Comments on: React vs. Respond http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html Author, Speaker, Consultant: Ideas on Creating Profitable Customer Relationships Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:34:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-352 Steve Yastrow Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:43:04 +0000 http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-352 I guess you could call this distinction only semantic, but I loved Gene's point that re-acting is just rehashing an previous script, and responding is more natural. Of course, you are right that being pro-active is something different ... I think being responsive, as opposed to reactive (according to Gene's definition) puts you in a better place to be proactive. I guess you could call this distinction only semantic, but I loved Gene’s point that re-acting is just rehashing an previous script, and responding is more natural. Of course, you are right that being pro-active is something different … I think being responsive, as opposed to reactive (according to Gene’s definition) puts you in a better place to be proactive.

]]> By: Steve Yastrow http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-351 Steve Yastrow Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:40:52 +0000 http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-351 Thanks Gary. Can an employee learn to sound genuine with a script? Any luck with this? I've found the best luck teaching people to respond naturally, not with a script, but buy learning the principles that make for a good customer encounter. Thanks Gary. Can an employee learn to sound genuine with a script? Any luck with this? I’ve found the best luck teaching people to respond naturally, not with a script, but buy learning the principles that make for a good customer encounter.

]]> By: Larry Kaufman http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-349 Larry Kaufman Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:30:58 +0000 http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-349 This distinction between reactive and responsive is a quibble. I prefer to contrast reactive with pro-active -- taking the initiative to move the relationship forward rather than just returning the other guy's serve. I react to your blog post by responding. I am pro-active if I create my own blog post about anticipating customers' needs and beating them to the punch. This distinction between reactive and responsive is a quibble. I prefer to contrast reactive with pro-active — taking the initiative to move the relationship forward rather than just returning the other guy’s serve.

I react to your blog post by responding. I am pro-active if I create my own blog post about anticipating customers’ needs and beating them to the punch.

]]> By: Gary Jensen http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-345 Gary Jensen Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:48:30 +0000 http://yastrow.com/2008/react-vs-respond.html#comment-345 Thank you for sharing Steve. This hits on an area that I teach in my “phone skills” workshops. You know the scenario...a customer calls in upset, confused, etc. and they are greeted with the same scripted verbatim that the previous customer received. Customers can sense “reactive replies” (i.e., scripted replies) and in my experience they only make matters worse. Today’s customer wants a “response” tailored to their specific situation, regardless of how common it may be. This is the difference between the waiter using a canned rejoinder or responding to the moment as you point out. So to answer your question, I think “responses” work best; however, there are many reasons why scripts are so popular in call centers (compliance, training, etc.). My thoughts are that if scripts are going to be used, then a company should spend time training agents on how to use them without making the customer feel like just another number. Customers want to matter…and rightfully so. Thanks, Gary Jensen Thank you for sharing Steve. This hits on an area that I teach in my “phone skills” workshops.

You know the scenario…a customer calls in upset, confused, etc. and they are greeted with the same scripted verbatim that the previous customer received.

Customers can sense “reactive replies” (i.e., scripted replies) and in my experience they only make matters worse. Today’s customer wants a “response” tailored to their specific situation, regardless of how common it may be. This is the difference between the waiter using a canned rejoinder or responding to the moment as you point out.

So to answer your question, I think “responses” work best; however, there are many reasons why scripts are so popular in call centers (compliance, training, etc.). My thoughts are that if scripts are going to be used, then a company should spend time training agents on how to use them without making the customer feel like just another number. Customers want to matter…and rightfully so.

Thanks,
Gary Jensen

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