English Accent

A question came up during my daily 1-on-1 with my team. “How to better understand the client’s English accent during the client call?”

This post is about the 5 step-by-step systems that will answer the question.

Five Steps System to handle the English accent of the client

1. Practice: Watch any pre-recording of the client we have already had. If not, then go through other recordings; you will find one playlist with eight sessions here or our testimonials. We will create other videos in a playlist for your practice.
2. Prepare: Take out 1-2 hours before your call and imagine the entire call in your head. Break the call into multiple segments of 10 minutes each and give it a thought about what will happen during it. If the client has already shared the agenda, go through it. If not, prepare one and send it across.
3. Participate: Your first few calls have someone who can attend the client call. Ask your client if you can record the call and, with permission, record it. Your colleague will facilitate the call. If you have prepared well, you will have a few questions ready for the client to ask.
4. Pursue: You will have to listen to what the client says and how your colleague replies. Make notes of words that you did not understand. After the call, catch up with your colleague and clarify it. If the call is recorded, go through the parts you did not understand. Make sure you learn the client’s accent better than before.
5. Perform: Once you have gained confidence after attending 2-3 call you have to take the lead and perform independently. You may choose to have a colleague with you on a call so that they can salvage any damage. You can also use the most confident topic in terms of knowledge. You have to be ready to make mistakes and have an open mind to accept them. Make sure to use the words like Thank you, Please, Sorry, My bad, Oops, Alright, OK etc

What to do when you don’t understand what the client is saying due to their English accent?

• Tell them you don’t understand
• Ask them to repeat it?
• Repeat back what you understood so that they can complete it in case there is a gap.
• Tell them you will send the meeting minutes at the end of the call so there is no understanding gap.
• When it is going too bad, tell them you are not sure If this is going well and can we reschedule the cal, and you will invite a colleague to in the call.

Remember, it is better to accept the mistake than deliver something not what the client wanted and make them furiously frustrated.