Empathy & Acknowledgement (Supervisors)

Top 3 Common Issues

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1.1 Read the following member comments and identify the reasons why our customers think we are not listening. Discuss how listening is connected to empathy and acknowledgement.

1.2 Think and discuss. What are the top 3 common issues you face when coaching teammates on empathy and acknowledgement.

Sometimes I have the feeling that they weren't listening to what I was saying - need to respond to what is being said rather than come out with stock, scripted phrases.

She could have been a bit more understanding and not blame me for the item being broken. It would have been nice if she had listened to me properly.

Listened to what my actual question was before she started talking.

I do not think she fully understood my concern, although it seemed to be answered in a roundabout way. I think I still might have a problem with it and will have to wait for a few days to see if this happens.

Listened to me and understood what I was querying. She sounded distracted. Respond more quickly.

Nothing I can think of. Only slight problem was the noise in the background while I was on the phone

I was at work when I phoned in and communication wasn't that good - I wasn't entirely sure that she understood what I was trying to explain

Stop interrupting me when I am speaking. It sounds like she wanted to end the call quickly.

Introduction

1.3 Below are the tools that we use to empathize with and acknowledge the customer. Add two more examples under each category. Examples have already been provided for you.

Empathy / Apology Selective agreement I can see why you are upset.   You have a valid point. 

Accountability & Assurance Focus on what can be done Let me look into this right away.  What I recommend you to do is.   

Building Rapport Affirm How are you doing today? Yes. I got it. / Thanks for raising this.

Appreciate Commend Thanks for raising this. You’re doing great as power seller.

1.4 Identify what the member needs. Afterwards, write an appropriate response.

Customer Response What the Customer Needs Proper Response

1. So once I follow the steps you’ve provided, I’d be able to access my account again. Am I right?

2. I feel that eBay only favors buyers when it’s us sellers who actually give income to eBay.

3. I can’t pay for my item. I’ve tried it several times and it did not work!

4. I really want to resolve this but my trading partner is just not responding. I’m lost.

5. ___________________________________

1.5 Answer the following customer remarks. Write two more customer remarks for numbers 6 and 7 which your partner will answer.

Empathy / Apology * Selective Agreement * Accountability / Assurance

Focus on what can be done * Building Rapport * Affirmation * Appreciation * Commendation

Empathy / Apology * Selective Agreement * Accountability / Assurance

Focus on what can be done * Building Rapport * Affirmation * Appreciation * Commendation

Empathy & Acknowledgement Tools

1. I’m computer challenged. I’m so sorry. I feel so stupid.

2. I’ve been put on hold too many times. Is this what you call customer service?

3. I’m telling you that this seller is a fraud. Too many cancelled bids for a very cheap car. I’m an expert in cars and I’m a seller

myself, so I know how things like this work.

4. I was promised that the feedback that would be removed. Now you’re telling me it can’t.

5. Your policies are rubbish!

6. _______________________________________________________________

7. _______________________________________________________________

1.6 Work with a group and follow the instructions below. Your trainer will explain how to conduct the mock call.

1. Assign roles – caller, representative, evaluator. 2. After the mock call, discuss whether or not the empathy and acknowledgement statements were used effectively.3. Discuss why the following examples are ineffective ways to deliver empathy / acknowledgement statements.

1.7 Rearrange the words below to form common empathy / accountability statements. Afterwards, read aloud your answers with a partner - the way you would when speaking to a customer.

1. Worry/ I / help / you. We/ sort / things/ for you.

Ineffective Empathy / Acknowledgement

As what I have mentioned, we really apologize.

I do understand. However, you will not wait 30 days.

Customer: That’s a great name!Teammates: Can I have the item number?

Customer: I just think you need to check this seller. Teammate: Okay, I will. Can I have the item number?

I’m sorry to hear about what had happened. I’m sorry to hear that this happened several times.

I understand where you’re coming from (sounds happy)

Customer: What do you mean public data? Are you giving away my bank account information?Teammates: We don’t.

Using the Tools Effectively

Personalization

2. I ‘m sorry / hear / difficulties / agreement / trading partner

3. I / see / why / upset. Rest assured/ I / help/ you / this.

4. I / apologize/ on behalf/ eBay/ misunderstanding.

5. I / appreciate/ efforts/ resolve.

1.8 Write personalised empathy/accountability statements using the pattern below.

1. Frustrated

2. Upset

3. Confused

4. Disadvantaged

5. …………………………………..

6. ………………………………….

7.………………………………………

Long wait

Misunderstanding

Process

Protection policy

…………………………………………….

…………………………………………….

…………………………………………….

Speed things upNot waste time

Clarify

Walk throughExplain

Explain how you’re protected

……………………………………………

……………………………………………

……………………………………………

I can see why you’d feel frustrated over the long wait. I don’t want to waste any more of your time so I’ll make sure to speed things up for you.

It seems that you’re upset because of this misunderstanding. I’ll do my best to clarify things for you.

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………

1.9 Using the handout on the next page, write down different empathy starters that you could use to encourage our teammates to personalize their responses.

