Customer Service..The other side of the call

Customer Service is a job title that is often viewed with a great deal of scorn. (Click HERE for one person’s creative vent) You hear nightmare tales of incompetent people, worthless results and endless automated call menus. I work in customer service and have had all these experiences myself. There is another side to an awful customer service call though. My job requires me to spend a great deal of time on the telephone interacting with people in need of a service. I have learned a great deal about customer service, phone etiquette, and non-confrontational conversation techniques. I am much more tolerant of things that used to send me into violent tirades of cobalt language, but there are still things that cause me to hang the phone up with a little more force then is required. Here is, therefore, a list of things to consider when you are on the phone with customer service. (I realize that not everything on this list may apply to your situation but most of them will.)

• Clear Goal – When calling, please try to have some sort of clear goal formed before hand. Try to decide if you are calling to order parts, get technical assistance, inquire about a warranty issue or what ever the case may be, try to be able to state the goal in one sentence. Even if you are researching a product, if you explain to the C.S.R. (Customer Service Representative) what you want to do clearly, they will be able to help you out much more efficiently. We are usually a very talented and knowledgeable group of people but none of us are mind reader and crystal balls are not as reliable as we would like them to be.
• Details – Even the best C.S.R. needs some information in order to do their job. Any information you have regarding the reason you are calling will usually help. Model numbers, serial numbers, part numbers, invoice numbers are all very helpful to a successful service call. Remember, we are depending on you to provide us with some data we can use in order to help answer your question. A good C.S.R. is likely taking note as you converse with them; it is a good idea for you to do the same. It is always a good idea to write down the name of the C.S.R. you are working with as well as the time and date the call was made. This way if there are lingering issues or “follow up” calls to be made, you can work with the same person rather than start all over. Please try to remember to speak clearly and calmly especially when giving part numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, ect. When giving out your phone number remember to give the whole number including the area code.
• Telephone Etiquette – This is a big deal! Proper behavior on the phone will go a long way in making the call a success. One of my biggest irritants is people who talk while eating. I’ve walked away from people for doing this in front of me and I can assure you, having the sound of you wolfing down your favorite snack right in my ear will NOT endear you to me at all. I cannot foresee any situation where the need for food and a phone call should intersect. This also goes for chewing gum. If you are trying to quit smoking then more power to you! Battling your oral fixation, though, is your struggle. Gnawing on a wad of gum or tobacco or sucking on life savers is extremely distracting.
In addition to not eating during the call, excessive multi-tasking is also a poor idea. I realize we all have busy lives and several of my customers are small business owner or even self-employed people trying to make ends meet and time is literally money being made or wasted. However, a customer service call is usually more than a mere friendly chat. In my job, at least, a phone call is an interactive exchange of information which requires the focus of all those involved. Putting me on hold while you answer another call, yell (in my ear) at your barking dog, cuss out your employee, child, McDonalds drive-thru worker, or argue with your wife about the credit card is not very helpful and can make our exchange a great deal less productive. Here is a well put together page regarding telephone etiquette. It is a bit lengthy and was evidently prepared for a college, but much of the material and ideas can be used in most non-social calls.
• Confrontation – As I said above, some of my phone calls are from self-employed individuals with one piece of equipment with which they make a living and provide for their family. Often this equipment is of an older vintage (i.e. equipment originally made in the 1960’s and 70’s) due to the affordability of used machinery versus new. If they have a part break and are not able to use their equipment, they are losing money by the second. When these people call they are already stressed out from the situation. Add to this the possibility that a replacement part has a long lead time, a high price tag or worse is no longer available and you’ve got a situation that can be seconds from explosion. I have learned to handle these situations, but if the call escalates to a personal attack I will terminate the call. If you need to make a customer service regarding a situation that has you feeling frustrated, insulted or dismayed take a minute to calm down before making the call. Please realize that the person who answers that call is not likely the one responsible for your irritation and truly wants to help resolve whatever is troubling you. Try to remain calm, breath, avoid personal attacks and profanity while explaining your concerns. This will go a long way toward achieving the goal of the call.

Dealing with Customer Service can be challenging but you have the power to help make these interactions less soul crushing and much more productive.