# How to engage in customer service Customer service is the art of making people feel more important than they actually are. In general, the skill comes through behaving like a nice person, even when other people are *not* behaving nicely. - Working with customers is a generally unpleasant experience, proportionally to how little you know how to navigate interactions with complete strangers. - There's a way to be polite with customers while also setting boundaries, but it requires using a [higher-context](culture.md) approach than they do. The art of working with the public involves many small details of [tact](people-boundaries.md), but adds behaviors that make the consumer feel important. - One rude clerk will completely offset *hundreds* of well-placed and well-framed [advertisements](marketing.md). - Therefore, it's wise to over-invest into how everyone in an organization interacts with the public. ## Support systems The quality of a customer's interaction starts with the information available to them before they even interact with workers. - Don't simply point them to a knowledge base, since most of them will feel disrespected. - However, giving them access to it at any time may help the more technical customers. - Openly communicate the exact information they need to alleviate most of their frustrations. Then, once they are either frustrated or they've exhausted all useful information, the workers' availability and knowledge determines how they'll feel. - Once an organization is large enough that it has more than one site, it *must* have a written and centralized system. - With computers, the easiest system for keeping track of customers is often as a [database](database.md) with employee-specific [permissions](computers-cysec-authentication.md). There are two major ways to manage the customer's ongoing relationship: 1. Problem-focused - keeping it based on "cases", "tickets", or "events". 2. Customer-focused - basing the information on that individual. Either way, information can fail to present itself to a worker: 1. Problem-focused creates challenges if there's a long-term relationship with the customer (i.e., where issues are resolved, then arise again with no knowledge of former issues). - This isn't usually an issue, but can make [break-fix](https://adequate.life/fix/) difficult. 2. Customer-focused can fail if an issue involves multiple people (i.e., it's not clear where to find the previous information). - While resolving customer issues is often easier, the customer may feel unimportant if they've experienced a repeated that the customer service representative hadn't noticed. The solution is to make sure everyone links the non-automatic information: - Most computer databases, by default, do *not* associate information across multiple database entries unless strictly told to do so. - In problem-focused, link any prior issues associated with the customer. - In customer-focused, link any associated people and entities with them. - No matter what, everyone must make sure they leave sufficient [documentation](language-writing-documentation.md) about what happened, with a focus on how the past events may influence future interactions. Whenever possible, stay [legally safe](legal-safety.md) by keeping a record of everything said, promised, and performed. ## A. Greeting After ringing a doorbell, take a few steps backward to give distance. Always greet them with a smile. - Even over the phone, a smile will transfer intuitively through how your voice sounds. - Alternately, in a high-speed professional position, greet them with an expression of minor overwhelm, followed by a pleasant disposition with them. If everyone is busy, immediately inform the customer that someone will be with them soon. ## B. Attempting solutions Most "fixing" is *not* in [actually fixing problems](https://adequate.life/fix/). - Most of the time, the customer has failed. - It may not always be their fault, especially if the product was [poorly designed](engineering-design.md) or if they have [learning disorders](mind-neurodivergence.md). - Most of the time, though, a customer's ego would never be able to accept their ineptitude. Due to the customer's psychological issues, most technical support must assure a few things: 1. An issue is perfectly typical. 2. The issue is easy to fix (even if it's an annoying process). 3. Imply the issue is standard for the industry (even if it's only [your defective organization's fault](mgmt-badsystems.md)). Do *not* focus on their behavior or problems. - Instead, only focus on what you can do to help them. - If you don't, you'll either risk them believing you've been rude, or you'll grow [bitter](mind-feelings-anger.md) through having to pretend to be nice in the presence of [bad boundaries](people-boundaries.md). For technical matters, expect the customer will be useless. - Sometimes, they're technically qualified, but it's rare. - In the case of a technically qualified customer, try to respect their knowledge, but use industry terminology to indicate what they don't know. For most people, though, the art of technical support is in making them feel like it was a unique problem that wasn't due to their own stupidity. - Instead of asking to simply reboot a device, ask them to restart it and tell you what they observe as it boots. - Don't tell them to check if it's plugged in, but to "unseat" and "reseat" it. - Ask them to unplug the computer at all insertions, blow on the plug to remove any dust or anything interfering with the contacts, then plug it back in. - Often, the cord will be connected to the wall, but not to the device. - Instead of asking them if something is plugged in, ask them to check the plug's prongs for corrosion. - After they check the plug, they'll unconsciously plug the device in if it was unplugged. - Ask them how many pins a connector has, which is useless information but forces them to unplug it and plug it in again. - If it's a network-connected cable, ask them to unplug the line so you can test the exchange on your end but can't do it while their line is active. - Wait 10-15 seconds, then tell them to reinsert it. Sometimes, you can help them "reset" their phone password without doing anything. 