Speak to Impress: How to Prepare Your Team for Forbes Calls

If you manage a call centre, the thought of a Forbes mystery call can make you very anxious. It’s understandable as these calls can feel like a test where one small slip up might impact your team’s rating. But what if you could turn that fear into confidence? What if every call was an opportunity to build skills and deliver service that impresses, not just for Forbes, but for every guest?

In this article we want to share some of our tried and tested activities that will prepare call centre teams for those high stakes calls as well as improve everyday service along the way. I sat down with Ron, one of our senior language trainers and language consultants, to get his practical input and insights. Over the past ten years, Ron has worked with a variety of luxury brand hotels and resorts where 5-star service is essential. He has contributed to the honing of the language skills of hundreds of team members who need to deliver their brand’s services to Forbes standards. 

Treat every call like a Forbes call
Ron recounted the experience of a promising agent who lost points during a Forbes call simply because she suggested the guest check with their travel agent when they forgot their booking number. The guest sounded just like any other caller, so she didn’t suspect it was a Forbes assessor. The result? The agent was marked as ‘not helpful’. The call nearly cost the agent her long-awaited promotion.

It’s a tough lesson, according to Ron, as Forbes assessors don’t always sound like mystery callers. They can be calm, casual, or even act confused. That’s why Ron recommends all call centre agents treat every call with the same care and attention as if it were a Forbes call.

What does Forbes really look for in a call?
Forbes focuses on four main criteria during call centre assessments:

Courtesy: Are agents polite and respectful throughout the call?
Efficiency: Do they answer clearly and solve problems quickly?
Product Knowledge: Do agents have a thorough understanding of their hotel property, facilities and services?
Personalised Service: Do they adapt to the caller’s needs and preferences?

These are the foundation of excellent service. But how do you train your team to consistently deliver, especially if English is their second or third language? Ron suggests four of his most practical and effective activities for you to try with your team which will elevate your team’s skills in these areas.

English language tips: Four training activities to help your team achieve Forbes standards

Free download: Forbes Call Simulation Checklist and activities guide.

1. Use real call examples for coaching
   Take time to review real calls with agents. This creates the opportunity to point out what worked well and what could be improved. This concrete feedback is invaluable. When coaching your agents, focus on clear pronunciation, simple grammar patterns and polite expressions. Avoid overwhelming agents with too many corrections at once; instead, set small, achievable goals they can apply to their own calls after each review session. Remember to offer genuine commendation for areas where agents excelled on a call. 
    
2. Script flexibility: Teach agents to listen and adapt
   Many call centres rely heavily on scripts. While scripts provide structure, strict adherence can make conversations sound robotic and unhelpful. These may make the guest feel as though the agent is not listening - or even worse - being dismissive. Instead, encourage agents to use scripts as a starting point, then allow them to adjust their language based on the caller’s tone and needs. Train agents to recognise common guest emotions and respond with simple, clear phrases. For example, if a caller sounds frustrated, agents can say, ‘I understand this is important to you. Let me help you’. Practising these phrases builds confidence, promotes flexibility and makes each call flow more naturally and efficiently.
    
3. Proactive questioning: Anticipate needs before they arise
   Forbes values agents who don’t just react but anticipate the needs of a guest. Train your team to ask open-ended questions that help to ascertain the guest’s needs early in the call. Create a list of simple, polite questions that agents can memorise and practice, such as: ‘Do you have any special requests for your stay?’ and ‘Would you like me to arrange transportation?’. Roleplaying these questions will help agents become comfortable using them naturally whist you monitor and make suggestions on their phrasing.
    
4. Service recovery: Turning problems into positive experiences
   Mistakes and misunderstandings happen. With Forbes calls, the key is how your agents handle them. Train your team to use phrases for acknowledging issues calmly and offering solutions. Practise common problem scenarios and model language. For example, ‘I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Let me check how to fix this for you’ and ‘Thank you for your patience. I will do my best to help you’. These phrases will help your agents to sound sincere and professional, even when under pressure, which can regain a guest’s trust.
    

Regular practise builds muscle memory
A call centre manager for a luxury hotel once shared with us that in his experience that regular practise leads to a kind of muscle memory for handling calls. This means agents don’t have to think through every step - they react instinctively and confidently. Short, frequent practise sessions focusing on specific skills (greetings, handling complaints, closing calls) are more effective than long, infrequent training sessions. Use recorded calls for review and group discussions to reinforce learning.

By embedding Forbes standards into your call centre training and daily operations, you prepare your agents to deliver exceptional service that impresses every caller - regardless of whether they are a mystery assessor or a valued guest. Consistent excellence not only meets Forbes’ rigorous expectations but also drives customer loyalty and business growth in the competitive GBA markets.
 
If you want to elevate your team’s English communication skills aligned with international hospitality standards, take a look at our wide range of English training courses.