Mind your language. And please don’t call me “buddy”…

Any organisation that continually works to be exceptional at what it does needs to maintain a flawless consistency in how they present themselves to their customers.

A key part of that is the language, vocabulary or phrases that we use – in particular during telephone conversations.

The proper use of the telephone and how to announce yourself, put a call on hold, conduct a call, transfer a call and take messages need specific training. The reality is that many staff will not have had such training and therefore standards will vary. As a result, reviewing these elements should be part of our journey in our continual quest for exceptional standards.

How many times have you phoned a business, started by saying “Hello. My name is Mr/s X. I wonder if I could speak to somebody about….”, only to be transferred and then asked what your name is and why you are calling, sometimes more than once. It happens to me every week without fail.

Effective telephone techniques include listening intently from the outset, jotting the name down and using it during the subsequent conversation, as well as establishing the reason for the call quickly and accurately.

We need to be very conscious of tone and content when talking direct with our customers. A smile can’t be seen but can very definitely be heard. The reality is that style and quality are both classless and international.

The warmth and attractiveness of accents, from whatever corner of the globe or the UK, add character, without which we would be cardboard cut-out clones lacking the individuality that makes each of us different and memorable. High calibre telephone technique is not about accents or backgrounds – it is about being professional and using appropriate language.

Language speaks volumes. In pre-Covid world, when training was in the physical form, I regularly requested confirmation of the equipment provided – an example being a flipchart, wifi access or projector screen.

An all too common response is “That should be fine”. What does that tell me as the customer? Essentially, that I will turn up and maybe the equipment will be as I requested, but then maybe it won’t. Answers of “Absolutely” or “Of course” give an entirely different impression.

Another example of the language of exceptional customer service is the phrase “You’re welcome”. These two words sum up perfectly the mindset that we need to have and the way in which we need to interact with each and every customer. Emphasis can be added by saying “You’re most welcome” or “You’re very welcome” or “My pleasure” so as to vary the response. Clearly you must mean it – or else it is just another version of ‘Have a nice day’.

Whenever I hear “You’re welcome” said with obvious sincerity and warmth in an establishment, I am much more confident that I will be looked after and I believe that the person concerned understands his/her commitment to me as their customer.

Conversely, there are phrases that are totally unacceptable and should never be used as a response to customers. These include “No problem” or “No worries” or “No bother” or anything similar.

The implication to any customer is that although they have not been a problem or worry or bother on this occasion, they might well be on another occasion! Such phrases carry negative implications and are inconsistent with the journey to “exceptional” standards.

Lexicographer Erin McKean suggests that “perhaps the ‘no problem’ of service workers is a way to reclaim some measure of power – ‘no problem,’ after all, does remind the customer that their request is technically within the power of the employee to grant or refuse.” So, there seems to be a problem with “no problem”, hence why “you’re welcome” wins hands down!

On another note, calling clients and customers by their first names without being invited can be seen as a somewhat informal and presumptive. A safer bet is to address them by surname until invited to do otherwise. I may be in a minority but I didn’t feel it appropriate to be addressed as “mate” on one recent mystery shopper exercise we conducted. And while we are at it, “buddy” and “pal” are best avoided.

In the hands of an untrained user, the telephone can be a lethal weapon.

Listen to your staff’s calls - either live or recorded - and decide if they are exceptional.

If not, it is time to act. Give me a call - I will make sure I answer it in an exceptional manner!