Here are some ways to be more personable with your customers.
Treat Your Customers Like a Person and Not a Number. According to Entrepreneur.com, “Customers should never feel like a number in a long list. Instead, they should feel as if they’re involved in a one-on-one conversation.”
Be Friendly and Smile. Being friendly is part of what makes a customer feel good. If a customer feels good they are most likely to use your service again. Remember, they can hear you smiling.
Learn personal facts about your customers. What does your customer do for a living? What are their children’s name? Learning, and remembering, key facts about a customer can make them feel important and respected.
Remember important details about your customer. It’s all in the details. Does your customer prefer to communication through email rather than talk on the phone? Do they prefer to be contacted a certain time of day? Remembering these things about them will go a long way while you are conducting business with them.
Make your customers feel like a top priority. Even if you’re in a situation where you may be overwhelmed and spread thin, it is still important to make it appear as if the customer is your main priority.
Go the extra mile for your customer. Can you remember a time that a business went above and beyond to ensure that you were a satisfied customer? How did that make you feel? Always strive to make your customers feel that way on a daily basis.
Be honest with your customers at all times. Ideally, any business wants to deliver what they’ve promised without any complications or obstacles. Unfortunately that can not always be the case. However, keeping the lines of communication open and always being honest is key to providing an exemplary customer experience.
Treat Your Customers Like a Person and Not a Number. According to Entrepreneur.com, “Customers should never feel like a number in a long list. Instead, they should feel as if they’re involved in a one-on-one conversation.”
Be Friendly and Smile. Being friendly is part of what makes a customer feel good. If a customer feels good they are most likely to use your service again. Remember, they can hear you smiling.
Learn personal facts about your customers. What does your customer do for a living? What are their children’s name? Learning, and remembering, key facts about a customer can make them feel important and respected.
Remember important details about your customer. It’s all in the details. Does your customer prefer to communication through email rather than talk on the phone? Do they prefer to be contacted a certain time of day? Remembering these things about them will go a long way while you are conducting business with them.
Make your customers feel like a top priority. Even if you’re in a situation where you may be overwhelmed and spread thin, it is still important to make it appear as if the customer is your main priority.
Go the extra mile for your customer. Can you remember a time that a business went above and beyond to ensure that you were a satisfied customer? How did that make you feel? Always strive to make your customers feel that way on a daily basis.
Be honest with your customers at all times. Ideally, any business wants to deliver what they’ve promised without any complications or obstacles. Unfortunately that can not always be the case. However, keeping the lines of communication open and always being honest is key to providing an exemplary customer experience.
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How do you use emotion to improve customer relationships?
Here’s are some easy-to-implement tactics you can use to instantly create deeper emotional connections with your customers.
Body Language
Smile
Smiling – even fake smiling – increases positive emotions. Research based on the “facial-feedback hypothesis” suggests that the action of making a facial expression correlates with our feelings about that expression. Human beings can also distinguish vocal intonation between someone who’s smiling and someone who isn’t, as well as the type of smile. So, smile, even if you’re not face-to-face with a customer. Disgruntled customers will not be smiling, so it’s your job to help bring them up. What better way to say “I’m here to help” than a smile?
Don’t slouch in your seat when speaking to a customer
Practice active sitting. If you’ve got a job which demands that you sit in a cube or at a desk, sit up straight. Aside from benefits to your posture, sitting up straight will help reduce back pain later in life. Most importantly, doing so makes you happier and increases productivity. An article in Fast Company points out that sitting straight increases the likelihood of having positive memories, or just thinking of something positive in general. More positive customer service agents are the first step to happier customers.
Nod in agreement
A study conducted by Ohio University found that how we feel about something may be subconsciously impacted by our physical actions. When people nod in agreement or shake their head in disagreement, we can assume that they agree or disagree with what we’re saying. Implications for your contact center? Even if you’re on the phone with a customer, nod in agreement as they explain (whether legitimate or not) their issue. You’ll find it helps you understand their point of view, and their scuffle.
