Choose Word Carefully

Choose Words Carefully

Some only serve to drive customers away.

The key ingredient in customer service is the customer. Each one should feel heard, understood, and like a company’s highest priority. But sometimes even well-intentioned customer service reps use words or phrases that can be turn-offs. Negative words and phrases help make your customers— and your potential customers— veer away from the important points of the conversation, and can affect how they view your business. Here are a few phrases to eliminate.

“No Problem”

Overused and abused, “no problem” appears to be a big problem with customers. The customer thinks, “Am I a problem?” When someone says, “thank you,” you simply need to respond with the gold standard: “You’re welcome.”

“Calm Down”

When a person is told to “calm down,” the next words are usually: “Don’t tell me to calm down.” The response is understandable, as it’s not up to us to tell anyone how to act. There are times when a client may need to vent. As a customer service representative, your job is to listen and respond with sympathetic and empathetic wording.

“Yes, but…”

The minute we use “yes, but” as an answer, the client knows something negative is coming. Keep the conversation positive, so customers know you are working with them.

Nancy Friedman is a former franchisor and a popular customer service speaker. She is founder and president of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training in St. Louis, MO. Contact Nancy at nancy@telephonedoctor.com or visit www.nancyfriedman.com