“It’s not our policy…”

Doesn’t that just cause you to grind your teeth and tense the back of your neck as soon as you begin to hear those words?

You know something’s coming that you don’t want to hear.

And it gives you the impression the company has thought out what could go wrong and deliberately built a policy to deny refunds.

You don’t want to do this kind of stuff during the COVID recovery. It only hurts your comeback.

So, what phrases can you use to engage your customer and provide the all-star service that differentiates your brand from competitors?

Let’s take a look at some:

1. “I’m sorry”

Sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it?

Well, in this case, it’s not so much about what you say as how you say it.

If your customer service reps’ words sound like a recitation because this is the 100th time today they’ve had to say them, they don’t carry any effect with your customer.

Your reps need to slow down and mean it when they apologize.

That puts customers at far greater ease because they feel personally cared for…rather than feeling like just another number to be dealt with.

To increase effectiveness, combine “I’m sorry” with exactly what you’re sorry for, such as:

“I’m sorry you never received your order.”

Now you’ve taken responsibility for the customer’s exact problem. And that goes a long way towards making the rest of the conversation go easier.

2. “I’d feel the same way”

Hey, your reps are customers of all their own favorite brands too, right?

They’ve certainly found themselves in exactly the same situation as many of your customers.

Customers love it when you get them and empathize.

So after they explain their problem, build some rapport by telling them you get it.

But don’t stop there!

Actually show them you get it by briefly describing the same scenario you just had recently (but only if it’s true).

For example, the product didn’t work as expected. So, your rep could say,”I’d feel the same way. In fact, I had the same problem with a pair of shoes I bought the other day.”

3. “Thanks for bringing this to our attention!”

Customers have all had companies who completely ignore problems with their products or services.

When they pointed out something wrong, the company got irritated and refused to fix the problem.

Great companies want to know what’s wrong with their products and services so they can improve and make customers happy.

So whenever a customer points out a flaw, no matter how many, thank them. It’s an opportunity for your company to be better and win more market share because there’s likely hundreds of other customers with exactly the same problem who haven’t called!

Your customer service team can use many other phrases to deliver an amazing service experience.

Language is important. And equally important is your rep’s sincerity. Master hiring reps who do both well, and watch your customer lifetime value explode!