Uncross your arms when you’re helping a customer
Retail customer service representatives, especially, should refrain from crossing their arms when helping someone. Always maintain professional etiquette. When your arms are down to the side, or gesturing as you speak, you’re giving an implicit signal that you’re excited to help.
Friendliness
Say “thank you”
As customer service expert Richard Shapiro points out, customers ought to be thanked at every opportunity. This includes thanking someone after they swipe a loyalty card, for instance. Recognize the fact that customers have opted in to sign up, join, or buy an additional item, and thank them for their continued business. Bonus points if you can get the customer thanking you, too. This means you’ve done something right.
Always say something positive in every interaction with every customer
Okay, so not every interaction you have with a customer – certainly those handled as complaints – will be of an excessively positive nature. But you and your team can always control your attitude, a critical point to remember working in customer service. If you take it upon yourself to always say something positive, not only will you feel better, so will the person you’re helping.
Never say “I don’t know”
It’s simple: “I don’t know” implies – whether you mean it or not – “I don’t care.” And definitely do not make up answers. It’s perfectly okay not to have answers to every question. Instead, you should say something like: “That is a great question. I’m not sure, but if you give me just one moment, I can try to look it up for you or grab a manager who will be able to assist you further.”
Don’t aggravate customers
If you feel like a conversation is escalating, refrain from the temptation to raise your voice. Don’t feel like you must “win” an argument. Stay focused on resolution, not irritation.
Speak up, and not to mumble
It can be easy to forget that even though you might be working a long shift, a customer is interacting with you for only a brief period of time. Therefore, remember not to get lackadaisical in your dialect. Speak clearly and loudly, as if you were meeting your spouse’s parents for the first time or announcing a ball game.
Ease tension by complimenting your customer
Professionally flattering your customer will ease tension with them. Studies have shown that complimenting someone radically increases endorphins in the brain. Help facilitate these feel good chemicals in customers’ brains for better, calmer, more effective interactions.
Personalization and Individuality
Call the customer by name, if you know it
Today’s technology allows for in-person transactions and service calls to be highly personal. You will have access to people’s name and purchase history. You can use that information to add an element of personalization to every interaction like referencing the customer’s name. “Thank you for your business, Michael” creates a better emotional connection than “Thank you for your business.”
Always identify yourself by name – it’s more human
Conversely, you can let customers know who they’re speaking with. Brick-and-mortar employees almost always have name tags, so this is less evident in those scenarios. But when conducting service in any other mode – over the phone, email, texting, chat or social media – you can help spark a more human connection by letting customers know who they’re speaking with. Because without a name, to them it’s simply how.
Draw a personal connection with the customer
The same way sales teams attempt to draw some kind of personal connection, so too should customer service teams. Sales is to customer acquisition as customer support is to retention. All the more reason to connect with the customer in a way that is unique. Only you can do that.
Come up with a favorite quote or favorite saying, and tell it to a customer every day
Not only will this help your mood, but it will enrich your interactions, and bring a nice surprise to customers. Seth Godin writes about “emotional labor” in his book Linchpin. Emotional labor is your ability to bring your own unique value to a team – be it through conversation, innovative ideas, or revolutionary critical thinking. It’s the thing that’s not in your job description, but that becomes a central part of your value. For example: A greeter who is paid to sit at the entrance and simply welcome customers sings his own short jingle. He is not expected to do this, but he does it to brighten the day of the customer. That’s your task.
Helpfulness, Knowledge, and Truthfulness
Insist on the best fit for the customer, even if it’s not you
Customers respect honesty and transparency. Sometimes, the best course of action is to direct them toward the best solution to their problem, even if that answer isn’t you. They’ll admire your candor and decency; thereby increasing trustworthiness with you and your brand for the future.
Be as transparent as possible
You might think transparency goes against common business sense – that you should always be selling. Often, sales associates give customers a sales pitch or a rehearsed a script. This is what they’ve been trained to say. But it’s not often they give a personal opinion as well. Do both.
