How to Improve Customer Perception June, 2017 © 2016 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.

How to improve customer perception Advocate for your customer Use positive language Position your solution against alternatives

Advocate for your customer Advocating for a customer is a form of "practical empathy.“ Empathy that's misunderstood is empathy that won't affect the conversation. When needed, clearly and concisely explain your commitment to solving the problem by describing: What you've just done. What you will do. How your actions are in support of their desired outcome. Why you genuinely sympathize with any frustrations they may have faced.

Use positive language Focus on the fix over the problem, and avoid words that cause defensive, knee-jerk reactions.

Position your solution against alternatives The customer comes with a solution already in mind, but it's not the optimal one. You need to share your suggestion by showing them why it's a more effective way to solve their root problem. Integrated Discovery Questions!!! The customer comes in asking for a solution you can't offer. You do, however, have an alternative. It won't be exactly what they asked for, but it's better than a "no" or other high-effort routes. Dig deeper and unearth their desired outcome; a customer's stated request is not always the real issue. If you're still confident you know a better way

If you change the way customers look at things, the things they look at will change for the better.