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Use the Customer’s Words - 4/21/26


The customer is describing a problem on what they call their “computer.” They mentioned that the “screen” doesn’t “move from one page to the other.” They say that the “website’s name is typed at the top,” and it says sample.com with a “line, and then it says ‘home’ after Read more

Affirming the Customer with Empathy - 4/14/26


We’ve spoken and written about empathy for the 20+ years of these customer service tips, noting empathy as the most important quality any individual can have if they want to be great at customer service.  We’ve shared that - in order to serve our customers most effectively – it’s Read more

The Power of Teaching While Helping - 4/7/26


If you’re trying to develop a relationship with the customer rather than just simply handling their transaction and moving on, you are taking a long-term view.  You realize that that individual is someone you want to keep with your business for months or years to come, so it’s a Read more

Bear with Me - 3/31/26


As a customer, you’ve probably called a company and heard the phrase “bear with me.”  At that point, you know there’s going to be some sort of delay.  The CSR is giving you a heads up that there’s going to be additional wait time.  Essentially, they are trying to Read more

Slowing Down the Fast Talker - 3/24/26


Jeffrey had always been told by his manager to figure out the issue quickly and wrap up the conversation as fast as possible.  So, Jeffrey was hyper-focused at finding that one key word that could identify the issue and help him to transition quickly to what might be some possible Read more

Don’t Bury the Lede - 3/17/26


Mary was working at the office, and she received an e-mail alert from the water company.  There was a water outage in her neighborhood.  It looked like it was going to be a couple hours to fix the issue. Sure enough, a few hours later around mid-afternoon, Mary received another Read more

Confirm the Real Issue Before You Start Solving - 3/10/26


Have you ever gone “down the rabbit hole?”  It involves going deep into some topic, some discussion – with analysis that creates complexity as much as it resolves it.  And that dive into the rabbit hole often starts with a simple question. Going down that rabbit hole takes time and Read more

One Question to Prevent a Follow-up Call - 3/3/26


The way some performance metrics work, you would think companies would prefer for their staff to talk to the same customer 4 times on the same topic for 8 minutes each rather than talking to them once for 10 minutes.  Many management metrics are too focused on average length Read more

Stay Calm When the Customer Isn’t - 2/24/26


There are all sorts of others’ emotions that you have to deal with as a customer service professional.  The other person could be anxious or upset, they could be angry or agitated.  It can run the gamut of emotions, but for you to deal with them in the best Read more

Don’t Begin with the Dead End in Mind - 2/17/26


Habit #2 of Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” is “Begin with the End in Mind.”  It speaks to the need to have a clear vision or goal for what you’re trying to ultimately achieve, so you understand the purpose of what you’re doing.  It helps you Read more

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Use the Customer’s Words – 4/21/26

Posted on April 21, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

The customer is describing a problem on what they call their “computer.” They mentioned that the “screen” doesn’t “move from one page to the other.” They say that the “website’s name is typed at the top,” and it says sample.com with a “line, and then it says ‘home’ after the line.”

They noted how they’re clicking on “the screen,” but the page doesn’t change.  They try to go “backwards” by clicking the “arrow pointing left,” and nothing happens.

This is a customer calling a technology help desk, and they’re using their words to describe their problem.

Oftentimes, customer service professionals are so knowledgeable about their products and services, their policies and processes, that they carry on a conversation with a customer, responding with terms common to the employee without realizing the audience.

We will talk about devices, monitors, URLs.  We will reference browsers and tabs, icons and more technical terms.  But if we hear the customer using certain terms – even if they are not the technical term WE use – we need to realize something.  If we want to add clarity and bring information to the customer in a manner of speaking that they understand, it’s often best to use THEIR words.

I’m not suggesting that we condescend or talk down to the customer.  I’m saying that the goal is for us to understand each other, and it’s more likely if we – the professional – change on the fly to use terms they’re familiar with than if we try to make them technical experts.  We’ve been trained for years on our technical terminology, so we can’t expect the customer to learn our wording in the matter of a 3-minute conversation.

To enhance the tone of the conversation and create some clarity for the customer at the same time, use their words.

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Affirming the Customer with Empathy – 4/14/26

Posted on April 14, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

We’ve spoken and written about empathy for the 20+ years of these customer service tips, noting empathy as the most important quality any individual can have if they want to be great at customer service.  We’ve shared that – in order to serve our customers most effectively – it’s vital to have a desire to convey understanding of the other person – what is unique about them and their situation.

And usually when we discuss phrasing that conveys empathy, it relates to your sharing statements like “I can see how ABC can be frustrating” or “I can understand how XYZ could be upsetting.”  You are intellectually conveying an understanding of their feelings, of their position in the matter.

When they share their story, their situation, their challenging emotions, there are other ways you can convey – even more concisely and more simply – some empathy:

“That makes total sense” or “Definitely understandable” or “I get it” or “I understand.”

You’re saying these things with a nodding of the head, with a manner of speaking and a tone of voice that convey warmth and patience.

Even the most simple of “Yes, Sir” and “Yes, Ma’am” in response to those customer comments affirms them, offers empathy.

In these concise examples of empathy, without much being conveyed in your words specifically about their situation, you have to be more conscious of your body language, tone, and focus.  Those communication tools take on greater importance in ensuring you’re conveying affirmation of the person, even if you’re not necessarily agreeing with any points that may be unfounded or untrue. 

When you’re trying to deliver great customer service, empathy is a must, but that doesn’t mean you have to be so specific, so wordy in every communication.  Sometimes brevity is a beautiful thing.

Convey empathy with a few sincere words balanced by a tone and focus to fit the situation.

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Bear with Me – 3/31/26

Posted on March 31, 2026 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

As a customer, you’ve probably called a company and heard the phrase “bear with me.”  At that point, you know there’s going to be some sort of delay.  The CSR is giving you a heads up that there’s going to be additional wait time.  Essentially, they are trying to reset the customer’s expectations.

As a customer service professional, there are many reasons why you could be delayed in responding to the customer or getting the answer they want quickly while on the phone or face-to-face with them.  This can even happen when the customer’s accessing the online chat platform, and we’re trying to provide that professional answer quickly.  So, if we want to find some professional phrases to communicate to the customer, here are a few to consider:

  • This process will take about a minute. Thanks for your patience.
  • The computer is running a little slow today, so I apologize, Ms. Jefferson.
  • Looks like it’s going to take a couple of minutes to access the information, so please stay on the line.
  • I’m moving on to the last step in the process. That means we’re almost done.
  • I’m awaiting a response from the escalation team, and then I’ll be able to provide you an answer.
  • I’m in the process of pulling up the details on your account, and it takes a little while, so please bear with me for another minute or so.
  • Just confirming a couple details on the system, and then we’ll be ready to address your question.

 
Notice some of the common themes: (1) If you have an accurate sense of timing, give them a specific timeline. (2) Let them know you’re working on their behalf. (3) It’s OK to subtly blame the system, but avoid blaming the co-worker. (4) Note that you’re appreciative of them and their patience. (5) Let them know that what you’re doing is for them.

When things are moving slowly for you, don’t panic, and don’t keep your customer in the dark.

Professionally reset their expectations in that moment of delay.

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