Don’t bash your employer, but be willing to acknowledge obvious shortcomings impeding the experience your customer is having, and apologize
Creating an emotional connection is about trust. This sometimes means taking the side of the customer when glaring shortcomings occur. Maybe it’s a systematic error. Maybe it’s a lapse in judgment. Your ability to acknowledge a lackluster experience or less-than-perfect performance will – even if momentarily – help a disgruntled customer stay a little more composed. Customer experience leader Jeanne Bliss wrote that “the measure of your company is determined in the moments of recovery.” If you’ve made a mistake, send a genuine apology, and move forward.
Don’t disregard complaints – take them seriously
True, some complaints are bogus. Some are probably due to people’s lack of action, lack of understanding, or inability to follow instructions. But no matter who or what the complaint is, all must be addressed. Remember, word-of-mouth can be a powerful spark or detractor. Take complaints seriously, and make sure you give due diligence to resolving everything you can. You’re a problem solver, a fixer. Complaints come in all shapes and sizes, but each one should be taken seriously.
Remain caring
Customer experience author Blake Morgan says it’s often more important to make the customer feel cared for than be right – and not to hire people with egos.
Your customers will thank you, and have a better experience, too.
Remain professional, and polite
As an agent, resist the urge to let a customer service call turn into an unfiltered altercation. Remember, they’re not attacking you (usually), they’re just having trouble with your products, services, or account. Those who work in customer service have a responsibility to keep a cool head even when things get hot. Doing so will project confidence, respectfulness, and politeness.
Ensure agents are knowledgeable about products and services
In addition to staying calm, service agents must be knowledgeable about many facets of a company (or at least the function which they support). Being a fountain of information invariably helps customers understand that you are the right person for the job.
Share savings information
Be willing and able to communicate how much a customer saves after a transaction, especially if they used a loyalty card or coupon. This reinforces your commitment to the customer, and that you can help them save in the future.
Keep the focus on the customer, not the company
Your employer may be X. You work for them, but you are not them. Don’t think of yourself and your company as necessarily one-in-the-same. Instead, use your individuality to stay focused on the 1:1 relationship you are building with a customer. Make sure the customer has a great experience, and don’t worry about the success or failure of things out of your control.
Follow customer service experts – and heed their advice!
Use experts as a source of inspiration. Let them be a constant reminder of what great emotional service looks and feels like. A simple way to do this is to create a Twitter list, and add experts you like. Here are a few leading industry experts to get you started:
Be yourself
You do not have to be molded into some kind of rambling, repetitive robot. Your personality is what will evoke emotion in your customer. Let it out!
Creating an Experience
Start the interaction with a bang
Be genuinely interested in helping to bring a customer to resolution as seamlessly as possible. Ensure you’re not speaking in a mundane tone – you are not a recording. Everyone has different personalities, so you don’t want to be fake. But you should speak, initially at least, with a sense of enthusiasm.
End the interaction with awe
When we end a human interaction (with a non-family member), what’s the last thing we usually say? Something like:
These are all friendly, polite ways to end a conversation. But don’t be afraid to be remarkable. Now replace those with:
When customers get off the phone, make sure they remember the solution, not the problem.
Create a feeling
The definition of customer service is “whatever the customer feels it is.” Data shows that in both B2B and B2C, emotion is a chief factor driving purchases (more so, in fact, in B2B settings!). While it’s hard to describe how to create a feeling, it’s something that your agents will need to do case-by-case. There’s no hard and fast rule – it’s a general competency for compassion, responsiveness, and sincere care.
Invite customers to join in the club, program or organization
In some cases, feelings of exclusivity, privilege, and belonging – especially coupled with incentives like saving money or building loyalty points – increase customers’ emotional desires to opt-in, sign up, subscribe or join. Most companies offer these kinds of rewards, in some fashion. Appealing to both financial (savings) and personal (birthday specials, anniversary deals) aspects is the ultimate play. Doing so will encourage repeat customers, and future purchases because customers are more invested, both rationally and emotionally.
