2 min read
Using positive language is one thing that can truly improve the customer service of your business. It allows your potential customers to know what you can do instead of what you can't do. Additionally, using positive language can be helpful when delivering bad news or telling a customer that you're unable to do something that they have asked.
So how do you use positive language to improve the customer service of your business?
- Highlight the positive in every situation.
- Make sure to emphasize what your business can do for the customer.
- Always be willing to help and find options that may suit the customer's needs.
- When you have to say no, be empathetic and explain the reasons why.
There are some phrases that you'll want to avoid no matter if you're speaking to a customer on the phone, via email, or in-person. Phrases like "I don't know...", "We can't...", and "That's impossible!" are never helpful. In fact, using those phrases will only make the customer feel like you don't value them. Ultimately, using negative phrases could lead to poor reviews which could send your potential customers running the other way.
Imagine contacting a local remodeling company to inquire about the costs of adding a powder room in your home and the employee tells you that they "couldn't tell you how much it would cost." Even if the employee doesn't know how much the powder room addition will cost, they should still make an effort to get that information to you even if it means asking someone else.
There are many positive phrases that you'll want to use when addressing customers. Using phrases like "I would be happy to..." or "Let me know how I can help" will make a customer feel valued which will increase the confidence that they have in your business.
Imagine calling a custom home builder to find out if they would be willing to build a home on your heavily wooded lot and they tell you "That may be challenging, but let's discuss some options." Instead of telling you no or it's impossible, they go out of their way to find options that will work for you. This is something that you should always try to do with all of the customers that come into contact with your business.
Let's take a look at three different scenarios that may help you to learn how to use positive language to improve your customer service.
Don't ever say that you don't know or don't have a clue about something. Even if you don't know the answer to a question, you should always take the time to find out (even if you need to confirm with another team member or supervisor). Make sure that you always provide your customers with accurate information even if it takes a moment to collect from others. A customer would rather wait to receive correct information, than to be told something false just to get them off the phone.
Don't ever ask a customer to calm down. This will only escalate the situation! They're upset for a reason and want you to understand why. In this scenario, the customer is upset because their project can't be scheduled until next Fall. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done. You have a schedule to follow and other projects to complete. The best thing that you can do is apologize, thank them for their patience, and assure them that you're looking forward to working on their project in the future.
Unfortunately, nobody can predict when a manufacturer is going to decide to discontinue products. The best thing that you can do in this scenario is apologize, be transparent about why they're no longer available, and try to find a solution that will work for your customer. They may be upset initially, but if you can provide options that are comparable in style and cost, they will be more likely to forgive.
Using positive language is just one of many things that you can do to improve the customer service of your business. If you would like to learn more, subscribe to our blog. Have you tried any strategies that have helped to improve the customer service of your business? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Please feel free to comment below!
