What You Should Never Say to Your Customers
Growth for Women-Owned Businesses (Part 2)
1. - "That's against our policy." - Maybe it is, but customers aren't interested in your policy.
They're interested in how their situation can be resolved to their satisfaction. Rather than saying their request is against policy, offer what you can do to solve the problem.
2. - "I'll get back to you as soon as I can." - If you think about this from a customer perspective, it's easy to see why this is frustrating, as it leaves customers wondering what "soon" means--today? Tomorrow? A week from now? Be as specific as you can about your follow-up. If you don't know when the issue will be resolved, offer a call on a specific date to give an update on the situation.
3. - "Are you sure?" - Customers can be wrong, but service representatives shouldn't point it out. It's tempting to do so especially if you feel the customer is being silly or making an issue out of nothing. But doing so discounts their feelings and makes them feel foolish, which may escalate the situation. Calmly help them with their issue and move forward no matter how much you'd like to do otherwise.
4. - "That's not so bad..." - If your customers are upset with something, you want to empathize as much as possible. The issue you're hearing about may not be major to you, but it is to them--and that's what matters. Be careful not to make any statement that downplays the customer's feelings or frustration over the situation.
5. - "I will let them know." - Even if you agree with the customer's frustration, you never want to call the company you work for "them." To the customer, you are the company, so be careful to say "we" when referring to your employer. If you don't, you'll lose credibility and risk coming across as avoiding responsibility.
6. - "Calm down." - This one phrase elicits more anger than nearly any other. Yes, customers may need to calm down in order to effect a solution, but telling them so will only make them more irate. Instead, let the customer vent, showing empathy with phrases like "I see," and "I understand." Eventually, they'll calm down on their own, allowing you to move forward.
Source: inc
Patty Block, President and Founder of The Block Group, established her company to advocate for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business. The Block Group brings together the people, resources and ideas that build results.
Growth for women-owned businesses.
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