Bonjour! I hope you're ready for our next step in becoming a call center professional.
In our last lesson, you learned how to use the futur proche to tell a customer what is going to happen next. This is a vital skill for managing a conversation. Today, we'll apply that skill to a very common situation: transferring a call.
The learning outcome for this lesson is to explain the reason for transferring a call to another department or agent. Simply transferring a customer without explanation can be frustrating for them. By clearly explaining why you are making the transfer and what will happen, you provide excellent customer service and make the process smooth and professional.
1. Why and When to Transfer a Call
First, let's establish the context. You don't transfer a call randomly; you do it when it's the most effective way to help the customer. A transfer is necessary when the caller needs a specific person or a different department with specialized knowledge (like billing, technical support, or sales).
The goal is always to connect the customer with the person who can best solve their problem.
Transfert d'appel : activer ou désactiver le renvoi d'appel ✔️
To understand the professional context for call transfers, let's read a short section from the article 'Transfert d'appel' on Ringover.
Please read the section titled 'Quand faut-il faire un transfert d’appel ?' (When should you make a call transfer?). This will clarify the main reasons for transferring a call in a business environment.
As the text explains, the key situation is when l’interlocuteur au bout du fil recherche une personne ou un service bien spécifique (the person on the line is looking for a very specific person or service). Your job is to be the helpful link to that correct person or service.
2. The Core Script: Explaining the Transfer
Explaining the transfer is a three-step process: state the reason, announce the action, and manage the transition. The futur proche you learned is perfect for this.
Transfert d'appel : activer ou désactiver le renvoi d'appel ✔️
The same article provides an excellent script that you can adapt. It's polite, clear, and professional.
Please read the section 'Que faut-il dire au client lors d’un transfert d’appel ?' (What should you say to the customer during a call transfer?). Focus on the script provided for speaking to the caller ('À l’appelant').
Let's break down the most important parts of that script:
-
Acknowledge and Identify the Solution:
Mon/ma collègue [Nom du collègue] est la bonne personne pour vous aider.- (My colleague [Colleague's name] is the right person to help you.)
- You can also name a department:
Le service de facturation est le bon service pour vous aider.(The billing department is the right department to help you.)
-
Announce the Transfer using
futur proche:Si vous êtes d’accord, je vais lui transférer l’appel.- (If you agree, I am going to transfer the call to him/her.)
- This is a perfect use of
Je vais...to state your next action clearly.
-
Manage the Wait:
Restez en ligne, s’il vous plaît.- (Stay on the line, please.)
So, a complete phrase could be:
"Monsieur, le service technique est le bon service pour vous aider avec ce problème. Si vous êtes d'accord, je vais vous transférer. Restez en ligne, s'il vous plaît."
(Sir, the technical department is the right department to help you with this problem. If you agree, I am going to transfer you. Please stay on the line.)
3. Professional Polish: The "Warm Transfer"
In call centers, there are two types of transfers. Your goal is to perform a "warm transfer" whenever possible.
A warm transfer (un transfert assisté) means you briefly speak to your colleague to explain the situation before the customer is connected. This saves the customer from having to repeat their problem.
The script from the previous resource also showed what to say to your colleague:
Bonjour [Nom du collègue], j’ai un client sur ma ligne qui a besoin d’aide avec [Objet de l’appel]. Son nom est [Nom de l’appelant]. Je vais vous transférer l’appel.
(Hello [Colleague's name], I have a customer on my line who needs help with [Subject of the call]. His/her name is [Caller's name]. I'm going to transfer you the call.)
To do this, you first need to politely ask the customer to wait.
4. Key Phrases for Managing the Transfer
Let's build your vocabulary with essential phrases for managing this process. Some of these will be very useful for our next lesson on putting customers on hold.
😄📞 Comment parler au téléphone en français ? | Conversation française
The video 'Comment parler au téléphone en français ?' contains some very natural phrases for asking a caller to wait.
Please watch from 12:46 to 13:39. Listen for phrases like 'Veuillez patienter un instant' (Please wait a moment) and 'Restez en ligne' (Stay on the line). Notice the professional tone.
Now, let's look at a guide that gives more professional alternatives.
guide Un service à la clientèle… en français S.V.P.
This guide from 'francaisenaffaires.com' offers very polished, professional phrases and corrects common errors. It's a great resource for elevating your professional French.
Please look at two parts of the 'Accueillir et servir un client au téléphone' chapter: Under the subheading 'Transfert d’appel': Find the phrases for transferring a call, such as 'j’achemine votre appel à...' In the table 'Capsule linguistique': Look for the 'Bonne façon de le dire' (Good way to say it) column for phrases like 'Je vous passe...' and 'Ne quittez pas.'
Here is a summary of the most useful phrases for you:
| Situation | Phrases in French | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Explaining the Reason | Mon/ma collègue est la bonne personne pour vous aider. |
My colleague is the right person to help you. |
Le service [nom] est plus compétent pour répondre à votre question. |
The [name] department is better equipped to answer your question. | |
| Announcing the Transfer | Je vais vous transférer au service [nom]. |
I am going to transfer you to the [name] department. |
Je vous passe mon/ma collègue. (Very common) |
I'll put you through to my colleague. | |
J'achemine votre appel à [nom]. (Very formal) |
I am forwarding your call to [name]. | |
| Asking the Customer to Wait | Veuillez patienter un instant, s'il vous plaît. |
Please wait a moment. |
Restez en ligne, s'il vous plaît. |
Please stay on the line. | |
Ne quittez pas, je vous prie. (Formal) |
Please don't hang up. |
Test your understanding!
A customer calls your technical support line, but they have a question about their last bill. You need to transfer them to the billing department (le service de facturation).
How would you tell the customer, in one or two sentences, that you are going to transfer them and why? Use a phrase from the table above.
Show answer
There are several good ways to say this. Here is one excellent option:
"Madame, le service de facturation est le bon service pour répondre à votre question. Je vais vous transférer immédiatement. Restez en ligne, s'il vous plaît."
(Ma'am, the billing department is the right department to answer your question. I am going to transfer you immediately. Please stay on the line.)
Another great option: "Je vous passe le service de facturation. Ils vont pouvoir vous aider avec votre facture." (I'll put you through to the billing department. They are going to be able to help you with your bill.)
Conclusion
Fantastic work! You have now learned the phrases and the professional process for one of the most common events in a call center.
Key Takeaways:
- Always explain why you are transferring a call to avoid customer frustration. A good reason is that another person or department
est la bonne personne/le bon service pour aider. - Use the
futur proche(Je vais vous transférer...) to clearly state the action you are taking. - A "warm transfer" (
transfert assisté), where you brief your colleague, provides much better customer service. - Master key phrases like
Je vous passe...(I'll put you through to...),Veuillez patienter un instant(Please wait a moment), andRestez en ligne(Stay on the line).
Preview of the Next Lesson:
To perform a warm transfer, you need to put the customer on hold while you talk to your colleague. In our next lesson, we will focus specifically on this: how to place a customer on hold and retrieve them from hold using polite phrases. You've already learned some of the basics today!
À bientôt