Anticipate their desires
Be proactive in addressing customers’ concerns – this can help to reduce aggravation in the first place.
Use power words
Using certain power words can help you instantly increase impact and emotional resonance. They include: Approved. Reliable. Authentic. Certified. Recognized. Complete. Endorsed. Guarantee. Lifetime. Money Back. No Obligation. Protected. Proven. Result. Secure. Tested. Unconditional. Trust. Safe.
Get inside customers’ hearts
Customer service expert Bill Quiseng said: “To connect with new customers don’t try to get inside their heads. Get inside their hearts. Create an emotional connection.” Your customers are humans, not piggy banks. Treat them with humanity.
Have a free-flowing, charming conversation
Scripts can help as guidelines, but they shouldn’t be the only thing you say. You have the freedom to feel at ease, and charm customers with your emotion.
Make “magic” for your customer
Perhaps better than any other organization, Disney focuses on creating a magical, emotional customer experience.
Focus on avoiding disappointment, anger, irritation, anxiety, and stress rather than “Wow-ing” customers
Research shows that certain emotions tend to linger more than others. Learn to maximize the positive emotions and minimize the negative. Springer’s Journal on Motivation and Emotion recently found, for instance, that sadness, hatred, anxiety and disappointment all ruminate longer than compassion, being touched, and gratitude. “Emotions that we would normally associate with service failure or customer service problems will last longer than emotions that we would associate with wowing and delighting our customers and providing great customer service,” wrote customer service expert Adrian Swinscoe. Sometimes, it might pay to shift your focus. Take a break from focusing on remarkable experiences, and spend some time thinking about ways you can avoid a negative customer experience that causes negative emotions. Let “remarkable” happen as the natural outcome.
Turn emotion into memory
There’s no debate that customer experience is the new battlefield. So, you need to provide a great customer experience. We’ve covered ways you can do that using emotion. But if you can take the next step, and turn emotion into memory, you’ve gone from creating a great one-time experience to creating something that lasts forever.
Empathize
Next to love, empathy is perhaps the realest of human emotions. It’s the ability to step into someone else’s shoes and understand them. The tough part, especially with customer service, is that often being empathetic means breaking so-called rules. That’s why it’s #1 on my list, and it’s so difficult to do.
Colin Taylor told me “Most organizations train their staff to be dispassionate when interacting with customers. All organizations can deliver improved customer experience by training staff to better understand a customer’s perspective. This includes walking in the customer’s shoes, and displaying empathy in customer interactions…” It’s easy to say “I understand. I get what you’re going through.” Quite tougher to have the flexibility to step outside the boundaries and give a customer leeway on their bill because they’re bankrupt. Or to share a personal story with them to let them know you’re there. Empathy is the most important thing you can do to connect with customers for more emotional experiences.
Conclusion
There you have it –relatively easy-to-implement, surefire ways to move toward more emotional customer service and experiences.
Here’s are some easy-to-implement tactics you can use to instantly create deeper emotional connections with your customers.
Body Language
Smile
Smiling – even fake smiling – increases positive emotions. Research based on the “facial-feedback hypothesis” suggests that the action of making a facial expression correlates with our feelings about that expression. Human beings can also distinguish vocal intonation between someone who’s smiling and someone who isn’t, as well as the type of smile. So, smile, even if you’re not face-to-face with a customer. Disgruntled customers will not be smiling, so it’s your job to help bring them up. What better way to say “I’m here to help” than a smile?
Don’t slouch in your seat when speaking to a customer
Practice active sitting. If you’ve got a job which demands that you sit in a cube or at a desk, sit up straight. Aside from benefits to your posture, sitting up straight will help reduce back pain later in life. Most importantly, doing so makes you happier and increases productivity. An article in Fast Company points out that sitting straight increases the likelihood of having positive memories, or just thinking of something positive in general. More positive customer service agents are the first step to happier customers.
