Customer service representatives are unique, one-of-a-kind, out of this world, agents of kindness! They talk to hundreds of customers who have a wide range of attitudes and personalities. Every phone call, every chat and every e-mail does provide an opportunity to showcase what makes your organization different. 

Answering the Phone
1. Your customer will decide whether you will be helpful and kind in the first 5 seconds. That is about how long it will take you to say your greeting. Speak up, perk up and use your voice to uplift your customer.

2. Intentionally add specific polite wording and comments that help shape a positive image for you and the organization that you represent.  Your customer likes to hear courteous wording such as please, thank you and “May I have?”

3. If you have long hold times or sense your customer is frustrated as the conversation begins, respond with something like, “Thank you for taking the time to call us today.”

4. Your closing comment will be ringing in your customer’s ears after the call is over. Use your customer’s name, speak with a cheerful voice and end with a thank you so that your customer will smile and follow your example in his/her next conversation.

Automated Message
1. Once a month, go through your automated phone messaging system and evaluate it from your customer’s perspective. Go into the customer service queue and see what happens while your customer is on hold and being transferred.

2. The voice on the recording should be upbeat.  A common mistake is to have multiple voices on your message which give the impression of disorganization. 

3. The options a customer can choose from should make sense to your customer.

4. Music choice mistakes include loud, inappropriate wording in the song(s), or the same loop plays over and over while the customer in on hold.

Voice mail
1. Your personal voice mail message is an extension of you.  Who would want to call back someone who sounds tired or unprofessional in their message?  Your voice needs to be both clear and energetic. From your customer’s point of view, the best message will include the date and an idea of when a return call may be expected.
Example: This is Lori Miller and this message is for March 1st. I will be out of the office until 1:00. I look forward to returning your call this afternoon…
2. When you leave a voice mail message, have a nice opening comment and a confident, clear voice. This is critical when you are calling back a customer who may have been experiencing some challenges with service or billing, for example. Your message can open the door for a positive follow up interaction.

Kindness is free. Throw it around like confetti!