What Types of Customer Service Situations Should Employees Be Trained in and Prepared For?

A list of possible customer situations customer service resps should be taught to deal with

What Types of Customer Service Situations Should Employees Be Trained in and Prepared For?

Customer service representatives need to be able to deal with both routine and non-routine customer service situations and interactions with customers. Whether you are trying to design customer service training, or want to assess whether employees hit the mark, it’s helpful to have a list of many of the situations for which employees must have the required skills. Here’s a list, taken from Perfect Phrases for Customer Service: Hundreds of Tools, Techniques, and Scripts for Handling Any Situation

Of course, no list of customer service situations can be exhaustive, but it’s a good starting point.

When You Are Late or Know You Will Be Late

When a Customer Is in a Hurry

When a Customer Jumps Ahead in a Line of Waiting Customers

When a Customer Asks to Be Served Ahead of Other Waiting Customers

When a Customer Interrupts a Discussion Between the Employee and Another Customer

When a Customer Has a Negative Attitude About Your Company Due to Past Experiences

When You Need to Explain a Company Policy or Procedure

When a Customer Might Be Mistrustful

When a Customer Has Been Through Voice Mail
Hell

When a Customer Is Experiencing a Language Barrier

When the Customer Has Been “Buck-Passed”

When the Customer Needs to Follow a Sequence of Actions

When the Customer Insults Your Competence

When a Customer Won’t Stop Talking on the Phone

When the customer swears or yells in person #1

When the customer swears or yells in person #2

When a Customer Won’t Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #1

When a Customer Won’t Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #2

When a Customer Has Been Waiting in a Line

When You Don’t Have the Answer

When Nobody Handy Has the Answer

When You Need to Place a Caller on
Hold

When You Need to Route a Customer Phone Call

When You Lack the Authority to …

When a Customer Threatens to Go over Their Heads

When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor

When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor, Who Isn’t Available

When a Customer Threatens to Complain to the Press

When a Customer Demands to Speak to the “Person in Charge”

When a Customer Makes an Embarrassing Mistake

When a Customer Withholds Information Due to Privacy Concerns

When a Customer Threatens Bodily Harm or Property Damage

When a Customer Is Confused About What He or She Wants or Needs

When a Customer Makes a Racist Remark

When a Customer Makes a Sexist Remark

When a Customer Refuses to Leave

When a Customer Accuses You of Racism

When a Customer Plays One Employee off Another (“So-and-So Said”)

When a Customer Might Be Stealing

When a Customer Is Playing to an Audience of Other Customers

When customer exhibits Passive-Aggressive Behavior

When a Customer Uses Nonverbal Attempts to Intimidate

When a Customer Makes Persistent and Frequent Phone Calls

When someone else is not responding (no callback)

When You Need to Clarify Commitments

When a Customer Wants Information You Are Not Allowed to Give

When a Customer Makes a Suggestion to Improve Service

When You Can’t Find a Customer’s Reservation/ Appointment

When Your Are Following Up on a Customer Complaint

Properly Identifying the Internal Customer

When an Internal Customer Isn’t Following Procedures to Request Service

When the Customer Wants Something that Won’t Fill His Need

When You Want Feedback from the Customer

When a Customer Complains about Red Tape and Paperwork

When You Need to a Customer Complaint Made in Writing

When a Reservation/Appointment is Lost and You Cannot Meet the Commitment

When Customers Are Waiting in a Waiting Room

When a Customer Complains About a Known Problem

When a Customer Asks Inappropriate Questions

Author: Robert Bacal

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