Nod in agreement
A study conducted by Ohio University found that how we feel about something may be subconsciously impacted by our physical actions. When people nod in agreement or shake their head in disagreement, we can assume that they agree or disagree with what we’re saying. Implications for your contact center? Even if you’re on the phone with a customer, nod in agreement as they explain (whether legitimate or not) their issue. You’ll find it helps you understand their point of view, and their scuffle.
Uncross your arms when you’re helping a customer
Retail customer service representatives, especially, should refrain from crossing their arms when helping someone. Always maintain professional etiquette. When your arms are down to the side, or gesturing as you speak, you’re giving an implicit signal that you’re excited to help.
Friendliness
Say “thank you”
As customer service expert Richard Shapiro points out, customers ought to be thanked at every opportunity. This includes thanking someone after they swipe a loyalty card, for instance. Recognize the fact that customers have opted in to sign up, join, or buy an additional item, and thank them for their continued business. Bonus points if you can get the customer thanking you, too. This means you’ve done something right.
Always say something positive in every interaction with every customer
Okay, so not every interaction you have with a customer – certainly those handled as complaints – will be of an excessively positive nature. But you and your team can always control your attitude, a critical point to remember working in customer service. If you take it upon yourself to always say something positive, not only will you feel better, so will the person you’re helping.
Never say “I don’t know”
It’s simple: “I don’t know” implies – whether you mean it or not – “I don’t care.” And definitely do not make up answers. It’s perfectly okay not to have answers to every question. Instead, you should say something like: “That is a great question. I’m not sure, but if you give me just one moment, I can try to look it up for you or grab a manager who will be able to assist you further.”
Don’t aggravate customers
If you feel like a conversation is escalating, refrain from the temptation to raise your voice. Don’t feel like you must “win” an argument. Stay focused on resolution, not irritation.
Speak up, and not to mumble
It can be easy to forget that even though you might be working a long shift, a customer is interacting with you for only a brief period of time. Therefore, remember not to get lackadaisical in your dialect. Speak clearly and loudly, as if you were meeting your spouse’s parents for the first time or announcing a ball game.
Ease tension by complimenting your customer
Professionally flattering your customer will ease tension with them. Studies have shown that complimenting someone radically increases endorphins in the brain. Help facilitate these feel good chemicals in customers’ brains for better, calmer, more effective interactions.
Personalization and Individuality
Call the customer by name, if you know it
Today’s technology allows for in-person transactions and service calls to be highly personal. You will have access to people’s name and purchase history. You can use that information to add an element of personalization to every interaction like referencing the customer’s name. “Thank you for your business, Michael” creates a better emotional connection than “Thank you for your business.”
Always identify yourself by name – it’s more human
Conversely, you can let customers know who they’re speaking with. Brick-and-mortar employees almost always have name tags, so this is less evident in those scenarios. But when conducting service in any other mode – over the phone, email, texting, chat or social media – you can help spark a more human connection by letting customers know who they’re speaking with. Because without a name, to them it’s simply how.
Draw a personal connection with the customer
The same way sales teams attempt to draw some kind of personal connection, so too should customer service teams. Sales is to customer acquisition as customer support is to retention. All the more reason to connect with the customer in a way that is unique. Only you can do that.
Come up with a favorite quote or favorite saying, and tell it to a customer every day
Not only will this help your mood, but it will enrich your interactions, and bring a nice surprise to customers. Seth Godin writes about “emotional labor” in his book Linchpin. Emotional labor is your ability to bring your own unique value to a team – be it through conversation, innovative ideas, or revolutionary critical thinking. It’s the thing that’s not in your job description, but that becomes a central part of your value. For example: A greeter who is paid to sit at the entrance and simply welcome customers sings his own short jingle. He is not expected to do this, but he does it to brighten the day of the customer. That’s your task.
