Everyone Needs People Skills
Have you ever encountered situations that were funny, but only because they were actually sad? This happens far too often when it comes to customer service. That’s unfortunate because the person you’re talking with is representative of the whole company.
Most people have a tendency, right or wrong, to project the individual they’re interacting with onto the entire company. You could be dealing with a great organization but one sour interaction can spoil it. You stop interacting with a company that might actually be helpful for you and they’ve lost a customer. In other words, it’s a lose-lose outcome.
All too often customer service reps are the least trained, least paid, and least appreciated people in the organization. That’s a shame because they are the face of the organization for most customers.
A funny but sad story
Here’s my funny, but sad story, that prompted this week’s post. I recently suffered through a bout of diverticulitis and needed some antibiotics. My doctor called the prescription into the pharmacy, one I’ve gone to for decades because of its proximity to our home. Typically a prescription is ready in 60-90 minutes so after several hours of waiting to hear from the pharmacy, I decided to call.
- Me – “Hi, I’m calling about a prescription.”
- Pharmacist – “Last name”
- Me – “Ahearn” (and I spelled it)
- Pharmacist – “First name”
- Me – “Brian” (didn’t need to spell this one because it’s easy)
- Pharmacist – “Birthday”
- Me – “April 1, 1964” (no joke, I’m an April Fool)
- Pharmacist – “$21”
- Me – “Is the prescription ready now?”
- Pharmacist – “Yes”
- Me – “Thanks”
- Pharmacist – (silence)
After the call I got a text telling me the prescription was ready.
Simple Advice
Here’s some simple advice; filler words like “hi,” “how are you?,” “thanks for choosing us,” or a simple “thank you,” at the end of a conversation go a long way towards making customers feel good about the choice they’ve made.
When I shared the story someone asked me if I was talking to a robot. That made me laugh because I knew it wasn’t. I know that because the person I picked up the meds from had about the same people skills as the person on the phone. A robot programmed the right way would have been a better interaction! Heck, I bet interacting with a drug dealer on a street corner would have been more engaging than the pharmacist was!
Necessary Skills
Granted, a pharmacist is hired because he or she knows about medication. Accountants get jobs because they’re good with numbers. Doctors #1 priority is understanding the human body. I get it, people skills may not be the highest priority for many occupations. However, they are becoming more important as technology changes industries and jobs. Just look at AI Chat and you’ll realize many people are feeling as though they might be replaced by that new technology.
Here’s an example perhaps you can relate to. You can buy your car insurance online with little to no human interaction. If it’s fast, accurate, and reasonably priced, why would someone choose to go the old route?
Many people still prefer the traditional insurance agent because they want to know that a real human being knows them and will be there to help if a need arises. This means insurance agents need people skills in order to set themselves apart.
Conclusion
It’s an old axiom but it’s just as relevant today as it was 50 or 100 years ago, “People want to do business with people they know, trust, and like.” Believe me, they’re not going to like you much if you interact with them like the pharmacist interacted with me.
Brian Ahearn
Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE. An author, TEDx speaker, international trainer, coach, and consultant, Brian helps clients apply influence in everyday situations to boost results.
As one of only a dozen Cialdini Method Certified Trainers (CMCT) in the world, Brian was personally trained by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.
Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by Book Authority. His follow-up, Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents, was an Amazon new release bestseller. His latest book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness, is a business parable designed to teach you how to apply influence concepts at home and the office.
Brian’s LinkedIn courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by more than 500,000 people around the world!
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