Behind the Scenes of Customer Service

Customer service can be difficult when you're confronted with a tough customer. Customers are not always rational or considerate when it comes to how they deal with service representatives. Representatives can take a verbal beating from a frustrated customer, even though it is often not even their fault. Some believe that if customers only knew the story behind the scenes, maybe they would have a better attitude and treat the representative with more respect.

Impact Learning Systems recently posted an infographic entitled Customer Service from the Service Point of View to give customers some insight into what it's like on the other side of the counter. However, to me, parts of it read more like a list of excuses or justifications for mediocre service and bad attitudes. With an opening statement like "Well, sometimes service is poor...but..." you're already set yourself up for an excuse. "Well, sometimes the service is poor...but sometimes the customer's attitude is even worse!"

The infographic makes some valid points, like when it notes that call center representatives "actually want to help" and that they're often "just the messenger" in the transaction. Most customers call because of negative issues, so they're likely frustrated and stressed before they get on the phone. (It could be worse if they have been on hold or bounced from extension to extension for any length of time.) You, as the customer service representative, have been hired to be the company's face, the front line representative, so to the customer you are the company. It's good to remember that at that moment, you stand in the place of the CEO, and you represent any employee that may have caused the whole problem to begin with.

Many of the points offered are simple rules of etiquette. It's important to remember that what used to be common etiquette is often not-so-common these days. As a customer service rep, you will interact with people who have poor manners and lack common courtesy. It's important to stay calm and collected and keep the interaction cordial and helpful. In the end, customer service is a job that is to be performed at the highest quality possible, regardless of the customer's attitude or response.

The graphic ends with the phrase, "if you want better customer service, be a better customer." As a customer service professional, it would be best to think of it slightly differently. Remind yourself of the words of blogger Steve Curtin, who in response to this same infographic, wrote: "If you want better customers, provide better service."

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net