If you use scripts, it might be time to trash them. Here’s what customers have to say about scripts.
Customers care more about the personal experience than consistency – which scripts promise. The problem with scripts is that they create a checklist mentality and robotic customer service: Used his name three times – check. Gave the standard greeting – check. Showed empathy – check.
Customers don’t want a one-size-fits-all experience. They want a positive experience that’s all about them, a Harvard Business Review study found. Just a slight change in language can help any call center rep achieve that.
In the researchers’ experiment, some reps authorizing banking accounts said, “you can’t transfer funds until you go through these steps …” Other reps said, “Let me walk you through the steps to authorize the account.” Same idea, different tone. Customers rated the experience with the second group of reps 82% better.
Another example: Reps told customers with broken bikes, “You’re best off bringing it into a repair shop. Other reps said they’d “pass the feedback to the engineering department, check the database to see if a simple fix is possible,” and eventually, “recommend you bring the bicycle to the shop.” Customers gave the second group of reps a 67% higher quality score.
So what can you do if you aren’t ready to re-engineer everything that’s said to customers? Try what Osram Sylvania did: Reps avoided negative language – such as “can’t,” “won’t” and “that’s our policy” – in their most common calls. And it’s raised customer satisfaction and loyalty.
