Customers can become easily frustrated when dealing with customer service (CS) agents, especially if they’ve become particularly upset by the service or product.
Customer service is meant to diffuse the situation, but many customers hear the same old phrases, which tend to boil the blood rather than calm the storm. In fact, there are a range of CS phrases and terms that many find aggravating or irritating. Therefore, it’s so important for businesses to make sure their operators are aware of what to say and what not to say!
5 of the top most hated customer service phrases
So, if customers are becoming so annoyed with certain phrases and statements used in their CS exchanges, you probably want to avoid using them. But, what are they?
“Sorry about the wait”
Customers can feel like this phrase isn’t genuine or maybe that it’s a phrase used for every customer, making them feel less valued and like just another name on a screen or a number on a phone. By saying this, you are also opening yourselves for criticism regarding that wait that might not have occurred if it hadn’t been brought up. To counteract this, you should try to maintain communication throughout the engagement, even if you are researching something or waiting for a response, so you can avoid having to apologise for leaving a customer hanging.
“That’s not something I can do”
Not only does this make it seem like you have no power (which you might not), it’s very unhelpful to the customer to hear that a customer service operator can’t do something. If you can’t help with that certain task, either offer to help with something else (if the situation is right) or pass it on to a higher level who can help them straight away!
“You can find information on our website”
Many customers would rather not contact CS regarding an issue they could find the solution to online. So, by saying you can generally find information there, you are most likely telling them something they already know, unless it’s pointing them in a certain direction to a specific webpage. If you do need to point customers to a certain place on your website or somewhere else online, be specific and give them all the directions they need to find it easily.
“I’m struggling to find your account details”
Admitting you can’t do something is basically waving a red flag in front of a bull – especially if it’s something an operator should easily be able to find. Instead, the advisor should use something like: “did you order using a different account or email address? Is there anything else I can do for you today, while I locate this?” rather than straight up admitting they’re at a loss.
“Let me correct you on that”
This makes it appears the customer is in the wrong, when in fact the operator may have just explained themselves poorly. Not everyone understands everyone at first glance, so operators need to be prepared to repeat themselves or reword statements when needed. Admit fault on your behalf by saying “I must not have explained myself very well, my fault” and work to rectify the situation by rephrasing the sentence so the customer can understand you.
Working in CS can be one of the most stressful and tough jobs out there. When dealing with unhappy customers, it can be easy to revert to phrases like the ones we’ve mentioned above to save time and use minimal effort. Remember, they’re not mad at you, just unhappy with the service or product, so try not to take it personally and remember what you’d like to be said to you. Many of the most hated phrases tend to be because they give the idea there is little personalisation behind the business so try to show your human side wherever appropriate.
Additional Information
Elena Lockett is Marketing Assistant at FMOutsource
For additional information on FMOutsource visit their Website
