The Do's and Don'ts of Customer Service

Welcome to the world of the nine to five grunts who have to do what no one else would: listen to screaming customers and their wedding plan problems. Customer service in itself is a stressful job, but even more so in the wedding industry. Customers have a narrow view of what the day is supposed be and nothing else comes into their "vision." It is no fun to be yelled at day in and day out. About ninety percent of the calls are concerning unhappy brides, grooms, and parents wanting something for their troubles. In the world of customer service, people revert back to their baser needs to be always right, even when it is sometimes far from the truth.

Of course, the customers are not the only thing to navigate. The inner workings of the corporate office is filled with cubicles, corner offices, and a lot of strict rules that best be followed unless steady employment is not a priority. Also, it takes time to absorb everything. Everyday is a learning curve. Take your lumps and move on. For anyone in or considering employment in the customer service profession, here are some additional rules to help guide you through everything.

Do be cheerful. No one likes a sourpuss at work. They want an employee who can go with the flow and not allow anymore to give them any guff. If you are anything above or below the norm, you will be remembered for something that you would rather not be.

Do have a sense of humor. Laughter is the best medicine after eight hours of continuous lectures by how everything you do is absolutely wrong. Leave a joke book or a place around your desk area that will have you smiling in no time. Believe me it is much better to end the work day smiling than ready to punch a hole in the wall.

Do improvise every once in a while. There are rare situations that occur sometimes that requires a customer service representative to think outside the box in order to make a customer happy.

Do keep your desk organized. It reflects badly on your credibility at the office if your desk looks like a tornado ran through it. It's good to keep some work on there to make it look like you're actually doing something to your boss. The best way to look productive is projection. Pretend to look eager when the only motive is a buck for more than the standard twenty-five cent raise every four to six months.

Do look for additional means of income. It would be risky to quit a steady somewhat paying job when the search would be just as fruitless either employed or unemployed. The best avenue would be to try possible part-time type positions on free days to earn extra cash. Not every single day though, unless the goal is earn something with the money like a car or a condo. As the old saying goes, "All work and no play, makes (insert name here) a dull (insert gender here)."

Don't trash talk the customer in their presence. Bad idea for the situation. It will only make them angrier and could make job security an issue, unless the need to be unemployed is more important than the task at hand.

Don't show any apathy. That is a serious turn-off to the customers. They might not think you're as invented in helping them, which might be true depending on the person on the other end of the phone. Just don't indicate to them you do not care. They will only get angrier at you and make sure you'll have a headache by the end of the call.

Don't let the customers get under your skin. It's a sure fire way to cause trouble. The first impulse might be to tell off of an extremely anal retentive bride who wants every minute detail to be absolutely perfect. This person might be public enemy number one in your eyes, but there are better ways to handle a contentious customer. They might be power hungry, but they are human beings. There are better ways to relate to their stresses and just to reassure them sincerely that everything will be taken care of for them. Crossing the line with them is not the way to go, unless it's to the unemployment line.

Don't break the rules of procedure, unless you know that it is okay to do so. Not everyone is a stickler for them, but it is best to know when it is appropriate to go the extra mile. If it is not, then it is best to not take any risks just yet. It might be a little counterproductive trying to determine when or when not to improvise, but use your best judgment to decide what to do.

Don't do overtime, unless there is a guaranteed pay-off in the next check. Other than that, leave when the shift is over. No use sticking around when you're not getting paid much for it.

In conclusion, the customer's priorities are small in the grand scheme of things. Their wedding day is after all only a day. An online order is just another package heading their way. Once the big day passes or the package arrives, life goes on to the next stage either smoothly or with great difficulty depending on the participant.