Remaining positive on calls

[KhianaKlatt]

Conversation topic for the group:

As a Customer Service Representative, we are the first voice the client hears so we want to make sure it is a pleasant one. However, if a Customer Service Representative is genuinely having a bad day and is upset - how do you leave everything at home and put a smile on for the day? Curious to hear everyone's tips! 

I play my favourite music, make a tea and keep some good snacks in my drawer for those days I really need them. I try to focus on the client and their problem and finding them a solution rather than on my problem. Also - solving their problem brings some satisfaction! I try to stay busy so my mind cannot drift. Sometimes if I am having a hard day I will try to do nice things for others and focus on them instead. I'll leave jokes on sticky notes for the techs to find for example. Seeing them chuckle helps! 

I'd love to hear everyone else's tips for hard days! How do you leave home at home and put a smile on for your clients? 

[ericaramsey]

A word map takes key words from feedback and makes it into a neat graphic.  Since certain words pop up in several different comments, those words are made bigger to show emphasis.

Here's one based on some feedback I received (Note; this is just the "good stuff" - I didn't make a word map from constructive criticism  I also received  - HA!)

[Miranda]

I would like to know more about the word maps! That sounds really cool!

[ericaramsey]

See above!  🙂  It can be a great way to showcase people's strengths at a glance.  They are also sometimes referred to as Word Clouds.

Also I meant to mention that there is a FREE word map generator you can use - I used it for my example above.  (BTW this is not an advertisement or anything - so don't put me in ServiceTitan jail, programmers!!!! 🤗) You can generate your own word cloud/word map here: https://www.freewordcloudgenerator.com/generatewordcloud

[KhianaKlatt]

It's a cute idea to make it a team exercise! Where I worked previously we had a community board with stickies and colourful pens. We were encouraged to leave compliments there for others and call them out for the hard work they are doing! I'd be curious to see how your word maps turned out. Was it hard to get the techs to participate in this and take it seriously? I'm curious how you convinced everyone to take part. Did you also have the admin team write ones for the techs? I also love that you said to let your coworkers know what to do if you are having a bad day. That's a great idea so we can help each other. 🙂

[SandraY]

What is a word map?

[ericaramsey]

Hi SandraY - see my responses to @jenn_comfortmax  and @SandraY  above. 

Have fun, everyone making word maps!!!!

[SandraY]

Navigating a bad day can be tough, for sure. When I'm preoccupied like that I also try to focus on helping others, and look for ways to make people laugh or brighten their day rather than get buried under a bad mood.

Sometimes I'll step outside into the fresh air and sunshine and just breathe for a little bit. I'll also make a list of things I'm grateful for and really try to focus on all the good in my life - and all the good going on around me, too, to help me stay focused in the present.

And of course a hot mug of tea always helps 😊