We live in a world of instant gratification. Products can appear at your doorstep in a matter of hours through same-day delivery, food can show up from a restaurant in a matter of minutes, and information can be found online in seconds. So, no wonder fewer and fewer of us have patience for delays or other problems, that our frustrations run high when we don’t get what we want when we want. Nevertheless, we should remember that the frontline employees who handle our concerns are human too, and that even though it’s natural to feel upset when faced with unresolved issues, taking our anger out on customer service agents is not a good solution.
Let’s explore a few reasons why we should resist the urge to direct these frustrations at representatives, emphasizing the importance of empathy, constructive communication, and the pursuit of alternative solutions.
Spare the Messenger
Customer service agents are not the architects of a company’s policies, nor are they the decision-makers within the corporate hierarchy. Rather, they are regular people who have been hired to assist us through the established procedures. So, when we make the mistake of unfairly taking our frustrations out on these agents, it’s akin to blaming the messenger for the contents of the message. By remembering the humanity of these employees and understanding their roles within the company, we can foster more compassion and understanding. If we treat them with respect, we make their jobs more bearable and increase the likelihood that these agents will actually want to help us find good resolutions.
Kindness Does More Than Harshness
We all know that losing our tempers rarely results in any positive outcomes. Hopefully, most of us have been taught from a young age that practicing patience and engaging in constructive communication results in a significantly better outcome. It’s the old saying that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Indeed, customer service agents are much more likely to go the extra mile for customers who treat them with courtesy and respect. Thus, we should make sure we express our dissatisfaction calmly, and that we take the time to provide clear details about the problems we’re experiencing. These agents are there to help us, and if we maintain our level-headedness, we’re that much more likely to receive genuine help.
Pressing Reset
Despite a customer service agent’s best intention, however, customers might still find themselves at an impasse. When this happens, we should explore alternatives rather than escalating the conflict. Politely ask to speak with a supervisor, someone who might have additional authority or insight into the problem. Another option, silly as it sounds, is to simply call back to speak with a different agent. Each representative is going to bring a unique perspective and his or her own set of skills to the situation, and you might find that another person leads to the breakthrough you need.
Remaining Positive
Rather than allowing frustration to overwhelm us and make the situation worse, we should maintain our composure in the face of delays and frustrations. Of course, we should remain firm in our convictions when we’re sure that we’re in the right, but taking out our anger on frontline employees is counterproductive. Instead, we must adopt a patient and constructive approach to how we treat customer service employees. Let respect be a mutual thing. In doing this, you will make their jobs manageable and also increase the likelihood of a successful result. Truly, you have the power to transform a challenge into a mutually beneficial experience.
Making sure customer service agents are both well-trained and empowered to offer good solutions is one of the chief goals for us at The Brandt Group. As a customer-service consultancy for over 30 years, we’ve seen how relationships between customers and employees are make-or-break for every business. —That’s actually why we need your help. We hire regular consumers like yourself to visit small businesses all around the country and interact with their staff. That’s how we gauge what’s working well for them and what needs improvement. Your insight—the culmination of your years of experience as a consumer and the opinions you’ve formed along the way—is what those businesses need to improve the entire experience for both customers’ sake, as well as for the employees.
Interested? Check out our page on mystery shopping to learn more.
