Our customer service team treats all our customers with patience and empathy, but we also expect them to be professional with us.
Why is this so important? Customer service is tough, and everyone knows that part of the job is listening to people who are upset.
But if we accepted any kind of customer behavior, we’d downplay (to ourselves and to them) the real value that we bring to the interaction.
So we’re patient, empathetic, and understanding, but we don’t have to deal with anything outrageous.
Our customer service team members have found that sometimes it helps to let a difficult customer talk to someone else. A different personality and a second opinion may help to reassure them. Every once in a while, a team member will simply ask a customer to call them back when they’ve had a chance to calm down.
We see the value of each person in the interaction—the customer and the employee—and believe both deserve to be treated with courtesy.
Anytime you provide customer service, remember that you’re a valued partner in the interaction. You’ve got wisdom, ideas, and problem-solving skills. Not only do you deserve courtesy, but if you tolerate rude behavior, you’ll end up hating your job. Treat your customer well, and expect them to do the same.
