From the course: Empathy for Customer Service Professionals

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Would you say that to your grandmother?

Would you say that to your grandmother?

From the course: Empathy for Customer Service Professionals

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Would you say that to your grandmother?

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- Jeffrey Gitomer offers a self test in his book "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." To help us determine when we're not applying emotional intelligence to interactions, Gitomer calls his test the, "Grandma," secret. When you speak to your customer, imagine saying, "Grandma." I know this sounds a little silly, but hear me out. If what you say to your customer would sound appropriate if you were talking to a respected elder, then you're using a tone and approach laced with empathy. Let me show you. Your flight was canceled, Grandma. Would you deliver bad news to your grandmother this casually, or would you tie that up with empathy? We have a mechanical issue with your aircraft, making travel unsafe, and we've had to cancel this flight. We have two options for getting you to Tulsa, Grandma. Here's another example. You're calling to collect a debt, and the customer explains she's behind…

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