Putting a smile on your face so customers can hear it in your voice may be bad for your health. Here’s why.
A fake smile may worsen your mood, especially if you’re unhappy to begin with, scientists in the Academy of Management Journal found.
Workers who dealt with customers and forced smiles because they were unhappy about something got grumpier – probably because they were trying to suppress negative thoughts, researchers found. Instead, the thoughts that made them grumpy persisted more.
On days when the workers smiled because they were truly happy, their moods and productivity improved.
As a contact center pro, you still want to smile when you don’t feel like it. Customers really can hear it through the phone.
So take steps to make it easier to smile.Try to:
- Talk to upbeat co-workers, friends or family members before you get on the phone.
- Keep a photo or comic at your desk that makes you happy.
- Take 10 deep breaths, each time clearing your mind of troubles as you exhale.
