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Look For The Common Ground |
| Psychologists call it "implicit egotism," and it means people tend to like other people who are similar to them. Finding common topics of interest when talking with a customer shows interest and capitalizes on this facet of human nature. |
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Use CARP |
| There are 4 stages in CARP |
- Controlling the situation
- Acknowledging the problem
- Refocusing the conversation
- Problem-solving with the customer
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Hang A Lantern On Mistakes |
| This is the practice of pointing out a problem early on to help people accept it without undue emotional involvement. |
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Practice Active Listening |
| There are four components to active listening: |
- Clarifying: Asking questions to make sure you understand a customer's ideas.
- Paraphrasing: Rewording what a customer just said to confirm you understand.
- Paraphrasing: Rewording what a customer just said to confirm you understand.
- Summarizing: Finishing a conversation with a quick summary of the most important points ensures that everyone's on the same page.
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Say "I Don't Know" |
| It's tempting to make something up or take your best guess when somebody thinks you're an expert, but it's a mistake. Instead, admit it by saying, "I don't know, but here's what I'll do to find out." Then set a time to get back to your customer with an answer. |
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Watch Your Language |
| It means watching your everyday customer service language for opportunities to make an impression.Three places to look are: |
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- Authenticity: Do your words sound like a personal connection, or are they corporate boilerplate?
- Positivity: Are you focusing on the best part of an interaction, even when it's an opportunity to improve?
- Memorability: Can you, in an appropriate way, stop a customer in his tracks with a particularly clever, funny or meaningful phrase?
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