Have you ever noticed that some people can tell you something you don’t want to hear and it’s ok? In fact, you’re fine with it. While the same news from someone else just puts you off, they just seem to rub you the wrong way and you feel a bit peeved by their attitude. It’s (mostly) all in the way they said it.
One big difference in the way customers react to you lies in your choice of words. Most of us really ARE trying to be helpful, but we let words escape our lips before we think about how we sound to someone who can’t read our minds.
The following are some of the biggest offenders around, and some ways to make them a little more agreeable.
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Instead of : |
Try: |
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I don’t know |
Let me find out |
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I have no idea |
That’s a great question, Let me find the answer. |
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I can’t |
Here’s what I can do |
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We don’t |
We specialize in |
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Our company policy is |
What we do here is |
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You must |
The best way for you to do that is |
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You have to |
We request that you |
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You’re wrong about that |
Let me see if I understand what you are saying |
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I don’t have the authority to |
Here is who can help you with this |
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I know how you feel |
I can see how you would feel that way |
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I never said that |
Let me clarify |