nedifer
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Posts
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I've always found that the best way to get the best customer service (whether working with a small or large company) is to approach every situation with courtesy, humor and empathy for the person on the other end. Being pleasant and cheerful goes a long way toward greasing the wheels even in a difficult situation. And, if that doesn't work, before exploding just endeavor to work your way up the chain (lead, 2nd tier tech, supervisor, etc.).
Sometimes push back can be necessary depending on who you are working with, but I find that by starting off pleasantly you can almost always avoid that. People who assume that the only way to get what they want is to rant and be abusive seem to have become more prevalent in this disconnected, Internet era (one disadvantage of direct sales, I am sure!).
I remember once working for Extension at a large university when someone called up irate that her class had been cancelled due to low enrollment. She was livid, abusive and profane at me for 15 minutes with me barely able to get a word in edgewise. Finally, after trying to explain why it was cancelled and offering alternatives, all to no avail, I had a brain storm. I told her, 'hang on a minute, I think I might have someone who can help you' and flipped through the campus directory until I found the number for the garbage collection office (the phone system was campus-wide) and transferred her.
Needless to say, she called back in less than a minute and my boss asked why I wasn't answering the phone. I quickly explained the situation to her and she took the call and talked the woman back down from the ledge. Later, she asked that if anyone that abusive called again I should relay the call to her rather than garbage collection, but she was chuckling all the while (as she agreed with my assessment of the caller's behavior...)
Sometimes push back can be necessary depending on who you are working with, but I find that by starting off pleasantly you can almost always avoid that. People who assume that the only way to get what they want is to rant and be abusive seem to have become more prevalent in this disconnected, Internet era (one disadvantage of direct sales, I am sure!).
I remember once working for Extension at a large university when someone called up irate that her class had been cancelled due to low enrollment. She was livid, abusive and profane at me for 15 minutes with me barely able to get a word in edgewise. Finally, after trying to explain why it was cancelled and offering alternatives, all to no avail, I had a brain storm. I told her, 'hang on a minute, I think I might have someone who can help you' and flipped through the campus directory until I found the number for the garbage collection office (the phone system was campus-wide) and transferred her.
Needless to say, she called back in less than a minute and my boss asked why I wasn't answering the phone. I quickly explained the situation to her and she took the call and talked the woman back down from the ledge. Later, she asked that if anyone that abusive called again I should relay the call to her rather than garbage collection, but she was chuckling all the while (as she agreed with my assessment of the caller's behavior...)