivated a 30-year career in improving the customer experience. She’s on a mission to remedy the subpar service customers receive when calling businesses. She is a skilled strategy and meeting facilitator. Her forte is in SWOT Analysis and Kaizen principles. She rolls up her sleeves and creates custom, interactive training solutions for firms in all industries.