Psychiatric Mommy-Talk supposedly cools the crazed.
A customer has a problem with your product or service. She calls your firm and is confused by the complex auto-answer messaging. Then she has to wait on hold for ten, twenty or thirty minutes. By the time she gets to you she's frothing at the mouth. What do you do?
1. Talk slowly and quietly to ease the frantic mind.
2. No negotiations with nutbars. It doesn't make sense till they become human.
3. Be patronizing like a psychiatrist. Acknowledge her anger but don't agree. "OK. You're really angry about that." [Actually, this drives me crazy because it easily becomes a phony ploy].
4. Use baby-talk like a mommy sympathizing with a child. "Tell me all about it. Oh, I can imagine how that might hurt you". [Animal Wisdom: same as # 3]
5. Ask her what she wants.
6. Tell her what you can do right now. Or, promise to get back to her after you pass the buck.
From: Seth Godin's Blog
The writer says "It’s entirely possible that the steps above won’t work." Wow. Why not post something that will work?
Posted by: laurence haughton | Oct 04, 2006 at 03:52 PM
#6 is vital. If you can't fix it, make sure the customer knows that you'll pass them on to someone who can.
Posted by: Brandon - Call Center Consultant | Nov 16, 2007 at 06:39 PM