Skip to main content

First American Loan Production Solutions announces new solution

Aug 11, 2008

A list of 15 customer service no-nosNancy Friedman customer service, call center, Telephone Doctor, 15 sins of customer service When it comes to getting customer service, what's your definition of rude? What unprofessional behavior irritates you the most when, as a consumer, you are interacting with another company? Sometimes, customer service that is perceived as rude is not intentional, and often is the result of absent-mindedness or carelessness on behalf of an employee. Either way, bad customer service can translate into lower sales and lost business. Based on our surveys, The Telephone Doctor has compiled the 15 biggest sins of customer service employees today. They are listed below, along with The Telephone Doctors guidelines on a more effective way to handle the situation. If your companys customer service managers and front-line employees are guilty of any of these, its time for some action. Otherwise, you may have an image problem that could sabotage your efforts to produce and market great products. 1. Your employees are having a bad day, and their foul mood carries over in conversations with customers. Everyone has bad days, but customer service employees need to keep theirs to themselves. 2. Your employees hang up on angry customers. Ironclad rule: Never hang up on a customer. 3. Your company doesn't return phone calls or voicemail messages, despite listing your phone number on your Web site and/or in ads and directories. Call customers back as soon as you can, or have calls returned on your behalf. 4. Your employees put callers on hold without asking them first, as a courtesy. Ask customers politely if you can put them on hold. Very few will complain or say, "No way!" 5. Your employees put callers on a speakerphone without asking them first if it is okay. Again, ask first, as a courtesy. 6. Your employees eat, drink or chew gum while talking with customers on the phone. A telephone mouthpiece is like a microphonenoises can easily be picked up. Employees need to eat their meals away from the phone. And save that stick of gum for break time. 7. You have call waiting on your business lines, and your employees frequently interrupt existing calls to take new calls. One interruption in a call might be excusable. Beyond that, you are crossing the "rude" threshold. Do your best to be prepared with enough staff for peak calling times. 8. Your employees refuse or forget to use the words "please," "thank you" or "youre welcome." Please use these words generously. Thank you. 9. Your employees hold side conversations with friends or each other while talking to customers on the phone, or they make personal calls on cell phones in your call center. Dont do either of these. 10. Your employees seem incapable of offering more than one-word answers. One-word answers come across as rude and uncaring. 11. Your employees do provide more than one-word answers, but a lot of the words are grounded in company or industry jargon that many customers dont understand. If you sell technology products, for example, don't casually drop in abbreviations such as APIs, ISVs, SMTP or TCP/IP. 12. Your employees request that customers call them back when the employees aren't so busy. Customers should never be told to call back. Request the customer's number instead. 13. Your employees rush through calls, forcing customers off the phone at the earliest opportunity. Be a little more discreet. Politely suggest that you've got the information you need and you must move on to other calls. 14. Your employees obnoxiously bellow, "What's this in reference to?" effectively humbling customers and belittling their requests. Screening techniques can be used with a little more warmth and finesse. If a caller has mistakenly come your way, do your best to point him or her in the right direction. 15. Your employees freely admit to customers that they hate their jobs. This simply makes the entire company look bad. And don't think such a moment of candor or lapse in judgment wont get back to the boss. Enjoy the day! Nancy Friedman, "The Telephone Doctor," has spoken at the past three National Association of Mortgage Brokers Annual Conventions and is president of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training in St. Louis, Mo. Nancy is a frequent speaker at meetings and conferences worldwide. She may be reached at (314) 291-1012 or visit www.telephonedoctor.com.
About the author
Published
Aug 11, 2008
More from
Tech
Wire Fraud Losses Are Mounting

First-time homebuyers are especially at risk for wire fraud, report finds.

Feb 13, 2025
AI Muscles Into Homebuying

1 in 3 buyers now rely on AI during the mortgage process, survey finds.

Feb 13, 2025
Mr. Cooper Bets Big on AI, Expands Tech for Better CX

After Flagstar onboarding last year, Mr. Cooper reports 4Q net income of $204M

Feb 12, 2025
TidalWave Blends AI & DEI To Support Hispanic Homebuyers

51% of Hispanic homebuyers face added costs to hire professional translators

Jan 28, 2025
Rocket Launches All-In-One Platform Rocket.com For Buyers and Owners

Consumers can search, purchase, and manage their home financing with the help of Agent AI

Jan 22, 2025
Road To 2030 In Mortgage: ‘Velocity Of Decision-Making Is Moving Fast’

Borrowers could be qualified ‘in minutes,’ and large staffs made redundant by AI, mortgage exec says

Jan 16, 2025