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Explain without Over Explaining - 2/10/26


The customer has a question, and we have an answer.  They need to learn something, and we’re in the position to be the educator.  There’s a process they have to go through, and we need them to understand. We know so much, and we could impart so much, but sometimes Read more

Look for a Stop Sign - 2/3/26


As a customer service professional, what you say matters.  The information you’re providing is useful.  The direction you’re giving the other person is helpful.  But... As you’re speaking, you also need to be reading.  Reading the other person.  Watching the customer, determining whether and how they’re receiving what you’re sharing.  Read more

When They Want the Supervisor - 1/27/26


Maybe you did your best with the customer, or maybe the customer didn’t even give you a chance.  They want to talk to your supervisor.  They see you, notice your title does not have “supervisor” or “manager” or “director” or “President and CEO” in it, so they want to Read more

Identify Your Point of Empathy - 1/20/26


I was watching a webinar recently on empathy.  The speaker mentioned that empathy - to a large extent - is something that you are born with.  It’s something that’s very difficult to learn.  And while I agree that some people are predisposed to being empathetic and understanding of others Read more

Pressure is a Privilege, but... - 1/13/26


When athletes are asked about the pressure of a playoff match or a late-game situation, many times they will say that “pressure is a privilege.”  In other words, usually pressure exists because you’re in a match that matters most.  It exists because you are a player put in a Read more

While I’ve Got You on the Phone… - 1/6/26


I’m a big planner.  Whether it’s strategic planning or planning out the year or planning my week first thing on a Monday morning, I like to plan.  I do this because it gets all of my action items documented and ensures that I have some understanding of what I Read more

Pass the Quick Impression Test - 12/30/25


Some studies have shown that people create an impression of you in less than a second when they first meet you face-to-face.  Other studies have shown that that initial impression can take up to 7 seconds.  Regardless, first impressions are quick.  First impressions are not always the lasting impression, Read more

2025 Holiday Poem - 12/23/25


We hear the word change And that change can be good, But we like things to stay same, And sometimes they should.   The weather can be wet And then dry as a bone. We know things will change, Even if all left alone.   Our customers change. Our co-workers do, too. It seems like our resources Are often too few.   The technology Read more

Make the Long Wait Feel Shorter - 12/16/25


When Greg entered the Tax Office, he was thinking only about two things: (1) How he was going to get the tax value on his home reduced, and (2) Whether the wait would be 1 hour or 2.  He checked in with the navigator who asked a few questions, Read more

When Kindness Means More in Customer Service - 12/9/25


Since a large part of the work we do at CSS includes customer research, we have seen tens of thousands of comments over the years about staff, and it is great to hear the positives that customers, fans, and account holders say about our clients’ team members. One word that Read more

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Explain without Over Explaining – 2/10/26

Posted on February 10, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

The customer has a question, and we have an answer.  They need to learn something, and we’re in the position to be the educator.  There’s a process they have to go through, and we need them to understand.

We know so much, and we could impart so much, but sometimes imparting everything we know causes more harm than good.

Interpreting the Presentation

I have a client who recently asked that I take a look at a draft presentation they were preparing to deliver to their audience.  It was going to describe their department and how it was organized, the different areas represented and their roles and responsibilities.

As we walked through the 21-slide presentation slide by slide, what they were conveying on each slide became clear only after a bit of Q&A between us.  Each slide was either confusing or too detailed or too full of jargon.

When we reached Slide 20, there were 4 bullet points – 1 point representing each of the 4 areas within the department.  Finally, on Slide 20, I understood.  I got the full picture based on 4 simple points, when I hadn’t gotten the full picture based on the prior 19 slides.

“Why don’t we start with this slide,” I said, “and then if the other slides are necessary, they’re just building on the information you conveyed at the beginning.”

Starting Broadly, Getting into Details Only if Necessary

Our conversations with customers can go similarly.  We have so much to share, but what they really need to know are 3 or 4 key points, 3 or 4 key steps.  Explaining something to the customer doesn’t mean explaining everything to the customer.

Describe the core of the process or the steps or the answers.  Then, if needed, get into the “19 slides” of detail.

Explain without over explaining.

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Look for a Stop Sign – 2/3/26

Posted on February 3, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

As a customer service professional, what you say matters.  The information you’re providing is useful.  The direction you’re giving the other person is helpful.  But…

As you’re speaking, you also need to be reading.  Reading the other person.  Watching the customer, determining whether and how they’re receiving what you’re sharing.  And sometimes if you’re really watching the customer – their behaviors, their expressions – you can read their signs, and sometimes the signs say STOP.  They say PAUSE.  They say LET THEM TALK.

When you’re sharing something with the customer or you’re talking to them, and they are flipping through their paperwork or scrolling the phone for some information, they’re not paying attention.  That’s a Stop Sign.

When they look at the clock or their watch, or their eye contact strays elsewhere, that’s a Stop Sign.

When you can tell they’re trying to talk or convey some information or physically moving in such a way that they’re about to burst unless they get their turn to speak, that’s a Stop Sign.

When the brow gets furrowed, like they’ve just been asked to lay out a blueprint for World Peace or provide the algorithm that Google uses to prioritize web searches, they may be unclear or confused.  That’s a Stop Sign.

At this point, it’s not about what we’re saying, it’s about how we’re listening to their body language.  It’s how we’re focused on how they’re receiving or not receiving our message, how they’re paying or not paying attention.

Sometimes the best thing to do in a conversation with a customer is to know when to stop speaking and ask them about their thoughts, or ask if they have something to share, or ask if anything is unclear.

 Look for a Stop Sign.

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When They Want the Supervisor – 1/27/26

Posted on January 27, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Maybe you did your best with the customer, or maybe the customer didn’t even give you a chance.  They want to talk to your supervisor.  They see you, notice your title does not have “supervisor” or “manager” or “director” or “President and CEO” in it, so they want to go up the ladder.

Different organizations have different protocols for handling these situations, and they often involve wanting you to handle this on your own – to do whatever you can to avoid the escalation.

But sometimes, despite your best efforts (or the customer just being obstinate), you have no choice.  Now let me throw in a wrinkle.  Your supervisor’s not available at that moment.  What do you do?

No Supervisor?  No Problem

First, explain the issue with the supervisor availability, offer some empathy with your not being able to give them the exact person they want to talk to at that moment.  But let them know you want to do the best you can to help them.

Second, if you haven’t done so already, clarify the rationale for the request.  What is their issue?  What is their goal?

Third, confirm your understanding of what they’ve shared.

Finally, share an alternative…or two!  Offer another party that they could speak with; offer to have the supervisor contact them back at a time when the customer is likely to be available.

Why Use this Process

This process helps you defuse the situation, which could get even worse once they realize the supervisor is not available.  You get the details you need to pass on to whomever is going to address this next.  You provide some empathy and understanding so that they know they’re being heard and that the information they’re giving you won’t have to be repeated to the person they talk to next. 

Then, by coming up with an alternative or two to consider, you’re actually putting the choice in their hands.  You’re giving them some control.  Yes, that can be risky, but you’re giving them control over a decision where you have provided options that you know are doable.

When they want the unavailable supervisor: Defuse, get details, empathize, and give them some control.

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