Who has the power?

When a customer calls into a customer service center, they are only calling because they have a problem and need assistance in solving it. They aren’t calling to ruin a staff person’s day and they aren’t calling to be a pain in the neck. They are calling because they need help.

The employee answering the phone must understand that and recognize that from the perspective of the customer, they are the only one in between the customer and the resolution of their issue.

No matter how a customer reacts or what they verbalize, they are calling because they have a problem and need help solving it. The staff person answering the call, and the business as a whole, are in a position of power. Only the staff person, and the business, can solve the customer’s issue, the customer can’t do it on their own.

As such, the employee needs to have empathy for the experience of the customer. Being rude or condescending doesn’t help the situation and leads to escalation. 

The customer is asking for help. Why not give it to them?