The Power of the Pause

Which of the following are good reasons to pause before you respond?

1. To give you a chance to gather your thoughts

2. To give you time to choose a better mindset

3. To stop you from interrupting

4. To ensure you understand the underlying concern

5. ‘Cause you get paid by the hour, might as well take your time!

If you answered yes to all (except #5) you are correct!

Taking time to pause can help save time in the long run, as you will understand the customer’s needs better and diffuse angry callers.  There is real power in that pause!

Next time a customer (or colleague) is complaining or venting, take a deep breath and choose to respond, rather than react. 

Why does a flamingo stand on one leg?

A: Because if he lifted that leg off the ground he would fall down!

Today's tip is an action. It's called the flamingo and it is designed to help you stretch so you feel and sound better.  

• Stand up behind your chair
• Rest your left hand on the chair back for balance
• Lift your leg and press the sole of your foot into your inner thigh (take off your high heeled shoes first!)
• Hold for 15 seconds
• Relax and repeat with other leg

Confused?  Here's a picture to clarify.  

How are you today?

Did you cringe when you read that? Guess what your callers will too.

If you are in the business of solving problems and people call you when things go wrong (too hot, too cold, ran out of supplies, service person is not on time, didn't understand my bill, computer is not doing what I wanted...) then please don't ask "How are you?" because truly, the answer is NOT GOOD.

Try instead;

"How may I help you today?"

or "I'm glad you called, let me help..."

We're All Creatures of Habit

Humans like routine and rituals.  Do you find yourself…

• Driving the same route to work every day?
• Grocery shopping, using the same path through the store?
• Wearing the same outfit or preparing the same snack items for the big game?

These rituals give a sense of order, comfort and in the customer service world, make us feel like we are getting served better.
 
What rituals can a customer expect when they call your company?

• A consistently friendly tone?
• That the same technician will come to their home?
• A delivery at the same time of the day, each time?
• Always ending a call with, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Today, think about how you provide comfort by the consistency and dependability you offer.

It's Memorial Day...

We take a moment today to remember all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving.

If you are working today, thank you.

If you are free, thank them.

How To Respond.... Part Deux

Last week, I shared some suggestions on better responses to a customer who wants to leave your service.  Here's a few further thoughts on that theme.

Question:

If the customer says, "I'm switching to (insert your competition's name here)", how do you respond? 

1. "Sure, let me just close your account"

2. "Good luck with that! Let me tell you all the things wrong with that decision..."
3. "You can't, you have a contract with us"

4. "I've heard their messages too, and agree it might sound like a good deal.  Many of our customers say they choose to stay with us because they like the peace of mind we provide by..."

Answer:

1. Noooooo!  This is not an option.  SAVE them instead!
2. It's never good to talk negatively about the competition.  It will make you sound defensive.
3. Remove "you can't" from your customer service vocabulary.  Have a conversation and SAVE them!
4. Agree with them and get on the same side, then talk about the value your company has to offer.

Practice talking about the value of your company so that calls like this don't catch you off guard.

How to Respond

If the Customer says: "cancel my service", how do you respond?

1. "okay"

2. "account number, please"

3. "you can't, you have a contract"

4. "I'm sorry to hear that"

5. "Sorry, wrong number"



Answer:

1.  'Okay', in this case, is not an option.  It isn't okay!  You need to fight to keep every Customer.

2.  The account number may be helpful to you, but it gives the call a robotic feeling.  This response doesn't set the stage for a helpful conversation.

3.  "You can't" should never come out of your mouth in customer service.  The goal is to have a conversation about what can be done.

4.  CORRECT!  It's best to start with some empathy, a statement that demonstrates you care about them.  Then find out their account number and ask a question to understand why they are considering a change.
 Say it with me now.... "I'm sorry to hear that, I'm sorry to hear that, I'm sorry to hear that!"

5.  Nice try!


This week, make a point to focus on empathy first, solutions second.