Customer Service Communication
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Okay, I’m a big believer in the idea that if you have a complaint about something, you have to at least offer a solution. So, in response to my rant about the awful communication skills of most customer service personnel, I’m offering eight little tips that can definitely help a company establish a reputation for truly caring about its customers:
1. Upon first contact with a customer, always introduce yourself using your full name. You can also mention your position if you think it will be of benefit to the customer. Never introduce yourself using a formal title such as “Mr. Smith” or “Ms. Watson.” That automatically says to the customer, “I don’t want to establish any kind of personal relationship with you. I’m keeping this formal and by the books.”
2. Speak in a warm and friendly tone. Sound like the customers problem really does matter to you. Don’t recite words from a script.
3. Occasionally use the customer’s name. It makes the conversational more personal and indicates a caring relationship has been created. I recommend using “Mr.” or “Ms.” with the customer’s last name until the customer indicates that you can be less formal.
4. Be empathetic and tell people you are going to help them. Use phrases like…
“I understand your concern, and I want to help you.”
“’I'm sure that was frustrating. I can help you.”
“I’m glad you called. Let’s see what I can do to help you with that.”
5. Clear your vocabulary of phrases that imply ineptitude or easy excuses. Examples:
“Sorry, but that’s not possible.”
“I don’t understand the problem.”
“That’s company policy.”
“We can’t do anything about that here.”
“You’ll need to call someone at______.”
Instead give responses that indicate that you are going to help find a solution rather than excuse yourself from the situation.
6. Paraphrase what you understand the customer’s issue to be.
“Ms. Green, I want to make sure I understand the situation, so I can be of help.”
Then summarize the problem or issue as you understood it.
7. Help defuse a complaint by asking the customer for his or her input.
“I understand your frustration, Ms. Coley, and I want to help you. Would it be helpful if we…”?
OR
“Tell me what we can do to help.”
8. Be careful how you use the word “but.” It is usually a set up for a negative response and can put the customer on the defensive.
“I know you want this resolved today, Mr. Anderson, but I can’t reach anyone who can help with this until Monday.”
Instead, try,
“I want to help resolve this problem as soon as possible, Mr. Anderson. So, I will speak with the manager of the _____ department first thing Monday morning and call you back immediately.”
Offering a product or service that addresses a customer’s needs will get you their business. Providing reliable and pleasant customer service is what keeps it.
Popularity: 90% [?]
Media Interview
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Jesse Jackson should know better. No. Let me correct that. Jesse Jackson does know better. He lives to be in the media spotlight. He’ll create any opportunity to do a media interview. For more than 40 years Jackson has had an addiction to a microphone the way couch potatoes are addicted to a remote control and a pack of Twinkies.
Face it. Jesse Jackson is certainly no stranger to the technical workings of a TV sound stage.
I don’t know whether Jackson has ever sought the counsel of a media trainer or not. But, after four decades in the spotlight, he definitely has to have “street smarts” about the long reach of a microphone. The first thing you are taught–or quickly figure out—is that all microphones are “hot,” which means “turned on.” Even if the little green “on” light isn’t glowing indicating your microphone is on, you better assume one is on somewhere.
That’s the first rule in Media Training 101. If you are within a thousand feet of a microphone or a reporter, say absolutely nothing you don’t want repeated.
Yet, there he sat a few weeks ago, on the sound stage of a TV station, just before doing an actual interview, and “whispered” his arrogant opinion about Barack Obama, “talking down to black people.” That comment alone would have been enough to entice any reporter to share it with the world. But, Jackson embellished his comment by crudely adding about how he would like to alter Obama’s male anatomy.
Claiming that he didn’t know his microphone was on is the dumbest excuse someone as media savvy as Jackson could have made. So, why did he whisper those highly charged words? Who knows for sure, other than Jackson? I have my theories. Even so, saying he didn’t know the microphone was on was as believable as if he had said, “I didn’t wear trousers because I thought they were only shooting us from the waist up.”
By the way, always wearing trousers is also highly recommended when in the presence of the media.
Popularity: 79% [?]
customer support representative
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As a media trainer and public speaking trainer my whole life is tuned into anything to do with communication abilities. I suppose that’s why I practically pull my hair out any time I have to call for technical support or customer service help. Frankly, in most companies the “service” and “support” part of those phrases is nonexistent.
