It’s challenging work answering a customer service hotline at a call center, and very often the customer doesn’t make it any easier. But it’s precisely the fact the caller is looking for answers that gives the agent the advantage: a call is simply an exchange of information, the person with more of it gets to play the authority figure longer. You have more of it, dictate how a call proceeds and you help yourself and your customer.
Image by The Poss via Flickr
More often than not, what happens at the start of a call decides how the rest of it takes place. Show the caller who’s in charge right away, especially when you pick up and the person on the line’s already angry. Start with remembering to speak clearly, that may sound obvious but the purpose is to avoid introducing distractions an angry caller can dwell on.
Speaking in a calm, unaffected voice from the start also makes it easier when you have to be the bearer of bad news: if you have to say something negative, say it right at the beginning. Send the message the company you’re working customer service for treats the customer just as honestly and fairly when they deny a request they can’t grant. If it’s only delayed, reminding the caller to open the conversation lets them know the company is at least paying attention.
Then there’s the possibility the caller misunderstood the problem to the point of exaggerating it, or only needs it explained clearly. In any case, taking the initiative to state the facts, even if the caller doesn’t like them, shows it’s the agent who sets the agenda. Which is your part to do since you have the training; customer service is a job that requires measurable skills. Answering a call is as much about the quality of the service as it is about the experience.
And here’s a tip: always save the good news for last. The timing alone can mean the difference between a caller appreciating a customer service agent for softening the blow, or calling the agent a liar for raising their hopes.
