The 7 Essential Elements of Customer Communication

Happy Alexander Graham Bell Day! It was 141 years ago today that the Scottish inventor was granted a patent for the technology that would eventually be known as the telephone. To honor this achievement, the day was recognized by legislature in Bell’s later homeland, Nova Scotia, Canada.

From Bell’s first crackling telephone call to Watson to the myriad of communication tools we have now, clear and timely communication with your customers has never been more complex. With customer service issues posted to social media and 24/7 call center expectations, keeping your customers happy is a monster job. Despite the channel proliferation, some tried and true tips will carry you through effective and productive interactions with your customers, whether they’re reaching out via an old school landline or chatting from their smart watch.

1. Take the time to listen, actively.

Everyone wants to be heard, and your customers are no different. Don’t assume you know where they’re going with their call; in trying to expedite things, you may wind up interrupting and frustrating them. Instead, hear them out. Also, let the caller know you’re with them through brief verbal interjections; confirmations such as “I see” let the speaker know there’s someone taking it all in on the other end.

2. Be empathetic.

Not only do you want to utilize “people persons” in customer support roles, you want some with healthy senses of empathy. Your reps should know how to read your customers’ moods and be able to understand their trigger points. They should know what it’s like to be on the other end of that dialogue and feel their pain or frustration – and turn it into a dignified moment of positive interaction. As a bonus, if you have support teams who feel like they’re part of the customers’ worlds (as we do by assigning Mods to projects for which they have an innate passion), then you’re already ahead of the game.

3. Be considerate of those who have trouble with technology.

We’ve all seen the memes and read the stories about callers whose bafflement with some of the tools we take for granted led to the creation of the acronym PEBKAC. Keep in mind that everyone takes to tech at different speeds, and be ready to adjust accordingly. Minimize the use of confusing terminology. Try to use analogies to explain technical concepts to your callers; for example, when describing browser or site security, paint a verbal picture of a secured building (such as a bank) and layer in the details in that manner.

4. Anticipate questions and problems.

As you deal with customers from around the globe, as we do 24/7, you see patterns in problems and customer responses that you can work to get in front of. Have a customer who knows a bit about the problem at hand, but not as much as they think they do? Word your end of the conversation to use that level of knowledge as a jumping-off point. Curating a robust knowledge base allows your more base-level agents to provide quality assistance to your audience in an expeditious manner.

5. Keep the customer informed — on their preferred channel.

Don’t keep your customer in the dark. If you plan to get back to them within 24 hours, let them know that. Set their expectations (and then try to exceed them). Waiting on a vital bit of information or a product shipment? Keep your customer in the loop. If they express an interest in communicating through a specific channel, do your best to maintain your conversation in that same channel. Don’t expect them to bend over backwards to access important updates.

6. Be a mystery shopper with your support team.

This concept isn’t just for real-world retailers. Want to know how your team is treating your customers? Sure, you can always go to the audiotape (if we may date ourselves). That’s why we’re always being warned that our telephoned pleas for help are being recorded “for quality assurance purposes.” Go one step beyond and get on the horn or behind the keyboard and reach out yourself. Play the part of a flummoxed buyer. Go ahead, be confused. Be annoying. Put your team to the test. The results may be enlightening.

7. Bring in outside professionals to help.

Sometimes you have to know when to call in the troops. Maybe you have a major product launch. Perhaps your team is planning concurrent vacations. Don’t make your customers pay the price with longer hold times and harried reps. Look to bring in a managed team of professionals in your space who are comfortable with your tools and fans of your brand. Staff up as needed without going through the hassle of hiring and training. And pay only for the coverage you need. We know just the folks you should call.

 
“Alexander Graham Bell Museum” by Espino Family is licensed under CC BY 2.0.