Archives

Care Without Words

Convey that you care with a voice that shows interest and concern, with body language that shows openness and understanding.  Convey you care in a way that goes beyond words.

Be Close-ended, Not Close-Minded When Addressing Complaints

To diffuse the upset customer, ask close-ended questions – the yes/no questions or those requesting facts/figures.  Avoid open-ended questions that result in longer responses and can build emotion.

Get Organized

Being organized is not magic.  You can do it.  Many people judge your level of service by your level of responsiveness, and organization helps to drive responsiveness.  Get organized.

Don’t Talk Much; You’ll be a Better Conversationalist

When talking with someone, if you spend more time listening and asking questions than talking about yourself, others generally think you’re a good conversationalist. “Less (talking) is more (appreciated).”

3 Steps to Responsiveness

To convey you’re responsive to needs/issues, (1) End discussions by restating what you’ll do next. (2) Do it. (3) Tell them that you did it. That last point is key.

Employee and Customer Satisfaction are Linked

Studies have shown a direct link between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction; that’s especially true when the co-worker is the customer.  Want to help improve morale?  Treat co-workers as customers.

Convey You’re Listening

The person you’re talking with wants to feel they’re being listened to; the operative word is “feel.”  So don’t just listen; CONVEY you’re listening.

Tell Them You Care

To convey you CARE about the other’s need, restate it to them.  Also, literally tell them that “I WANT to help…” or “I HOPE we can help…”

Don’t Ignore Their Emotions

When dealing with somebody arguing, upset, or irate, try to defuse them emotionally.  It’s easier to deal with the issues if you can lower the emotional level.

Show Your Empathy

To appear empathetic to the other person, try to understand and restate the other’s situation, clarify their feelings, and nod when you understand.