Dealing with the recently bereaved must surely rank as the most demanding of all areas of Customer Service skills?
In no other area is there such a need for empathy and sensitivity.
Liz Soames, who has worked for a number of undertakers, knows this only too well – and admits the job demands only the very best Customer Service skills.
“You have to be sensitive to the feelings of other people and be willing to listen very carefully to their requests,” she says.
However, despite what can be sad circumstances, there are rewards.
“Carrying out a funeral with dignity and professionalism can provide a great deal of comfort to the family of the deceased, so ensuring that all of the details are taken care of and that the funeral goes without a hitch are essential,” says Liz.
“Knowing you’ve helped someone during this difficult time is a very satisfying feeling!”
Of course, having a good sense of humour comes in useful when working in customer service – and, yes, there are even times when comedy is very much to the fore in funeral work.
Such as when Liz was tasked with “sourcing a motorbike with a hearse sidecar for the funeral of a biker”!
While it’s comforting to know there is a whole area of Customer Service dedicated to ensuring peace, satisfaction – and downright fun! – at the end of our days, it’s more likely Customer Service professionals will find themselves dealing with the living, perhaps working as a Customer Service Agent or Manager, holding the fort as an Inbound Customer Service Adviser – or even generating, er, new life for Sales Departments.
But at the heart of success in all of these roles, will be that same appreciation of comedy. As Dwight D. Eisenhower said: “A sense of humour is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”
With this in mind, we humbly present our Top Three Tips to bring good cheer and ‘get things done’ in Customer Service.
Did you hear the one about stress?
Customer Service can be a tough gig at times. So, whether you’re on the front line as a Customer Adviser or in senior management as a First Line Manager, allow yourself to release tension by injecting a joke into your conversation with colleagues or customers. Or share a lighthearted discussion about topical events – “No, but really, did you see that ‘soufflé’ on last night’s bake off?”
Humour can trigger not just a relaxing of your body but a mental loosening of over-tight reins.
Punchlines can be a real knock-out
Creativity is incredibly important in customer service – it allows you to engineer inspired solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
Humour comes into this equation by allowing you to truly relax, to look at the predicament without stress, and to think laterally and find where the new ideas are hiding.
There’s many an “aha!” moment that has come from sharing the “ha ha ha’s”.
Laughter can be love at first sight
Many who have fallen in love will admit the best thing about their partner is their laugh or sense of humour.
The same attractive characteristic – the ability to laugh with a customer or even the talent to inspire laughter (best avoid the kind of joke you wouldn’t tell your own granny) – will not only help build trust, but it can win sales and secure repeat business.
And when it also lands that dream promotion to Team Lead or Project Manager, the ability to laugh will even help you get along with green-eyed colleagues.
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