While asking questions is often useful, it’s easy for customers to become annoyed if they think they are being asked questions that they have answered already, they are being asked too many questions, or they are being asked questions that they feel are personal or inappropriate. Your tone of voice — and the way you…Continue reading

 

For better or worse, conflicts are an everyday occurrence when serving customers. Handling those conflicts skillfully can mean the difference between losing a customer and gaining a long-term partner who knows that you, and your organization, can be counted on. For almost 50 years James Creighton, Ph.D. has been training people to resolve conflict in…Continue reading

 

Is your team moving back to the office this month? Or next? Randi Freidig, an expert on business relationships, offers the following gentle reminders for getting along in close quarters. Courtesy and respect are the basis for all of her suggestions: Keep your voice low when talking to visitors or on the phoneEnter a coworkers…Continue reading

 

"Reverse paraphrasing" is a technique reps can use to make sure they’ve been understood. Instead of paraphrasing what the customer has said, ask the customer to paraphrase something you have said. Nance Guilmartin, author of The Power of Pause, recommends using this technique when you are passing along important information or instructions, or if you…Continue reading

 

Sometimes, the best way to meet customer expectations is by NOT doing certain things. Here are some ideas for creating a personal not-to-do list. A list like this is a useful tool and refresher for starting each day. DO NOT get distracted when talking to customers. DO NOT interrupt before the customer has completed their…Continue reading

 

When your job involves serving customers, you listen to problems and deal with negative situations every day. And, it’s human nature to remember the bad things — lost orders, delayed shipments, incomplete paperwork, and angry customers. To overcome the inevitable slump you may experience from time to time, create a folder (physical or electronic) labeled…Continue reading