Helpfulness, Knowledge, and Truthfulness
Insist on the best fit for the customer, even if it’s not you
Customers respect honesty and transparency. Sometimes, the best course of action is to direct them toward the best solution to their problem, even if that answer isn’t you. They’ll admire your candor and decency; thereby increasing trustworthiness with you and your brand for the future.
Be as transparent as possible
You might think transparency goes against common business sense – that you should always be selling. Often, sales associates give customers a sales pitch or a rehearsed a script. This is what they’ve been trained to say. But it’s not often they give a personal opinion as well. Do both.
Don’t bash your employer, but be willing to acknowledge obvious shortcomings impeding the experience your customer is having, and apologize
Creating an emotional connection is about trust. This sometimes means taking the side of the customer when glaring shortcomings occur. Maybe it’s a systematic error. Maybe it’s a lapse in judgment. Your ability to acknowledge a lackluster experience or less-than-perfect performance will – even if momentarily – help a disgruntled customer stay a little more composed. Customer experience leader Jeanne Bliss wrote that “the measure of your company is determined in the moments of recovery.” If you’ve made a mistake, send a genuine apology, and move forward.
Don’t disregard complaints – take them seriously
True, some complaints are bogus. Some are probably due to people’s lack of action, lack of understanding, or inability to follow instructions. But no matter who or what the complaint is, all must be addressed. Remember, word-of-mouth can be a powerful spark or detractor. Take complaints seriously, and make sure you give due diligence to resolving everything you can. You’re a problem solver, a fixer. Complaints come in all shapes and sizes, but each one should be taken seriously.
Remain caring
Customer experience author Blake Morgan says it’s often more important to make the customer feel cared for than be right – and not to hire people with egos.
Your customers will thank you, and have a better experience, too.
Remain professional, and polite
As an agent, resist the urge to let a customer service call turn into an unfiltered altercation. Remember, they’re not attacking you (usually), they’re just having trouble with your products, services, or account. Those who work in customer service have a responsibility to keep a cool head even when things get hot. Doing so will project confidence, respectfulness, and politeness.
Ensure agents are knowledgeable about products and services
In addition to staying calm, service agents must be knowledgeable about many facets of a company (or at least the function which they support). Being a fountain of information invariably helps customers understand that you are the right person for the job.
Share savings information
Be willing and able to communicate how much a customer saves after a transaction, especially if they used a loyalty card or coupon. This reinforces your commitment to the customer, and that you can help them save in the future.
Keep the focus on the customer, not the company
Your employer may be X. You work for them, but you are not them. Don’t think of yourself and your company as necessarily one-in-the-same. Instead, use your individuality to stay focused on the 1:1 relationship you are building with a customer. Make sure the customer has a great experience, and don’t worry about the success or failure of things out of your control.
Follow customer service experts – and heed their advice!
Use experts as a source of inspiration. Let them be a constant reminder of what great emotional service looks and feels like. A simple way to do this is to create a Twitter list, and add experts you like. Here are a few leading industry experts to get you started:
- Shep Hyken (@hyken)
- Bill Quiseng (@billquiseng)
- Jeanne Bliss (@jeannebliss)
- Bruce Temkin (@btemkin)
- Sean B. Hawkins (@seanbhawkins)
Be yourself
You do not have to be molded into some kind of rambling, repetitive robot. Your personality is what will evoke emotion in your customer. Let it out!
Creating an Experience
Start the interaction with a bang
Be genuinely interested in helping to bring a customer to resolution as seamlessly as possible. Ensure you’re not speaking in a mundane tone – you are not a recording. Everyone has different personalities, so you don’t want to be fake. But you should speak, initially at least, with a sense of enthusiasm.
End the interaction with awe
When we end a human interaction (with a non-family member), what’s the last thing we usually say? Something like:
- “Have a good day.”
- “Have a nice night.”
- “See you tomorrow.”
- “You guys have a great night.”
- “Talk to you later.”
These are all friendly, polite ways to end a conversation. But don’t be afraid to be remarkable. Now replace those with:
- “Make today fantastic!”
