๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐?
I know I do.
I pride myself on delivering it and get annoyed when I’m being handled rather than helped by a customer service person or provider.
I’m a communications pro. I can spot that a mile/km away and in the first 30 seconds.
What do YOU do when customer service is bad?
Create a drama? Say nasty things? Go straight to the manager?
What IS the best communication strategy to turn things around or at least achieve some short-term goal?
Let’s look at a common and universal example, like, getting the bill from an elusive server at the end of a meal at a restaurant or cafรฉ so you can pay (already) and get on with your day or evening.
Weโve all been there, right?
Next time (and unfortunately, thereโs always a next time when it comes to elusive restaurant servers), try this three-step communications strategy if your first or second polite request is ignored.
1) Draft your key messages (in your head) to include the desired result, the timing of it and the consequence of inaction.
2) Use an I-message to deliver your message
3) Be kind and friendly, but also direct and no nonsense
Note: Modify accordingly for local cultural nuances/differences.
The idea is for your target market, in this case your server, to accept your message as you intend it to be received in order to create the desired result.
Here is the example I shared with Julian Roberts, host of the Help Organizations Thrive podcast.
Click this link to watch.
Thanks for watching.
Aside from restaurants, in what other circumstances do you think this approach could work for you?