How to Talk to Customer Service Representatives
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007Most people don’t like having to deal with customer service representatives in any area of their lives. It’s not that there is anything wrong with these people; it’s just that they can sometimes be an obstacle to us getting what we want from a company. It is particularly difficult talking to customer service representatives about issues that are of great concern to us, such as our credit card debt. Unfortunately, because we are apprehensive about these conversations, we often make them more difficult than they need to be. We start out the discussion with an aggressive approach and put the customer service representative in a defensive position, decreasing the likelihood that he or she will want to assist us in resolving the problem that we have called about.
The main thing to keep in mind in order to make customer service conversations go more smoothly is that this individual is in a position to help you. We call our credit card companies in order to resolve problems. Perhaps there is a questionable charge on our account. Maybe we’re overwhelmed by trying to meet our monthly minimum balance and want to know how to reduce the payments. Perhaps we’re interested in transferring balances or getting a lower interest rate to improve our credit position. Whatever the reason that we’re calling, it’s generally because there’s a problem that requires fixing. If you can keep in mind that the customer service representative has the ability to assist you in resolving the problem, you’ll be in a better position to make these calls go smoothly.
There are some other things that you should keep in mind about the customer service person as well. For example, you should remember that the problem isn’t his/her fault. The representative just works there, so don’t blame the individual for your problem. Also bear in mind that he/she probably doesn’t love doing her job. Creating this kind of empathy in your mind will allow you to approach the conversation with a more reasonable, kind, communicative frame of mind. This puts you and the representative on the same side of the issue, instead of in opposition to each other, which is crucial to resolving your credit card problems quickly.
Of course, you’ll have to make sure that your language conveys this empathy. Speak in a calm voice. Explain specifically what the problem is and what you would like to see as the resolution. If that resolution isn’t possible, ask what your options are. Avoid asking to speak to “a manager” unless absolutely necessary; nobody likes it when you go around them to the boss. Don’t vent your frustrations; you can do that to your family or on your blog after you hang up the phone. Remember that the purpose of the call is to lay out the problem and find a solution. And finally, be nice. If you’re nice, you’ll find that you receive the same sentiment in return.
