You Can’t Script Authenticity in Your User Experience
Your Authenticity Must be Customer Focused
It’s easy to know when you are dealing with a customer service representative who is less than sincere. They lack authenticity which goes hand in hand with their insincerity.
They tend to repeat themselves saying things like, “I’m sorry for your inconvenience and I can understand how you feel.” Reading from a script is how they sound, because more likely than not that’s what they are doing.
It can be tiring and frustrating to hear these phrase, after all, the reason you called is important to you. And it would b nice if you felt that it was important to the Customer Service Rep.
They don’t really sound sorry, and don’t appear to be. They seem to be repeating what comes up on their computer screens and what they learned in. their training. Perhaps they are sincere, but their company forces them to go by their script. You can’t script sincerity.
Authenticity Can’t be Taught
The best customer support people, aren’t the best or become the best being fake or insincere. The best people have empathy, are concerned about fixing problems, and genuinely care about great business practices and doing the right thing. They sound real and their advice comes across as an authentic effort to solve a problem.
If you can’t script sincerity, you surely can’t teach it either. If people aren’t empathetic and caring, you probably won’t be able to teach them to embrace those traits. Certainly not before they would damage the relationship with the customer.
Authenticity Can’t be Faked
Some people can seem to fake sincerity, but it never really sounds authentic. Unfortunately the effort and pressure to be someone they’re not will come out, and can do so in possibly negative behavior.
That’s why if they are put under pressure, some employees just seem to lose their cool. It’s not that they’re not nice. It’s just that they don’t have the patience or empathy to deal with confrontational customers, especially if they are upset and unreasonable.
Lacking Authenticity is a Loyalty Killer
The bottom line is that lacking authenticity and showing insincerity is a loyalty killer. While a customer may tolerate insincerity. Customers shouldn’t have to tolerate a representative who is scripted, apathetic, and isn’t customer focused.
A customer can’t have a positive emotional connection to your company if your employees are perceived as fake or insincere? How do you get empathetic, good, caring people? It starts before you even hire someone.
Your leadership defines what good customer service looks like in your organization. Once defined, you must hire good people who support that initiative. Then you train them. Support from you for a job well done makes employees feel good, especially after handling complaints and problems on their customer interactions.
You Need Customer Focused People
Great customer focused people is the most important task at hand. The best customer focused people are empathetic and actually care about reaching a good outcome for the customer and the company.
Hire for Attitude, You Can Teach Skills
Hire customer service reps that care, and who already have the personality to succeed in a customer service position. Teach your customer service reps the necessary skills.