Smile – really smile!
Smile from the inside; show that you care and that you’re ready to help. Smiling from the inside means that you feel empathy for your customer. Listen between the lines and note what is going on for your customer – are they happy, frustrated, angry? The funny thing is that smiling makes you happier and influences happiness – genuine smiles are contagious.
Validate the customer’s feelings
Empathise with the customer – see the situation from their perspective and acknowledge how they feel about it. Showing that you understand the customer’s perspective and finding something to agree upon is a trust-building, warmth-projecting behaviour. You might say something like, ‘Thank you for sharing that information with me, I can certainly see why you are frustrated’, or ‘I can see that this needs to be resolved quickly for you, I understand why you’re worried about it’.
Inspire confidence
Show your competence by giving the customer the confidence that you are the right person to help them. You might say things like: ‘You’re through to the right person, I can definitely help you with that’, or ‘I’m a specialist in this area so you’re in the right place’.
This learning tip comes from our ‘Coaching for GREAT customer service’ programme. Check it out here. If you’d like to explore this topic or any other aspect of customer service training then please do give us a call on 01582 463464. We’re always here to help.
