CMOR-MRA Voice Control Workshop

1. CMOR-MRA Voice Control Workshop

2. Workshop Goals • Capture their attention by using your voice to it’s fullest potential. • Convert their reluctance by building rapport and trust. • Convince them of the importance of their participation. • Complete the survey.

3. Workshop Benefits • Lower Initial Refusal Rates. • More refusal conversions.

4. Samples Listen, sound can make a difference…

5. Samples Listen, sound can make a difference…

6. Samples How did the different music make you feel?

7. Samples • Your voice can make people feel and think in different ways. • Most telephone communication is not what you say but how you say it. • In this workshop we will explore how voice affects telephone communication.

8. Samples • At the introduction to the survey you may only have a chance to say a few words. • How you sound when you say those words may make the difference between participation or refusal.

9. The First Seconds Count • A Government funded study showed 40 percent of refusals occurred in the first two sentences of the introduction. • 90 percent of refusals occurred before the first data question. Oskenberg and Cannell (1988)

10. Importance of Vocal Skills • To be a successful Interviewer you must learn to use your voice to it’s fullest potential. • The following vocal skills will help you develop your voice.

11. Golden Rules of Phone Conversation • Speak pleasantly and naturally. • Speak clearly. • Speak in a voice that is not too loud or soft. • Speak with inflection. • Vary the speed. • Emphasize highlighted words. • Alternate between high and low tones. • Smile and sit up straight.

12. How Can All Of The Golden Rules Be Achieved?

13. Your coach will help by evaluating the following vocal skills • Speed / Pace • Modulation / Tone • Volume • Enunciation • Energy / Enthusiasm • Inflection

14. Speed / Pace • Matching your pace with the respondent is very important to keep them engaged and comfortable with the survey process. • At what rate of speed do you normally speak? Be flexible and ready to match your pace with the respondent’s.

15. Very Fast Pace “Hello this is National Research calling. We are doing a survey in your local area about your shopping choices. ”

16. Very Fast Pace • May make you sound like a telemarketer. • Cause the respondent to misunderstand what you are saying. • You may have to repeat your statements and risk irritating the respondent. • The respondent may choose not to participate.

17. Very Slow Pace “Hello this is National Research calling. We are doing a survey in your local area about your shopping choices.”

18. Slow Pace • Makes you sound tired and uninterested. • Makes you sound timid or unsure. • A faster speaking respondent may become irritated. • The respondent may interrupt more. • The respondent may lose interest and hang up.

19. Proper Pace “Hello this is National Research calling. We are doing a survey in your local area about your shopping choices.”

20. Proper Pace • Be flexible, listen to how your respondent sounds. • Match your pace with that of the respondent. Pacing evenly with the respondent will bring the most success.

21. Monotone “Our research allows you to share your opinions on goods and services you use in the market place. This is your opportunity to make a difference in what is offered in your area.”

22. Danger of Monotone • A monotone voice means not varying your tone or pace. • It is difficult to understand a person speaking in monotone. • When speaking in monotone you sound bored. The risk is the respondent will become bored also. • When respondents lose interest there is a good chance they will not participate in the survey.

23. Monotone Can Lead to Sounding Like a Robot • The respondent may think you are insincere. • You may not be able to build trust and rapport. • Your respondent may become bored and hang up.

24. False / Exaggerated “By sharing your opinions in our survey you can influence what products will be offered in your area! This is your chance to represent thousands!”

25. Sounding Exaggerated /False • Using a fake accent. • Emphasizing inappropriate words. • Excessive changing of your voice from low to high tones. • Sounds harsh and may irritate the respondent.

26. Sounding Exaggerated /False • Sounding too enthusiastic will come across as unprofessional and insincere. Sounding this way will cause the respondent to not take the interviewer or the survey seriously.

27. Sounding Exaggerated /False • Emphasizing the wrong words can change the meaning of the questions. • You may sound insincere. • The respondent may lose trust in the survey. • The respondent may become offended and not participate.

28. Proper Modulation “Our research allows you to share your opinions on goods and services you use in the market place. This is your opportunity to make a difference in what is offered in your area.”

29. Inflection • It is important to understand what words to emphasize when reading a question. • Different messages can be sent with the same set of words. • The words you choose to emphasize may make the difference between refusal and cooperation.

30. Inflection Say the following statements emphasizing words in CAPS and see how the meaning changes: • “This is YOUR opportunity to make a DIFFERENCE in what is offered in YOUR area. • “THIS is your opportunity to MAKE a difference in what is OFFERED in your area. • “This IS your OPPORTUNITY to make a difference in what is offered in your AREA.”

31. Inflection Try the previous exercise again with the following statements. Place emphasis on different words in the sentence until you find the inflection that best conveys your message. • “We are not selling anything. This is your chance to express your opinions.” • “Your participation is important as you will represent thousands in your area.”

32. Emphasize Key Words Emphasizing bold or highlighted words will… • Help the respondent understand the question. • Add meaning to the sentences.

33. Sound Natural / Conversational “By sharing your opinions in our survey you can influence what products will be offered in your area. This is your chance to represent thousands.”

34. Sound Conversational • Imagine you are speaking to the respondent in person. • Put a “smile” in your voice. • Sound interested in what you are doing. • Avoid sounding like you are reading from a script.

35. Unclear Speech “I would like to answer any concerns you have, but first, please be assured that this is a survey research call and I’m not trying to sell you anything.”

36. Unclear Speech Happens When… • Too fast a pace causes your words to run together. • Speaking in monotone makes your words hard to understand. • You mispronounce words. • You mumble words. • You stress the wrong words and confuse the meaning of the questions.

37. Proper Enunciation “I would like to answer any concerns you have, but first, please be assured that this is a survey research call and I’m not trying to sell you anything.”

38. Enunciation • Speaking clearly will help the survey go smoothly. • Your voice will be more pleasant to hear. • The respondent will understand the questions and give valid answers.

39. Volume Be aware of how loud or soft you sound.

40. Too Loud “Hello, I am calling from National Research. We are a national survey research company. This is not an attempt to get you to buy anything. We need your help on a short study in your area.”

41. Too Loud • Speaking too loudly may irritate your respondent. • You may sound harsh and aggressive. • The respondent may become angry and defensive. • The respondent may become intimidated and hang up.

42. Too Soft “Hello, I am calling from National Research. We are a national survey research company. This is not an attempt to get you to buy anything. We need your help on a short study in your area.”

43. Too Soft • Speaking too softly will convey insecurity. • You may sound passive and unconvincing. • You may sound unsure of yourself and of the importance of the survey. • You may not be able to build rapport. • The respondent may lose trust and and refuse to participate.

44. Proper Volume • Speak at a volume that is not too loud or too soft. • You will sound confident and professional. • You will build rapport and trust. • You will be more persuasive and convertmore refusals.

45. Hard of Hearing • Be aware of your respondent’s needs. • A respondent who is hard of hearing will need you to speak at a louder volume.

46. Pauses Pauses will convey different meanings.

47. Frequent Pauses “By participating in this survey you are part of a select group. You will represent thousands of people in your area. This is your chance to make your opinions count.”

48. Frequent Pauses • Frequent short pauses show nervousness. • You may sound unsure of yourself and the survey. • The respondent may lose confidence and hang up.

49. Pregnant Pauses “By participating in this survey you are part of a select group. You will represent thousands of people in your area. This is your chance to make your opinions count.”

50. Pregnant Pauses • Long “pregnant pauses” will make the respondent feel uneasy and not trust your knowledge of the survey process. • You may sound false and insincere and irritate the respondent. • A long pause might lead the respondent to think it’s over and hang up.