Ensuring a memorable customer experience can help grow your customer base. To achieve this, it is essential to provide them with excellent customer service, and this involves your customer service team engaging them either face to face or by phone.
That said, there are some things that you should avoid doing as they can ruin your customer experience.
How your words affect customer experience
Words are powerful as they can influence how a customer perceives your brand.
Suppose you are about to wrap up a good conversation with your customer when you said something that your client misunderstood or did not like. That one instance alone can potentially destroy the relationship you carefully built from the onset of your interaction with your customer.
This is why it is important to carefully choose the words and phrases you use in customer service, especially in less personal channels where you don’t get to face the customer.
Improve customer experience by avoiding these phrases
With proper training, customer service representatives should avoid saying things that can adversely affect their interactions with their customers. Here are the top phrases to avoid in a conversation with a customer:
“Your call is important to us.”
At face value, the phrase seems harmless and is just about letting the customer know that their call is valuable for your company. However, repeated use of these words has made it cliché, and many customers see it only as a canned response, which can be annoying.
Refrain from using the phrase and if you are to use it, make sure you express it sincerely and only after you successfully resolve their concerns.
“Unfortunately, we can’t do that.”
Nothing grinds customers’ ears more than hearing you say that you cannot do something for them. They expect you to fix their problems, and telling them you are incapable of it is sure to anger them.
Rather than say these lines, be proactive and tell them you will find a way to fix their issue. This way, you can shape a better customer experience.
“I am sorry you feel that way.”
While empathizing is an objectively excellent customer service practice, you should be careful when using it. Some customers, especially irate ones, tend to find the gesture annoying. If you are to say it, make sure you follow through with a resolution afterward.
Your customer will focus more on your proposed solution than your earlier empathetic statement. Then again, if you discern your customer to be amiable or in high spirits, then saying the phrase is okay.
“You did not hear me right.”
When dealing with a customer, regardless of their disposition, refrain from deliberately saying anything that will make them feel that they are in the wrong.
Whether it is as simple as mishearing you or failing to follow instructions, never emphasize their mistakes. Instead, rephrase what you said and confirm your client’s understanding. Doing so makes the customer’s life easier while avoiding sounding too condescending, ruining their customer experience.
“I am not seeing your account information.”
Being informative is another excellent customer service practice; however, giving the customer too much information may sometimes cause more trouble.
For example, if you do not see your customer’s account information right away, refrain from panicking and just try again. If you see your customer’s account having outstanding fees, for instance, verify the account information with your customer first.
It is also essential to inform your clients of any updates on their accounts or company membership. Try to carefully steer the conversation so as not to cause unwanted anxiety to your customer while letting them know of any relevant information about their accounts.
“This might be an error/glitch.”
Similarly, refrain from impulsively telling your customers that their issue may be caused by internal errors, as this can just create distrust towards your brand.
While being transparent has its merits, it is best to determine first if the problem your customer experienced is an isolated issue or an already existing one. It is also best to find out the complexity of the problem so you know if there is a need for a specialist to handle your client’s case instead.
Offer a genuine apology and reassure the customer that your company is working on resolving the issue.
“I am seeing a canceled….”
If used hastily, this customer service phrase can cause your customers to panic. Until you verify the information you see on your end, do not even bring it up in the conversation.
If you need more time looking for your client’s information, politely ask for their patience. You can also take this opportunity to build rapport with your client, especially if you discern that they have a friendly attitude.
Otherwise, you can politely ask your customers to be placed on hold as you further validate their information. Deliver information only if you are sure it is accurate.
“I’m not sure…”
Expressing signs of uncertainty can create distrust between you and your customer, and you do not want that.
Distrust can make your customers doubt the information you tell them and can potentially escalate, affecting your consumers’ loyalty to your company. Remember, if you are not sure about something, better not say anything.
“No. You are wrong.”
Do not, under any circumstances, tell your customers they are wrong as it is rude and can easily ruin their entire customer experience with your brand. If you feel the need to disagree with your client, present them with facts instead of arguing with them.
For instance, rather than saying they got a particular process wrong, say something like, “ I understand where you are coming from, so let me tell you the process we follow.” This statement makes for an excellent rebuttal as you show them what you can do for them without sounding rude.
4 mental shortcuts for a positive customer experience
If you are having trouble remembering all those phrases, just remember the following:
Avoid condescending words or sentences
These are words that belittle the customer or put the blame on them. Words or phrases along the lines of “If you were listening to me,” or, “That’s not how you do it” can quickly repel your customers no matter your intention.
Avoid fillers
These are the “uh,” “uhm,” “well,” phrases that people tend to use when they are uncertain or do not know what to say.
While minimal use of these expressions is acceptable and understandable, excess usage can lose your customers’ interest and confidence in you.
Avoid excessive apologies
You might think that apologizing to the customers every time you commit an error would be an excellent gesture, but the truth is that saying too much “I am sorry” can annoy your clients.
Customers tend to lose their temper on apologetic customer service representatives.
Avoid making assumptions
Always probe your clients when trying to determine their reason for getting in touch with your company. Refrain from assuming why they are making an interaction with you.
Just because they ended up calling the tech support department does not mean that they have a technical problem. For all you know, they just made a mistake in dialing the hotline, and they were actually interested in contacting your customer service department.
Filter what you say for a positive customer experience
Choosing and saying the correct words and phrases to tell your customers requires a conscious effort. However, you can improve your customer service team’s diplomatic skills with proper training for a more positive customer experience.
