Receiving a call from a customer could present you with any number of scenarios. They could be strong and steadfast who is able to conduct their business quickly. They could be recently bereaved and be struggling to maintain their composure over the phone, or they could be obviously weepy over the phone. Whatever the situation you find yourself faced with you need to treat the individual on the other end of the line with dignity and compassion. Here are some things to remember when you are working on the frontline.
1. Acknowledgement
The individual that you may be talking to will have to divulge some delicate and possibly painful information to you. This will be hard to express and once they have done it is important that you acknowledge that they have. If they say that they have had a recent bereavement, do not just brush over the fact show them some compassion by offering a condolence such as, “I’m sorry to hear that.” or even “I am sorry for your loss.” This can go a long way in making the person on the other end of the phone feel heard and understood as you may not be the first person that they have had to discuss their business with.
2. Patience
Having patience is key as it can give the person on the other end of the line the confidence to talk to you. You may be feeling frustrated that day as you could have had a particularly difficult customer on the phone or something else may have happened to you that day that has made you feel exasperated. However, what you need to remember is that the customer on the other end of the phone is also having a difficult day. Show empathy in their situation by giving them the time and space to give you all of the information that you need to do your job and help them.
3. Solicitous
The task that is presented to you could be a lengthy one and could take a lot of time and effort to complete or at least help the customer get onto the right track. You may want to get rid of them as soon as you can because your lunch break is looming or even the chance to grab a drink. Nevertheless, you are on the frontline and you are there to help in any way that you can. So when you come to the end of your business with the customer at the end of the phone ask them, “Is there anything else that I can help you with?” There well may be something else that they needed your help on and forgot. That simple question could be the one that reminds them and gives them closure on the business they needed to tackle that day. When signing off you could also remember to offer your condolences again, showing them that they were talking to a human and not a robot.