Five Customer Service Tips from A Robot

No one likes to call a customer service line and get a robotic response that comes straight off a script, read in an unfeeling monotone. Or, stand in line at the customer service counter only to have to deal with a cold, programmed service agent with a vacant stare and fourteen rehearsed lines that all end up with “No.” So what could customer service professionals possibly learn from a real robot? 

Ever since the classic study by Albert Mehrabian on the three elements of communications, we know that body language is a major factor in the effectiveness of communications and whether a person seems likeable in interactions. A study by a team at Northwestern University took this a step further, as reported in a recent article in Fast Company, "Learning About Human Connection From A Robot." In the study, a team, headed by Northwestern University psychology professor David DeSteno, conducted two studies, one with college students and then with a robot developed by MIT called Nexi. The studies put the students through a series of interactions with a live person or on a web chat to determine if body language would give the impression of untrustworthiness. They determined that gestures such as touching the hands and face, leaning backwards or crossing of the arms all contributed to an impression the other person was untrustworthy. The students then did the same series of interactions with the Nexi the robot, programmed with the same body language, and came to the same conclusion. The researchers found that the gestures programmed into a robot could elicit feelings of untrustworthiness, the same as with the human counterparts.

Any business that relies on customer service can take some valuable lessons from Professor DeSteno’s study. Trust, especially in a world of diminishing privacy, security and product reliability, is a quality no business can afford to lose. Customer service workers are in direct contact with customers either building trust and customer confidence or breaking it down. Here are some tips to take from Nexi:

1. Ditch the scripts. Instead of a word-for-word scripted greeting, closing and response to every question, give guidelines and train service agents on product knowledge, your production and service systems and what courses of action work best to solve the customer’s problems. Guidelines give structure but allow customer service agents to work out the best solution for each individual.
    
2. Train on body language. Most customer service training includes a section on body language. The problem is most people aren’t aware of what they do when they are talking to another person. What’s lacking is the opportunity to see how an agent actually looks to the customer. Video-taping role playing exercises and then analyzing them for body language is an eye opener. Professional speakers do this all the time. Telling someone not to cross his arms or roll his eyes when talking to a customer is one thing, but showing how their body language helps or hurts their interactions is priceless.
    
3. Act naturally. Scripting body language can be as damaging as scripting a message. Forced gestures can seem unnatural and make others more uncomfortable. Be natural in your speech and gestures.
    
4. People are not robots. While the study came to the same conclusion with the robot and with humans, robots are programmed to react exactly the same way without variation. There are times when crossing your arms in a heated conversation is just the message needed to make a point.   
    
5. Emphasize trust. Taking out the offending body language is not enough. Train customer service agents to use inviting, respectful and engaging body language. A smile, comfortable eye contact and building rapport can fill the void once the offending gestures are removed.

Trust and confidence are essential for customer service and business growth. Taking a few tips from Nexi can help put trust back into your customer service process.

Image by Victor Habbick / freedigitalphotos.net