Dealing with People - Words to Avoid

You probably realise how the wrong tone of voice andnegative body language can cause problems when dealing withother people, particularly customers and staff. However,using the wrong words can also cause problems.

There are certain "trigger" words that cause people tobecome more difficult especially in emotionally chargedsituations and they should be avoided. These include:

* Have to - as in - "You'll have to speak to the salesdepartment yourself"

*I can't or you can't - as in - "I can't do anything aboutthat" or "You can't do that"

*I'll try - as in - "I'll try and speak to financedepartment today"

*But - as in - "I agree with what you're saying but??.."

*Sorry - as in - "I'm sorry 'bout that"

"What DO I say I hear you cry?"

Instead of the words "Have to" which are very controllingtype words, why not try - "Are you willing to?" or just astraight - "Will you?."

Can't, can be replaced with - "I'm unable to because?."

"I'll try," which is pretty wishy-washy, can be replacedwith something more honest - "This is what I can do" or"This is what I'm unable to do"

"But" is a word that contradicts what was said before it,replace it with - "And" or "However" (which is a soft 'but')

Instead of saying "but" you could leave it out altogether.For example; instead of - "I agree with what you're sayingbut I can't help you" use - "I agree with what you'resaying. The reason I'm unable to help you is??"

At the end of the day the answer to a customer or one ofyour staff could be -"no"- however, choosing your words morecarefully will have a more positive affect on how he or shereacts and ultimately responds to you.

"Sorry" is one of the words to avoid because it is sooverused and it's lost its value. Think of the number oftimes you've complained or commented about something and youhear - "Sorry 'bout that." If you're going to use the"sorry" word then you need to use it as part of a wholesentence - "I'm sorry you've been receiving so manycomplaints Mary."

Sometimes it's appropriate to use the word 'apologise'instead of 'sorry.' "I apologise for not getting you thatinformation sooner."

For smoother interactions, take care with the words you use.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivatingyour team!Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Salesby Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practicalthings you can do to get the best out of your people. Visit http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Customer Service Information:

Related Articles

Increase Sum in Your Check Account with Follow-Ups
We'll be examining what makes follow up to prospects/customers so important on our online world today.Are you familiar with this scenario?Joined an affiliate program with good pay-out.
Astonish your Customers With These Customer Service Tips
Customer service today is getting worse. Win customers overand you build your business for life.
The Number 1 Rule for Businesses - Be Professional
Have you ever walked into a store and things looked sloppy? Stores should have nice neat displays, right? Normally, yes, but sometimes they get a bit messy on busy days and we all understand how that can happen.But what if you were to walk into a store as soon as it opened in the morning and the place looked liked it had been ransacked? What would you think?You'd probably think it wasn't very professional-looking.
4 Easy Steps to Better Online Customer Support
Customer support is very important when you're running a business, whether your business is on or off the net. If your customer support is hopeless, you'll soon find your customers running away from you and worse, telling others to stay away too.
Over Delivering Provides Big Results
Over promising is a problem only when you under deliver. There are a number of ways that you can overdeliver to your customers or prospects, and as a result create a win-win situation for you both.
The Importance of Good Customer Service
Do you have good customer service? Even for your free giveaways?I have been thinking over the past couple of weeks why some WAHP's have trouble growing their business. They host chats or do online parties.
Breaking the Ice and Winning Over the Client!
Wherever you turn these days you'll find articles covering every business strategy and tactic available to man, from how to make a great presentation to strategies for success all the way to negotiations and prospecting and getting a client to commit. But hardly anyone touches on the subject of breaking the ice with a new client and winning them over.
Five Ways To Wow Your Client
Running a business is about providing goods and services to human beings. Their experience with you can make the difference between a good day, a terrible day, a nothing-special day, and a "WOW" day for them! Wouldn't you like to be the reason a client's day changes from boring to "WOW?"The benefits of this approach are good for everyone involved.
Dealing with People - Words to Avoid
You probably realise how the wrong tone of voice andnegative body language can cause problems when dealing withother people, particularly customers and staff. However,using the wrong words can also cause problems.
How CRM Software Works -- Creating Customer Satisfaction with a Click
When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is, "Customer Relationship Management," but that doesn't really convey much in terms of what all CRM does for a business. This CRM definition is too narrow to really explain everything the system does if it is working to its fullest potential and is user-friendly enough to expand and grow as a customer-client relationship changes and grows.
Customer Service For Huge Profits
Customer service is the most vital asset for Businesseither it is online or offline. It's the critical factorwhich determines if your business has a future or not.
Customer Loyalty
Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service is the first step to customer loyalty.
Customer Service Tips - Is Your Business A Leaky Bucket?
Customer service and customer service training are vital for any business.But, is your business a leaky bucket?This is a question I always ask small business owners who attend my marketing seminars.
What Every Employee Should Know About How to Win the Loyalty of Customers
Dr. Michael LeBoeuf, in his cassette album entitled, Win Customers and Keep Them for Life presents twelve principles that will transform the workplace into a customer-driven, highly motivational team.
Mastering Challenging Service Situations
During the course of everyday business, many of you encounter unsatisfied customers. How you and your staff handle these situations, will shape your service image and ultimately your bottom line.
Treating the Customer Dissatisfaction Epidemic: How to Go Beyond Simply Masking the Symptoms
Corporations in every sector are spending more than ever before in an attempt to improve their customer service levels. Every year they pour hundreds of millions of dollars into new systems and training programs that promise them the ability to win customer loyalty.
The History of CRM -- Moving Beyond the Customer Database
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of those magnificent concepts that swept the business world in the 1990's with the promise of forever changing the way businesses small and large interacted with their customer bases. In the short term, however, it proved to be an unwieldy process that was better in theory than in practice for a variety of reasons.
Quality vs. Quantity
There is a battle in Call Centers. The teams are Quality vs.
Are You Satisfying Your Customers?
The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (Michigan School of Business) reports the following:Customer dissatisfaction with the quality goods and services offered in the marketplace is more than a nuisance. The US economy is heavily dependent on increases in consumer spending.
My Child Has Opie Eye!
7:00 a.m.