Using positive words and phrases to connect with a listener is widely accepted as a best practice for professional communication in the customer support industry, and for good reason. When your job is to ensure that customer concerns, conflicts, and problems are resolved in ways that work for both the company and the consumer, they become a key way to put people at ease and let them know that you are working for them. Depending on the context of the situation, different techniques can be used to increase customer satisfaction and improve the overall customer experience.
Opening the Call
When customers first call in and describe their needs to you, there are a variety of ways that you can let them know you are here to help, even if you don’t have the answer on hand. These phrases serve to both de-escalate any tension the customer feels and also to help you signal to the customer that you might need to gather more information, but in a supportive way. Approaches include:
- Let’s look at this together.
- I’d love to assist you with that.
- That’s a good question…
- I’d be happy to…
- Certainly. I’m happy to assist you with that today.
Depending on your next step, these techniques can also be used to easily lead customers into the questions you need answered before you can give them more information about their own concerns. They can also give you the time needed to pull up resources, providing a smooth transition into the next phase of the call.
Mid-Call Techniques
There are a few ways to continue showing positivity and support throughout the middle of the call, depending on the customer’s needs. For those who state very clearly what they want, affirmation works well to increase customer satisfaction. Try a variation on “That’s a good choice,” like the ones below:
- This is a very popular item.
- We have had a lot of positive feedback about that item.
- That is one of our most popular offerings.
If you are facing questions and the customer needs assurance, suggestions can often be couched in the form of stories about what other customers have done to be successful, such as:
- Many of our customers prefer…
- Other customers in your position have tried…
- I’m hoping you will enjoy…
Closing a Call
Making sure that a call ends positively is just as important as making sure that the customer is put at ease in the beginning and then supported throughout their experience. If your goal is to improve customer experience over time, then adopting a few key closers will help. Try variations on “It’s been a pleasure to work with you,” and don’t forget to make sure that you ask if there is anything else they need before you close the call. Variations on that might include:
- Your satisfaction is our top priority. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
- I appreciate your patience. Please let me know if I can assist with anything else.
- Is there anything else you need help with?
By letting customers know that you are there until they feel satisfied, you make sure that they have the best possible experience and that they get all their questions answered.
