Perfect Phrases for Customer Service

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition ix

Part 1 Succeeding at Customer Service

Chapter 1 Basics of Customer Service 3

What's in it for Me? 4

Different Kinds of Customers 6

First Things First-Dispelling an Important Customer Service Myth 8

Understanding what Customers Want 10

How to get the most from this Book 13

Chapter 2 Customer Service Tools and Techniques 15

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty 16

Acknowledge Customer's Needs 16

Acknowledge Without Encouraging 17

Active Listening 17

Admit Mistakes 18

Allow Venting 18

Apologize 19

Appropriate Nonverbals 19

Appropriate Smiles 19

Arrange Follow-Up 20

Ask Probing Questions 20

Assurances of Effort 21

Assurances of Results 21

Audience Removal 22

Bonus Buy Off 22

Broken Record 22

Close Interactions Positively 23

Common Courtesy 23

Complete Follow-Up 24

Contact Security/Authorities/Management 24

Disengage 25

Distract 25

Empathy Statements 26

Expedite 26

Expert Recommendations 27

Explain Reasoning or Actions 27

Face-Saving Out 28

Find Agreement Points 28

Finish Off/Follow Up 29

Isolate/Detach Customer 29

Level 29

Manage Height Differentials/Nonverbals 30

Manage Interpersonal Distance 30

Not Taking the Bait 31

Offering Choices/Empowering 32

Plain Language 32

Preemptive Strike 33

Privacy and Confidentiality 33

Pros and Cons 34

Provide Alternatives 34

Provide a Customer Takeaway 35

Provide Explanations 35

Question Instead of State 36

Refer to Supervisor 36

Refer to Third Party 37

Refocus 38

Set Limits 38

Some People Think That (Neutral Mode) 40

Stop Sign-Nonverbal 40

Suggest an Alternative to Waiting 41

Summarize the Conversation 41

Telephone Silence 42

Thank-Yous 43

Timeout 43

Use Customer's Name 43

Use of Timing with Angry Customers 44

Verbal Softeners 44

Voice Tone-Emphatic 45

When Question 45

You're Right! 46

Part 2 Dealing with Specific Customer Situations

1 When you're Late or Know You'll Be Late 49

2 When a Customer Is in a Hurry 52

3 When a Customer Jumps Ahead in a Line of Waiting Customers 54

4 When a Customer Asks to Be Served Ahead of Other Waiting Customers 56

5 When a Customer Interrupts a Discussion between the Employee and Another Customer 58

6 When a Customer has a Negative Attitude About Your Company Due to Past Experiences 60

7 When You Need to Explain a Company Policy or Procedure 63

8 When a Customer Might Be Mistrustful 66

9 When the Customer Has Been Through Voicemail Hell 69

10 When a Customer Is Experiencing a Language Barrier 72

11 When the Customer Has been "Buck-Passed" 75

12 When a Customer Needs to Follow a Sequence of Actions 77

13 When the Customer Insults Your Competence 79

14 When a Customer Won't Stop Talking on the Phone 81

15 When the Customer Swears or Yells #1 83

16 When the Customer Swears or Yells #2 86

17 When a Customer Won't Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #1 89

18 When a Customer Won't Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #2 92

19 When a Customer Has Been Waiting in a Line 95

20 When You Don't Have the Answer 97

21 When Nobody Handy Has the Answer 101

22 When You Need to Place a Caller on Hold 104

23 When You Need to Route a Customer Phone Call 107

24 When You Lack the Authority to ... 109

25 When a Customer Threatens to go Over Your Head 111

26 When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor 113

27 When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor, Who Isn't Available 116

28 When a Customer Threatens to Complain to the Press 118

29 When a Customer Demands to Speak to the "Person in Charge" 121

30 When a Customer Makes an Embarrassing Mistake 125

31 When a Customer Withholds Information Due to Privacy Concerns 128

32 When a Customer Threatens Bodily Harm or Property Damage 131

33 When a Customer Is Confused About What He or She Wants or Needs 135

34 When a Customer Makes a Racist Remark 138

35 When a Customer Makes a Sexist Remark 141

36 When a Customer Refuses to Leave 144

37 When a Customer Accuses You of Racism 147

38 When a Customer Plays One Employee Off Another ("So-and-So Said") 150

39 When a Customer Might Be Stealing 154

40 When a Customer Is Playing to an Audience of Other Customers 156

41 When a Customer Exhibits Passive-Aggressive Behavior 159

42 When a Customer Uses Nonverbal Attempts to Intimidate 162

43 When a Customer Makes Persistent and Frequent Phone Calls 165

44 When Someone Else Is Not Responding (No Callback) 168

45 When You Need to Clarify Commitments 172

46 When a Customer Wants Information You're Not Allowed to Give 175

47 When a Customer Makes a Suggestion to Improve Service 177

48 When You Can't Find a Customer's Reservation/Appointment 180

49 When You're Following Up on a Customer Complaint 183

50 Properly Identifying the Internal Customer 186

51 When an Internal Customer Isn't Following Procedures to Request Service 189

52 When the Customer Wants Something that Won't Fill His Need 192

53 When You Want Feedback from the Customer 195

54 When a Customer Complains About Red Tape and Paperwork 198

55 When You Need to Respond to a Customer Complaint Made in Writing 201

56 When a Reservation/Appointment Is Lost and You Can't Meet the Commitment 204

57 When Customers Are Waiting in a Waiting Room 207

58 When a Customer Complains about a Known Problem 210

59 When a Customer Asks Inappropriate Questions 212

60 When a Customer Tries an Unacceptable Merchandise Return 214

Part 3 Social Media and Customer Service

The Connection Between Social Media and Customer Service 221

61 Scanning, Watching, Searching (Proactive) 227

62 Triage: Proactively Prioritizing Complaints/Comments 229

63 Contact! 232

64 Proactive Complaint Handling 234