What is the meaning of call scripting?
Business owners often ask about the meaning of “call scripting.” Virtual receptionists use call scripts to guide them through each call and give your customers the best service.
When you sign up for HelloSells, your client services team will help you to build a script. Together, you’ll make sure it covers exactly what you want your customers to hear when they get in touch.
Your virtual receptionist will see your call script whenever someone calls your business. They’ll follow the script’s directions to ensure that your customers are receiving a friendly, professional and consistent call experience.
How does it work?
We work with you to create a custom script for your account based on your business needs.
Scripts usually consist of an initial answer phrase followed by a “decision tree.” Our agents choose options based on what the caller says. These options open new scripting directions and new information fields for the agent to fill out. The script guides your receptionist through the questions you want asked and the information you want shared.
For example, after greeting your callers, your virtual receptionist may hear the caller say that they would like to book an appointment. When the agent checks the box for appointment booking in your script, new fields will appear to collect the relevant information.
By carefully designing a script that is neither too complicated nor incomplete, we can maximize the call-answering efficiency and accuracy. At the same time, we don’t ask our agents to follow a script unthinkingly. Our virtual receptionists are real people. They are most valuable to you and your customers when we can react to the situation at hand in an informed and natural way.
How is my script designed?
Your client services team will help you to strike the right balance in your script.
You can select which services you would like your virtual receptionist to provide. These might include appointment bookings, order placements, or standard message-taking. You also choose when you would like the receptionist to take your calls. The team will then work with you to decide exactly how to carry out these interactions with your callers.
It is important to not leave out any key details, but also not to overcomplicate the process. The best scripts are robust enough to handle your most important call types, while streamlined enough to deliver a great customer experience.
How do I decide what to include in my script?
When choosing the specifics of what to include in your script, you should begin by thinking about the types of calls you tend to receive.
Call types are a way of branching your call flow. Identifying why a person is calling your business is the first step to getting them the help, information, or service they’re looking for. By breaking down your calls into different categories, your virtual receptionist can select a call type and follow instructions relevant to their needs.
Thinking about your common call types is the best way to determine what your script will look like.
Basic scripting
At its simplest, a script will include a greeting and a request to take the caller’s name, number, email address, and message.
We’ll forward this information to you by email, text, or through our app. You may also choose to have us transfer the call to you or one of your colleagues.
Often, this basic call format is all you need to deliver a positive experience to your customers. They have the comfort of knowing they’ve spoken to a real person who has listened to their needs, instead of being met with voicemail. You can then follow up on their call at your convenience.
Next generation scripting
Sometimes, you may need to make your script more bespoke by tailoring it to your business or industry and the services you provide.
For example, you may want to create different branches for new clients and existing clients. Or, you might have a call type for each of the three departments in your company who typically receive calls. If you have an individual staff member who gets a lot of calls, that person might have their own call type.
Once your virtual receptionist has identified the relevant call type, they can continue with that part of the script to gather more information or route the call appropriately.
Can I adjust my script once it is set up?
Sometimes, due to changes in your business or simply the wisdom of experience, you might want to make adjustments to your script.
You can get in touch with your client services team at any time to make alterations to your script. Or, you can make some small changes yourself via the app (for example, setting your status to ‘Meeting’ to avoid calls being routed to you during this time).
Keep in mind that changing your script can have unanticipated consequences on your call flow. When in doubt, your client services team will always be on hand to give you help or advice.