empathy | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 2

I sometimes hear it said

That things have never been like this before.

That challenges are unique,

That stresses seem like more.

I sometimes hear it said

That we’re asked to do much more with less.

That workloads are increasing,

And we’re resource-constrained at best.

And others often say

That things are really very good.

That they enjoy those they work with,

And they appreciate those they serve.

Yes, others often walk around

With a smile on their face,

that comes from their within.

That brightens up the place.

You see, all these things, both bad and good,

Can be true at the same time.

Things can be challenging, and we feel overloaded;

We enjoy others and feel good inside.

It’s amazing how much the external world

Surrounds our every day.

If we let it, it can affect us

In every imaginable way.

But the key is “if we let it,”

The key is our control.

Instead of external driving internal feelings,

The internal drives it all.

My wish for you as we end this year

Is to find peace and joy and light.

To be full of hope on the inside,

To keep positives in sight.

My appreciation for you, as always,

Is of the utmost, as I sit and reflect.

For you who serve your customers,

Deserve big courtesy and respect.

Happy Holidays!

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Have you ever heard the saying:  Your poor planning is not my emergency.

I’ve heard it said often – not necessarily directly from one person to another.  More typical is that I hear it from the person having to drop everything and do something immediately because someone else didn’t think ahead or plan well enough.  Their poor (or lack of) planning led to an urgent need – which you now have to address.

Unfortunately, we in customer service are presented with this issue often.  Sometimes it’s from co-workers, but other times – usually – it’s from customers.

They got that e-mail reminder 3 times to do something before a deadline passes, the deadline passes, and now they freak out because they can’t return an item.  Because they can’t submit an application.  Because they lost a perk or benefit.  They freak out because they are in a bind – anxious, upset, angry.

So now it’s your emergency.

When it’s our emergency, that doesn’t mean we have to circumvent policy; some companies allow these late customers to do so, others don’t, and others take policy exceptions case-by-case.

You may not have control over how the policy is administered, but you do have some control in these situations.

It’s about your knowing alternatives.  What could the customer do, if not what they want in this timeframe?

It’s about your dealing with their emotions.  Empathize with the frustration; avoid blaming them for their error.

It’s about your educating them for the inevitable “next time.”  In a professional manner, provide tips to make the process more smooth and timely for them in the future.

When you’re in this situation with a customer, ensure you know how your organization handles these issues, these policy decisions about requests made after the deadline passes.  Then know the options you can offer, deal with the emotional component of the conversation, and educate them moving forward.

Don’t let their poor planning become your emergency.

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I’ve often said that empathy is the single most important characteristic of people who are great at customer service.  If empathy is essentially “to understand the other person,” it helps so much to have that ability in order to specifically help someone.  To talk to what’s unique about them.  To convey your knowledge of their situation or your ability to comprehend the emotions they must be feeling.

But how do you phrase your empathy to the customer in particular situations?  Here are three quick examples for you to consider and put into practice:

Acknowledging Inconvenience During a Refund Process:  A customer requests a refund and expresses annoyance about the delay in processing. The employee could say:  “I understand how inconvenient this delay must be for you. Your time is valuable, and I’ll prioritize making this process as smooth as possible moving forward.”

Understanding Frustration with a Delayed Order:  A customer calls upset about a late order.  In addition to providing the tracking information, the employee could respond:  “I can understand how frustrating it must be to wait for something you were expecting on time.  Let me look into this right away and see how we can resolve it for you.”

Calming a Customer Facing Technical Issues:  A customer is struggling to navigate an online portal and expresses irritation. The employee could say:  “I know how stressful it can be when technology doesn’t work the way we expect.  I’m here to guide you through this step-by-step so we can get it sorted out together.”

These examples show how empathy can involve acknowledging, understanding, and calming someone.  And every example has empathy, followed by a transition to the next step.

To be empathetic with the customer and also convey that understanding of them and their situation, add these everyday examples to your empathy toolkit.

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