It’s always upsetting when you contact someone from your favorite company or brand only to find out they’re extremely rude or uncaring. You like to think just because their product is awesome that they must be cool as well, but that’s not always the case. Whether it’s hubris or ignorance, some company reps just don’t get why they should be nice when they’re already making money.
But any good company representative worth their salt knows it’s important to be nice all the time. Even when the meanest, grumpiest person in the world is on the other end of the customer service line, you should take a deep breath and keep it cordial.
Why? Because, frankly, you never know when being nice will make an impact on someone.
Making an Impact
Just think: that grumpy ol’ cuss who called up mad as a hornet probably had a reason for being so upset. Of course, it may have been misdirected rage, as the cause for their grumpiness could have come days earlier when they burned their tongue on hot tea at a restaurant. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less legit to them.
So when they call up to find out why your product won’t work, the last thing they’ll expect is to be truly helped. We’ve all been on the end of terrible customer service calls where the company rep doesn’t seem to have any sort of clue what’s going on. Even worse, they’re indignant about their incompetence!
But you have to step up and do the right thing. Do what it takes to win over Grumpy Gus or Gertrude with pure kindness and helpfulness. What’ll happen is though the conversation may not end with a smile at that point, they’ll certainly remember what happened and, if the situation comes up, tell their friends and family. Encountering truly nice people always makes an impact.
Creating a Better Workplace
There’s another plus to being pleasant: being nice to strangers all day tends to make for a better work environment between coworkers. It’s like talking with a smile leads to you actually smiling or something!
I’ve mentioned them before, but internet clothing company Zappos is regarded as having one of the best work environments on the planet. This is partly due to their customer policy – they will literally bend over backwards to make you happy, no matter what your request is (like finding an open pizza place in the middle of the night!)
That glee to help others out doesn’t end when the phone conversation stops. It’s carried over to Bob in the cubicle next door when you ask how the fishing trip went. The cycle repeats when another phone call comes in and the rep is still grinning from their conversation with Bob. When everyone’s happy, your company gets a reputation for being a great place to work…and to purchase items from.
Remember, PR means “public relations” and it kicks in… anytime you’re relating to the company. So how do you keep spirits up at your company?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab your free 160-page copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/big-press-release-samples-book/