When this happens you improve both professionalism and contact centre efficiency simultaneously.Īlso, you can improve efficiency through improving data accuracy, as you are much more likely to accurately record customer information by using the phonetic alphabet. If the customer perceives you as knowing your stuff, as suggested by a good knowledge of the phonetic alphabet, they are less likely to challenge your ideas…Įach of these attributes is desirable in an advisor, and if the customer perceives you as knowing your stuff, as suggested by a good knowledge of the phonetic alphabet, they are less likely to challenge your ideas and recommendations. When you, as an advisor, use the phonetic alphabet, it demonstrates that you pay attention to detail, want to get it right first time and conduct yourself in a professional manner. However, there are more benefits than just clearing up conversations, as we explore below… The Hidden Benefits of Using the Phonetic Alphabet To break down language/accent barriers – It is a good way to overcome any barriers when the customer’s English is a problem, ensuring accurate communication.To share information with customers – When sharing web links or passing on any other information, it is good to use the phonetic alphabet to avoid any misunderstanding – particularly with vulnerable customers who may have hearing difficulties.To record customer information – The phonetic alphabet can help you to spell difficult names and get email addresses and postcodes right, making it easier to clarify information with customers during phone calls.In fact, here are three contact centre scenarios for when using the phonetic alphabet can prove itself to be very helpful. While some organizations may see the phonetic alphabet as being too formal a tool to coach advisors, there is no doubt that a tool designed to clarify communication can be beneficial. That’s why the phonetic alphabet is a great contact centre tool, as following the principle of checking information to make sure you get it right is a fundamental part of good customer service. When the Phonetic Alphabet Can Be Extremely Useful in the Contact CentreĮver found yourself wondering what p is in the phonetic alphabet and substituting with a clumsy alternative of ‘pen’ or ‘park’ instead of professionally saying ‘papa’? Instead, French contact centres often use names that are appropriate for their customer base.įor example, a French contact centre could use the following names as a phonetic alphabet when dealing with customers.Ĭreating a set of names like this can be a great alternative if you handle calls from international customers and where English is sometimes not best understood. In certain other countries, including France, however, there is no “standard” phonetic alphabet. Phonetic Alphabet, which is sometimes used in US contact centres. In the US, it is common to use names and cities to identify the letter at the start of the word, while the police use a different phonetic alphabet than the military, which is just as common.īelow is the New York Police Dept. While many English-speaking countries and other European countries use the NATO phonetic alphabet, many use different versions – with the US and France being notable exceptions. Here is the phonetic alphabet, as first introduced by NATO in 1955: It Is Different in the US and France! But it can be even more beneficial in the contact centre environment.Ī for Alpha, B for Bravo, C for Charlie, D for Delta… This can be very helpful in day-to-day life, as I’m sure we’ve all mistaken an “M” for an “N” or a “B” for a “P”. Less commonly known as the “military alphabet” or the “spelling alphabet”, the phonetic alphabet is often used to clear up any misunderstanding over the pronunciation of letters. When spoken out loud, each word represents the letter that it begins with. The phonetic alphabet is a list of 26 words, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. Here we explain what the phonetic alphabet is, how it helps customer service teams, and its role in CX. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, Indiana, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu make up the 26 words of the NATO phonetic alphabet.