Customer Service – Three Examples of Outstanding 800-Number Customer Service

Okay, show of hands. How many of you just absolutely, positively love calling those 800 customer service numbers? Hmmm. Don’t see many digits waving out there… Why not? Maybe some of these adjectives come to mind: time-consuming (between press this and press that and terminal hold and conversations that often go round in circles); immensely frustrating (especially if you’re talking to someone obviously “offshore” whose command of the English language is hampered by a heavy accent); annoying (if not downright maddening) because they can’t – or won’t – actually solve your problem.

Three recent outstanding experiences with 800 customer service reps caused me to analyze what worked about those calls. Each one was made exceptional by employing great communication skills. Given that I preach and teach about these kinds of skills in my writings and courses, it was fun to identify what was working for these folks. Here’s a summary of three unique communication strategies that I think many customer service operations overlook.

PROBING

Particularly useful in the heat of anger, this strategy entails asking the other person for more information, for the “why” or “how” of whatever they are claiming. This tactic of probing deeper into the person’s reasoning and motivations sends the message that you were listening and heard his frustration and care enough to probe to find out more information. This strategy can be very effective when dealing with an angry customer. It can let him move past the venting to some rational problem-solving. I was all ready to blame my service provider on a problem I was having with my internet postage program, when the rep asked, very politely, “Why do you think it’s our problem?” Thinking through my answer caused me to realize that other issues could be the source of the problem, not just them. Took the starch right out of my stuffing.

CUSTOMER IS RIGHT

I know it’s a hackneyed cliché, and I know that, in many instances, the customer can be wrong, as well as irrational, grouchy, or downright mean. But there is a lot of power in letting the customer believe she’s right. I questioned a customer service rep at a shipping company on why I couldn’t get a receipt after placing my web order. She tried to explain to me it was just the way the system was set up, and I’d get a receipt later with my statement. But when I said it was not a good or even common business practice not to provide some kind of proof of payment, she started to say, “I understand how…” and then she stopped. She paused a beat and then exclaimed as if I were the most brilliant person in the world, “You’re right! We should be doing that!” The fact that she was powerless to do it didn’t matter. Just just the fact that she acknowledged my incredulity and agreed with me made me feel validated.

MIRRORING

The meaning of this word does not imply “mimicking.” Mirroring means that you match the other person’s style and intensity. If someone is low-key, you don’t want to overwhelm them with your aggressive style. And if someone is super-charged and high energy, you probably won’t develop much rapport if you have the approach of a turtle. In talking to a rep about a computer problem I was having, I was beside myself, admittedly pretty aggravated. As I wrapped up my complaint, my voice had raised in pitch with increased rate and intensity and I cried, “I’m at my wits end!” To my surprise, I did not get the calm, placating response that is so standard in customer service reps (“I understand how you feel, ma’am. Let me see what can be done…”). Instead, the rep mirrored my intensity. “Omigod!” he cried. “I can’t believe you’ve had to put up with these problems! You must be so frustrated!” I almost fell out of my chair! He got it! He understood me! The bonus was that he actually did solve my problem. But to do it in a way that matched my intensity conveyed to me that he was taking it as seriously as I was.

Barbara Busey, president of the training firm Presentation Dynamics
, has been a professional speaker, trainer and author since 1990. She does training and speaking on the “dynamics” of how people “present” themselves, is the author of the award-winning book, “Stand Out When You Stand Up,” and is the creator of The Compelling Speaker, a unique presentation skills training program that combines advance audio CD instruction with a hands-on, ultra participative workshop. She now offers the Compelling Speaker Certification, a turnkey system — complete with training content & technique, business strategies, and marketing guidelines — that positions communicators to make a living training other business professionals to become more compelling speakers. Go to Compelling Speaker Certification
to see her video, listen to her audio, and learn when the next Certification training is.

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