- “Have a wonderful evening!”
- “I’m looking forward to seeing you soon!”
- “I really enjoyed our conversation.”
When customers get off the phone, make sure they remember the solution, not the problem.
Create a feeling
The definition of customer service is “whatever the customer feels it is.” Data shows that in both B2B and B2C, emotion is a chief factor driving purchases (more so, in fact, in B2B settings!). While it’s hard to describe how to create a feeling, it’s something that your agents will need to do case-by-case. There’s no hard and fast rule – it’s a general competency for compassion, responsiveness, and sincere care.
Invite customers to join in the club, program or organization
In some cases, feelings of exclusivity, privilege, and belonging – especially coupled with incentives like saving money or building loyalty points – increase customers’ emotional desires to opt-in, sign up, subscribe or join. Most companies offer these kinds of rewards, in some fashion. Appealing to both financial (savings) and personal (birthday specials, anniversary deals) aspects is the ultimate play. Doing so will encourage repeat customers, and future purchases because customers are more invested, both rationally and emotionally.
Anticipate their desires
Be proactive in addressing customers’ concerns – this can help to reduce aggravation in the first place.
Use power words
Using certain power words can help you instantly increase impact and emotional resonance. They include: Approved. Reliable. Authentic. Certified. Recognized. Complete. Endorsed. Guarantee. Lifetime. Money Back. No Obligation. Protected. Proven. Result. Secure. Tested. Unconditional. Trust. Safe.
Get inside customers’ hearts
Customer service expert Bill Quiseng said: “To connect with new customers don’t try to get inside their heads. Get inside their hearts. Create an emotional connection.” Your customers are humans, not piggy banks. Treat them with humanity.
Have a free-flowing, charming conversation
Scripts can help as guidelines, but they shouldn’t be the only thing you say. You have the freedom to feel at ease, and charm customers with your emotion.
Make “magic” for your customer
Perhaps better than any other organization, Disney focuses on creating a magical, emotional customer experience.
Focus on avoiding disappointment, anger, irritation, anxiety, and stress rather than “Wow-ing” customers
Research shows that certain emotions tend to linger more than others. Learn to maximize the positive emotions and minimize the negative. Springer’s Journal on Motivation and Emotion recently found, for instance, that sadness, hatred, anxiety and disappointment all ruminate longer than compassion, being touched, and gratitude. “Emotions that we would normally associate with service failure or customer service problems will last longer than emotions that we would associate with wowing and delighting our customers and providing great customer service,” wrote customer service expert Adrian Swinscoe. Sometimes, it might pay to shift your focus. Take a break from focusing on remarkable experiences, and spend some time thinking about ways you can avoid a negative customer experience that causes negative emotions. Let “remarkable” happen as the natural outcome.
Turn emotion into memory
There’s no debate that customer experience is the new battlefield. So, you need to provide a great customer experience. We’ve covered ways you can do that using emotion. But if you can take the next step, and turn emotion into memory, you’ve gone from creating a great one-time experience to creating something that lasts forever.
Empathize
Next to love, empathy is perhaps the realest of human emotions. It’s the ability to step into someone else’s shoes and understand them. The tough part, especially with customer service, is that often being empathetic means breaking so-called rules. That’s why it’s #1 on my list, and it’s so difficult to do.
Colin Taylor told me “Most organizations train their staff to be dispassionate when interacting with customers. All organizations can deliver improved customer experience by training staff to better understand a customer’s perspective. This includes walking in the customer’s shoes, and displaying empathy in customer interactions…” It’s easy to say “I understand. I get what you’re going through.” Quite tougher to have the flexibility to step outside the boundaries and give a customer leeway on their bill because they’re bankrupt. Or to share a personal story with them to let them know you’re there. Empathy is the most important thing you can do to connect with customers for more emotional experiences.
Conclusion
There you have it –relatively easy-to-implement, surefire ways to move toward more emotional customer service and experiences.
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