Customer Communicator, December 2020
December 1, 2020
- Is empathy fatigue affecting customer service?
- Use December to take a look back
- Pop Quiz
- Practice gratitude every day
- Service News: A monthly roundup
- Ask the Panel: What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a customer?
- Desk stretches to ease peak season muscle strain
- First things first
- Make difficult callers part of the family
- Heard on Twitter
Show Genuine Concern
November 19, 2020
The best agents know how to extend genuine, sincere concern to callers whether they have a major problem or a minor issue. To be sure customers know that you respect them as individuals with legitimate issues and feelings, keep these dos and don’ts in mind. Do: Stay in control of your own emotionsUse empathy to…Continue reading
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Positive Responses to Negative Situations
November 5, 2020
Occasionally, a customer will point out an error that someone in your organization has made. In these situations, try replying by blending an empathy statement with an apology. But be sure that you don’t blame the customer or your company. Following are three ways to offer a blameless apology: Blaming: "I’m sorry, but you didn’t send…Continue reading
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Customer Communicator, November 2020
November 1, 2020
- Don’t shoot the messenger
- The power of gratitude
- Pop Quiz
- Don’t over promise or apologize
- Service News: A monthly roundup
- Ask the Panel: From time to time, a customer insists on speaking to my supervisor. What should I do?
- Negative situations call for positive responses
- The dos and don’t of showing genuine concern
- Heard on Twitter
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Pandemic Impacts Service Levels
October 15, 2020
To better understand the impact of the pandemic on customer service operations, Tethr (an AI and machine learning company) recently completed a study of roughly 1 million customer-service calls involving more than 20 companies representing a broad cross-section of industries. The results, show the harsh reality of customer service during the pandemic. “In just two…Continue reading
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Customer Communicator, October 2020
October 1, 2020
- Try reading between the lines for improved customer satisfaction
- When the world turns upside down, frontline reps are there to help
- Pop Quiz
- Practice makes perfect
- Service News: A monthly roundup
- Frontline Spotlight: Millions of pens keep this rep on her toes
- Four steps to turn down the HEAT
- Watch the clock to work smarter
- Use empathy to keep the customer connected
- Heard on Twitter
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Take a Moment to Reflect
October 1, 2020
The first full week in October is Customer Service Week. It’s a time to celebrate the contributions made by frontline reps throughout the year. And what a year it’s been. For many, this year meant moving from working in an office to working remotely. It meant learning to navigate a workspace shared with children, parents,…Continue reading
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It’s Mid-September, It’s Crunch Time for Customer Service Week
September 15, 2020 — This year, we’ve already delivered Customer Service Week gifts and decorations to all 50 states, plus Germany, Switzerland, and Grenada. We’ve delivered to loading docks, office suites, front porches, and back doors. Our inventory is extremely limited, but you may now place an order for 150 pieces or more for many of your…Continue reading
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End Your Work Day With Rituals
September 3, 2020
Transitioning from work to home, when you work at home, can be a challenge. Many remote workers, especially newly remote workers, experience difficulty creating physical and emotional distance from their jobs at the end of the day. Rituals can help you close the work portion of your day and move into the personal time. When…Continue reading
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Customer Communicator, September 2020
September 1, 2020
- A communication model for service professionals
- Work like a team
- Pop Quiz
- Practice makes perfect
- Service News: A monthly roundup
- Ask the Panel: What are the most important skills for frontline customer service reps?
- To solve a problem — say it out loud
- Rituals help with end-of-day transitions
- Focus on emotional needs
- Heard on Twitter
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Slow Down to Warm Up Customer Conversations
August 20, 2020
In an effort to keep calls brief, many reps are tempted to use short one word questions and answers. But that can come across as unfriendly and curt. See the difference that simple rephrasing makes in the examples below: Weak: “Yes”Strong: “Yes, I’d be happy to help you with that,” or “Yes we do offer…Continue reading
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Watch Out for TMI
August 6, 2020
Just as TMI, or Too Much Information, can be a problem in one's personal life, it can also be a problem in the service center. In The Customer Service Revolution, author John DiJulius reminds readers to avoid "oversharing" with customers. He notes that all frontline reps are guilty of oversharing at one time or another,…Continue reading
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