Transforming Customer Service: From Interrogations to Conversations - The Key to Bridging the Gap
Ever feel like your customer calls sound more like interrogations than conversations? 🕵️♀️
I was reviewing some call recordings recently, and what struck me was how quickly the questions piled up - 7 questions fired off in a row! No wonder customers can feel put on the spot.
But there's a simple fix that instantly transforms your calls from cross-examination to friendly chat: bridging.
When you need to ask several questions (let's say 3 or more), just preface them with a friendly "bridge" statement like:
"To better understand the situation, I'll need to ask a few quick questions if that's okay?"
Or
"Mind if I gather some details so I can assist you properly?"
With that small bridge, you've set the tone - this isn't an interrogation, just a casual back-and-forth to get the full picture.
Your customers will feel more at ease opening up, and you'll gather the info you need without sounding like a prosecutor on the stand! 🙌
It's a tiny tweak, but one that can seriously boost rapport and customer satisfaction. Because at the end of the day, we're not interrogating - we're here to help.
Give bridging a try on your next call and let me know if it smooths out those conversations! I'd love to hear your experiences.
For more help with customer conversations, check out my LinkedIn Learning course, "Building Rapport with Customers."
Why rapport really matters from Building Rapport with Customers by Myra Golden
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