1) Use A Proper Greeting.
This is the moment when first impressions begin. “Good morning,” “Hello,” and “Hi” are all good choices. Avoid greetings like: “Howdy Doody,” “Hey there,” or referring to your customers as “Babe,” “Honey,” “Dear,” or “Sweetie Pie.”
2) Be Conversational but Not Overly Chummy.
It’s great to chat with customers and ask them “How are you?” However, you shouldn’t treat customers too casually—like old friends who just walked into your living room. They might find it disrespectful. Avoid phrases like: “What’s up?” “How goes it?” and “What’s happening?”
3) Don’t Use Slang and Acronyms.
You’re not texting. You’re having a professional conversation. When you use slang or acronyms, your customers might not understand what you’re saying. Customers may also feel your approach is a little too laid back or indifferent. Avoid phrases like: “You guys,” “Dude,” “No worries,” “Huh?” “Wanna” “BTW” and “Oh-Em-Gee.”
4) Never Start with a Negative.
Rather than starting your sentence with an automatic “no,” try starting with a “yes.” Voicing negativity, according to the article Words can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman, releases stress chemicals in your brain and your listener’s brain. The article notes “the listener will experience increased anxiety and irritability, thus undermining cooperation and trust.” Try saying “What I can do is …” rather than “no.”
5) Keep the “Buts” Out.
The word “but” often nullifies any positive words that precede it. For example, if you say, “We value you, but …”— customers will only hear the words after the “but” and will not believe they are valued. “But” can trigger mistrust. Try replacing “but” with “however.”
6) Choose Empathy Over Orders.
Telling upset customers to “calm down” doesn’t tend to work. The book “Crucial Conversations” states: “It’s not such a good idea to tell others that they need to calm down or that they need to take some time out. They may need the time, but it’s hard to suggest it without coming off as patronizing.” Try expressing compassion instead by saying, “I can see you are very upset.”
7) Shun Phrases that are Hopeless and Helpless.
You want customers to feel that your service is reliable. Phrases like “There’s nothing I can do,” “I’m going on break,” and “That’s not my job,” do not instill trust with your customers. Your customers should never feel lost or abandoned. If you can’t personally help your customer, try saying, “Please allow me to find out for you” or “I will find someone who can better assist you with …”.
8) Don’t Ask Customers To Solve Their Own Problems.
Customers may need to give you information, fill out a form, or make a phone call in order to resolve a situation. However, when you begin by telling customers, “You need to …” your customers might be annoyed and think you’re making them do extra work. Although you might require their participation, try keeping the focus on the service you’re delivering by asking, “Can you provide me with ….”
9) Accept Responsibility.
Your customers want problem resolution—not blame and excuses. They don’t want to hear “It’s the computer’s fault” or “It is District policy.” Keep your words focused on solutions rather than blaming the system, colleagues or technology. Reassure your customer by saying, “Let me see what I can do for you.”
10) Don’t Argue with Your Customer.
Your customer may be right. Or your customer may be wrong. Either way, you need to avoid an argument. Saying to your customer, “That could never happen here!” will only aggravate a situation. Try to evoke a more cooperative attitude by saying, “I am so sorry you had that experience.”
There’s poetry to customer service. When you choose your words wisely, you represent your organization with professionalism, grace, discretion, consideration and respect. You appear responsive and reliable, and you set a tone for your customer service that will leave a favorable impression with your customers.