I think companies know this, so they try to dress up their lousy service by giving their customer service and support centers warm, fuzzy names, like “Customer Resolution Center,” and “Client Satisfaction Agent.” Who do they think they are fooling? Garbage is still garbage, even when called “refuse” in a charming British accent.
“Your business is important to us. Please hold while I connect you to someone in our Customer Care department,” a perky-sounding recorded voice instructed me recently.
After being on hold for somewhere between ten minutes and an eternity, I realized that “customer care” was their euphemism for “Hey, wait your turn. We’ll get to you when we have time.”
When someone finally responded, I was greeted by a listless, monotone voice delivering a memorized statement devoid of any voice inflection or discernible punctuation. A person definitely in need of public speaking training.
“Hello this is Eric your customer care agent sorry you had to hold may I have your account number.”
Somehow, I did not get the feeling that Eric’s apology for my ten-minute wait was particularly heartfelt. After verifying my mother’s maiden name, my current and last five previous addresses, and my blood type, I eventually began to explain my problem.
Eric abruptly interrupted me. In his same mechanical delivery he recited, “That’s not my department I’ll have to transfer you to someone in corporate accounts hold please.” There was a click. Instantly, I was tossed back into the land of the perky recorded voice, this time trying to sell me upgraded services. It was obvious that Eric’s “care factor” had plummeted to negative digits.
I’m really not a chronic complainer, but over the past year I have experienced an exceptional number of customer-related problems requiring the assistance of an actual human being. While dealing with these dilemmas I have been directed to a Solutions Manager, Resolution Center, Customer Response Manager, and Client Support Representative. My favorite was a Customer Satisfaction Specialist. I imagined an elite group of men and women in dark suits surrounded by certificates they had earned in order to be anointed as “specialists.” Instead, I ended up speaking to Eric’s clones.
Unfortunately, for all the poignant-sounding titles given to the Eric’s of the world, it appears that good, old-fashioned customer service has fallen by the wayside more often than not. Whether over the phone or in person, customers are losing patience with businesses that do not appear to be making an honest effort to listen and genuinely offer reasonable resolutions to their problems. And as customers lose patience, businesses lose customers.
The heart of the problem comes down to the lack of basic communication skills. Real communications involves listening as well as speaking. Asking the right questions. Letting the customer talk without interrupting. Knowing how to show empathy for the customer’s problem using vocal inflections as well as the right words.
Instead, they are given a script to read and sound about as caring as my high school gym teacher did when I tried to explain why I couldn’t do ten more push-ups. “Suck it up, girly. Deal with it,” was her response.
Unfortunately, that’s what I hear the Eric’s of the world saying behind those rehearsed, perfunctory customer service speeches. “Suck it up, girly. Deal with it.”
Popularity: 80% [?]
Media Training
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With proper media training, you can successfully conduct media interviews without breaking a sweat. Here are some important tips to know before conducting a media interview.
Never give a media interview cold. When a reporter calls asking to do an interview on the spot, tell him or her you will be happy to do an interview but are busy at that moment. Say you are headed to a meeting but would be happy to schedule a time for the interview. Then tell the reporter you need to get a little information first.
Asking the following questions will help you prepare responses to possible questions.
1) “What’s your deadline?” Asking this first will show that you understand the tight deadline reporters work under.
2) “Could you repeat your name and who you are with?” Ask this if you didn’t catch the reporter’s name at the start of the call and are not familiar with that reporter. Write their name down. Before the media interview do a quick Internet search and learn about the reporter’s style and to become familiar with the program or publication before you do the interview.
3) “What is the story about?” Find out the story angle or purpose. This information gives you an idea of the type of questions you may be asked. Anticipating possible questions helps you plan stronger answers
4) “Why did you select me for the interview?”
It’s possible that you may not be the best person to give the interview, and you may need to direct the reporter to someone else in your organization who is a subject matter expert.
5) “Who else are you interviewing for this story?” This will help you get a better idea of the story’s purpose or angle. Use this information to plan what key messages you want to emphasize during your interview.
Based on the reporter’s deadline, schedule a time to do the actual interview. The deadline may be very tight, but it is important that you allow yourself some time—even if it is only 30 minutes—to think about questions you might be asked and plan your responses.
As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
As I say, taking the time to prepare for a media interview will help you put your best foot forward and keep it out of your mouth. With proper media training, anyone can improve their media interview skills.
Popularity: 100% [?]
