Avoiding unpleasant surprises

- Customer service employees often set expectations…about what will happen next.…How long will it take for an order to arrive?…How long will it take to solve the problem?…Will the boss be willing to make an exception to a policy?…In these situations, it's natural to want to…make customers feel good,…like we're approaching their problem…with a sense of urgency.…But if we're not careful, we can…set customers up for a big disappointment.…That's because customers tend to hear…the best-case scenario when we aren't specific and clear.…

Here are a few examples.…If you say, "Your order will be delivered…in five to seven days,"…customers will hear "five days."…If you say, "I'll get right back to you,"…customers will think you'll get back to them…in a few minutes, even if you really meant a few hours.…If you say, "I'll check with my boss…"and see if she can make an exception to our policy,"…the customer will believe that the exception will happen,…even if it's really unlikely.…We can help our customers avoid getting their hopes too high…