1. Take their phone and pretend you're opening up some special password reset program. 2. Hand them their phone back and ask them to enter their "new password". 3. About 70% of the time, they will enter their current password and gain access. ## C. Frustrated customers In general, your presence as a qualified person can give them some level of comfort. - Learn to [listen carefully](language-speaking-listening.md) to understand their precise problem. The customer really isn't always right, but they must always feel heard. - Take notes, then repeat back to them a summary of what you understood. - Sometimes, simply acknowledging their problem is enough to help them find peace. If your organization is between a customer and another organization (e.g., IT managed services, agency), stay aware of mismatched expectations. - Many times, a customer will have a vast range of reasons that the organization on the other side simply can't understand. - Often, your job will be to communicate those constraints, but without appearing rude. Make sure to under-promise and over-deliver. - People will often say you said something, so make sure that, if at all possible, you *never* make promises. - Since it can lead to some major [contract](people-contracts.md) issues, *only* promise if you absolutely know something will happen. Only give affirming statements that also don't imply fault. - "I'm so sorry, that's really frustrating!" - "I'm sorry you're going through this, let me see how I can help." Avoid any statements that implicitly state fault: - "I'm sorry for the delay" (instead, say "thank you for your patience") - "Apologies for the oversight" (instead, say "you're free to do it yourself if you'd prefer") Many times, they simply need a visual cue. - If someone is particularly notorious for user error and unpleasantly stubborn, use a visual device (like rabbit-ear antennas or a useless dongle) to make them think it works. If the customer is stubborn, give them what they want. - After you've warned them, their desire for that situation is entirely their responsibility. - Make sure you leave *very* explicit notes about their decision. - In particular, if they terminate a [contract](people-contracts.md) they can't reacquire, they *will* be furious later. ## D. Customer conflicts Most [conflict management skills](people-conflicts.md) that assert a win/win are *not* useful in most customer service capacities. - While you often *might* have some authority as a manager, you're also facing competing interests with the organization that employs you. - Before providing any solutions, let them throw their adult tantrum and run at least some of their energy out. Learn to be more consistent than accommodating. - Kind behavior toward kind people sets a precedent that unkind people can technically sue you for regarding [discrimination](hardship-discrimination.md). - If you're consistent in your hours, [habits](habits.md) and procedures, you won't get into [legal trouble](legal-safety.md). - You should be able to know what predictable procedure you have performed with others in the exact same situation. At some point, a customer may start becoming irate and make threats. - Often, their threats are meaningless, but the types of people who cause lots of trouble are also more likely to post their information on [social media](networks-social.md). - The best solution is to do what you can to help them within your power, then later confront any falsehoods they indicate on social media with clear facts about their alleged encounter, preferably with proof. Avoid words that may provoke adverse feelings, such as "canceled", "declined", "failed", and "broken". - Instead, use framing that uses the negation of a positive concept, such as "not in force anymore", "did not go through", and "isn't working anymore". If you need to examine something more in-depth, ggive time to "check" on things. - That time gives you space to emotionally decompress or to find a safer way to deliver bad news. ## E. Advanced resolutions Try, if at all possible, to avoid refunds. - Whenever possible, aim for exchanges. When giving things to remediate an unhappy customer, aim to give away lower-priced items. - In foodservice, give soft drinks. - In service agreements, give more time for free. - If you're particularly bold and your organization rarely fails, advertise your failure by sending a t-shirt. ## F. Disengaging Be very careful what you promise. - Clearly and specifically articulate what you will do, or what you can do. - In general, never make promises that something will *happen*, but that you will *do* something. Indicate your availability to them, especially as windows of time that they can reach you. If you're forwarding the issue to another department, make sure they have the contact information for that department. Make sure to give them closure. - If you say "We'll notify you if there is a problem", they will keep wondering. - Instead, clearly manage their expectations by openly telling them what you can. At the end of a phone call, *always* ask, "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" ## G. Repeated problems If you must screen your calls, instruct the staff to use a specific script: - "Sure thing, I'll put you right through. May I tell them who is calling?" - Or, if they have already identified themselves, they say "Oh, of course, Mr/Mrs (name), I'll put you right through." - When they come back with the bad news that you're unavailable, the caller won't take it personally and won't feel they were screened.