More than ever, our worried clients need us. Ones require assistance in tackling a hard problem, while others need assistance with a basic activity.
They all require our compassion. They require us to use language in our emails, conversations, and social media posts that shows we are aware of how they feel, that we see things from their perspective, and that we care.
It’s difficult to be empathic. Professional best call answering service representatives sometimes struggle to be compassionate. Because it suggests they concur with the customer’s complaint, they view it as unnecessary or even dangerous. And even the most sympathetic agents find it difficult to be sympathetic when they are overworked.
So how might empathizing be made simpler?
It might be challenging to sympathize when a customer’s emotions are out of control or their complaint is just unfounded. In these circumstances, the call answering agent could wish to show indirect empathy by concentrating on the client’s actions, such as following up, rather than the validity of their complaint. Some simple phrases may help. It does not mean that the agent uses script instead of the real empathy, it just facilitate the agent’s work and helps him/her express feelings within the work frames.
- I can see why you got in touch with us today.
- I would have the same emotions you have if I were in your shoes.
- I would feel annoyed as well.
- I’m aware of how challenging it is to…
- How irritating would that be, I can only imagine.
- Wouldn’t that be frustrating?
- We are as interested in knowing what happened as you are.
- We both find this scenario to be intolerable.
Not only these short phrases may help. Agents also can use the client’s own words again. By reusing the customer’s words, they will indicate that they have heard the complaint thoroughly and that they understand their point of view. Thus, when/if you hear that you have been repeated just know that the agent just wants to show you that he/she is there for you. That he/she is a human too with similar problems and might understand you even more than you could expect.