“Just because there’s Nothing You can Do Doesn’t Mean there’s Nothing you can Do”

Effort – is one-third “do” and two-thirds “feels”

Don’t over-invest in streamlining the physical side of the service experience. Instead, focus on the interpretation or “feel” side of the effort!

Soft Skills

Definition – A code of behavior created to consistently handle customer issues in a friendly, personable, and professional manner that reflects positively on the representative and the company.

They are not a choice or an option – to be applied with every caller, every time.

But Soft skills alone are not enough to move the needle on effort reduction.

In comes –

Experience Engineering

Definition- An approach to actively guide a customer through an interaction that is designed to anticipate the emotional response and preemptively offer solutions that create a mutually beneficial resolution.

‘Experience Engineering’ – means managing a conversation with carefully selected language designed to improve how the customer interprets what they’re being told.

So, sound experience engineering is designed to

• Anticipate the emotional response of the customer.
• Preemptively offer solutions that the customer will find agreeable.
• Finding a mutually beneficial resolution to customer issues.
• Mainly – when the customer is going to be told they cannot have exactly what they are asking for – easing them into the answer.
• Arriving at true win-win outcome instead of paying customers with lavish givebacks!

Most companies’ initial forays into effort reduction are aimed at reducing customer exertion.

Can experience engineering be taught ? – Many companies are teaching their reps to do this in ways that are simple to understand and easy even for relatively inexperienced staff to use.

Reframing “No”

Using positive Language. Be truthful, but in a way that doesn’t trigger negative emotional reaction.

“Don’t tell the customers what you can’t do, tell them what you can do”

Positioning Alternatives with Customer benefits

Ask more questions. Do not put them on hold. Find the real motivations of the customer beyond the explicitly stated need. Work with them to present alternates.

• Don’t be so fast with the “no”
• Don’t encourage reps to try to explain their way out of a high effort situation.
• Don’t take the customer’s request quite so literally.

Personality-Based Issue Resolution

identify the basic personality characteristics of each customer in the moment, and tailor the interaction to that customer.

Personality Type	Profile	Characteristic Traits	Actions to do
Feeler	Leads with emotional needs “I need to feel good about my next steps”	Cooperative Sensitive Loyal	Invite their opinion Provide Assurance Show personal involvement
Entertainer	Loves to talk and show-off their personality. “Let’s have some fun”	Outgoing Enthusiastic Spontaneous	Maintain informal tone Mention personal information Focus on the ‘big picture’
Thinker	Needs to analyse and understand Take the time to fully explain the what and the why	Analytical Thorough Serious	Do not interrupt Explain processes Slow down conversation
Controller	Just wants what they want, when they want it “Let’s cut to the chase”	Independent Candid Determined	Directly address issue Speed up the pace of conversation Provide clear timeline for result