March 2003

Croatia hotelsMaking a connection with TalkTactics

In New Zealand’s former Telecom years, party lines were a curse and a curiosity. 30 years later our use and concept of phones has considerably changed, but the reality of making a connection in the business world is sometimes very wide of the mark.

There are styles and styles when it comes to phone language. The quality of voice at the end of the line is your passport to success….or failure. his initial contact is your signature, or identity. Like it or not, it’s as simple as that. However much of a honey she (or he) is, if your message isn’t getting across in the first sentence you could lose seriously; credibility, the business, your shirt (if you have a serial history of bad luck). Conversely, a bright voice with a warm personality and matching intelligent patter has the ability to soothe ruffled clients, elevate the Dow Jones Index and throw a casserole in the microwave – in one; the right attitude, the right words, the right tone.

accommodation in ThiraThe business of talking to an unseen audience without visual or audible feedback is, to put it plainly, scary. But this is exactly what we do when we pick up the phone. It’s not surprising, therefore, that this art form requires strategy and instruction to hone the business of effective phone-speak.

All this, says TalkTactics’ General Manager Derek Good, doesn’t often come naturally. An Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards winner, the Albany business has been in the frontline helping staff develop essential skills to penetrate the invisible barrier. Originated in New Zealand seven years ago by U.K. professional Craig McFadyen, TalkTactics is now recognised as a premium provider of communication skills. Major corporations such as NZI, Cannon, The Warehouse, Rodney District Council, State Insurance and Amway have all taken advantage of TalkTactics’ systems. The company has seven staff members in New Zealand with a satellite operation in Wellington. It now prepares to launch franchise models in Melbourne and other parts of the world including the U.K.

“Not everyone is right for the job,” says Derek Good. “There are only a handful of different types of telephone contact personnel.” Telesales, customer service, debt negotiation, leadership training and training delivery are learned in a state of the art training room. Teaching vital assets to people who handle the company’s most important role is TalkTactics’ mission; with their support and ongoing training for businesses this mission is definitely on schedule to be accomplished.