Keys to delivering effective empathy statements

1. Name the emotion – anger, frustration, upset2. Identify the source of the emotion – the delay, forms, product failure

Source of EmotionSource of Emotion What you can doWhat you can do Personalized StatementPersonalized StatementEmotionEmotion

Emotion Examplesanxious o I realize that you're anxious for your safety.

concerned o I understand you're concerned that your payment might not arrive on time.

confusedo Tim, I understand that submitting documents can sometimes be confusing, so I listed below all the necessary files you need to prioritize.

constrainedo I understand that you feel constrained because of our current guidelines, so I outlined some steps that could help you.

difficult o It must have been difficult for you to wait two weeks.

disappointed o I can understand your disappointment regarding the delay.

dissatisfied o Purchasing a faulty item can be dissatisfying.

distressed o It must have been distressing for you to not receive any response from your trading partner.

doubtful o I understand that you feel doubtful about exchanging contact information.

frustrated o I know it can be frustrating to have to complete these forms.

hesitant o I understand that you're hesitant to contact your trading partner because of your previous experience.

inconvenience o I realize how inconvenient it was for you to hire a van to get these items.

overwhelmed o Filing a case can be overwhelming, so I simplified the steps for you.

reluctant o John, it sounds like you’re reluctant to continue with this transaction.

restrictedo Deborah, it seems that you feel restricted because of our current process. Let me explain how we're protecting sellers like you.

troubled o It seems that your trading partner’s actions are troubling you.

unhappy o I understand that you are not happy/satisfied with the item you purchased.

uncertaino It seems that you are uncertain whether to continue with the transaction as your trading partner is no longer registered in eBay.

unwilling o I can see why you are unwilling to settle your fees unless you are given your refund.

upset o This must have upset you as you have tried all the options given.

worried o I understand you’re worried regarding the outcome of the case.

1.10 Read the following member queries. Afterwards, do mock calls for each concern with different partners.

You keep sending me emails to pay an invoice for

something I didn’t sell. I need my final value fee

back for the iphone. I don’t see why I should pay for

something that I didn’t sell.

You keep sending me emails to pay an invoice for

something I didn’t sell. I need my final value fee

back for the iphone. I don’t see why I should pay for

something that I didn’t sell.

It’s blocked. I can’t open a return with this bag in the Resolution Centre. Please try it yourself. It’s not possible, so I can’t follow the advice of the previous representative I spoke with. Please help me with this.

I recently had to refund a buyer, but I’m just wondering if I will receive my seller fees.

I recently had to refund a buyer, but I’m just wondering if I will receive my seller fees.

[Write 1 concern here]

Application - Delivery

1.11 Evaluate your partners using the following form. Discuss the results after each mock call.

Evaluation SheetMy Partner: _________________________________ Issue: _________________________Did my Partner do the following effectively? Observations

Y / N Practice active listening Y / N Empathize / Apologize Y / N Selectively Agree Y / N Offer Accountability / Assurance

Y / N Focus on what can be done Y / N Build Rapport Y / N Affirm Y / N Appreciate

Y / N Commend

1.11 Listen to the call. Identify the CSR’s strengths and areas for improvement. Deliver feedback, particularly paying attention to empathy and acknowledgement.

Make sure to:

1. Identify what the teammate said / did

2. Identify what the teammate could say / do

Sample Call [Transcript]How can I help you today?

I think it’s quite simple. You could on my account and you’ll see a case has been opened for me not paying something

Application – Delivering Feedback

Okay let me go ahead and check this. It’s a vintage class aurora.

I’ll quickly explain it to you. I bid on an item and after I bid on it, my computer was hit by a Trojan virus. What it did is It completely wiped out everything and corrupted it. That was before the double bank holiday. You know the royal wedding. It’s very hard for me to find someone to sit through it. So I contacted my partner and I said, “Could I pay you through check?”. He said, “that would be fine”. So I sent him a check, but I had heard nothing from him. He then asked me if I had sent the check, and I said “I had. If you haven’t’ received the check, and money’s been stolen, I could stop it.”

He never responded to me again. Now the problem is my computer still has a virus.If you noticed, I made him well aware of it. I can’t use Paypal. He’s well informed it. The only way I could pay him is by check or I have to have internet access at my local line office. And then he sent me a case saying, the line is now shut till Monday.So what he’s done is, he’s completely secluded me. I’m afraid I’ll get a black mark under my name, and he has not communicated with me.

So I want to know. I’ve asked him today, I don’t know if he’d respond, but I’d ask him maybe if he could retract this case and relist it. If he relists it, then it would save the problem. To be perfectly honest, and this is honest, the bank says there’s something strange about the check activity. I have no guarantee that if I Send him money, and if something happens, I’d have any help from him, with him being a difficult person. And certainly don’t want to get to feedback issues he’s talking about. I’m always afraid of leaving negative feedback in case of retribution because I’m a disabled concern, that’s why I am fond of using eBay. I am concerned now, I am frightened to divulge this person my name and address, because he’s behaving in a strange manner when I’ve been honest with him all the time.

I see not a problem. Actually I’m looking here that the case is still open. You don’t need to worry, once the case has been closed I can help you not to have the unpaid item strike in your account . However, we need to wait for the case to be closed. Or if we can communicate with the seller, it’s better. So that umm..

He’s saying now that he’s charging me for the item and the fees. I don’t know if it’s true or not.

Okay. Regarding with this, you don’t need to worry because We’ll forward this to the right department Right now, I’m looking here as well that the case is still open. We have to wait that the case should be closed and it will be recorded in your account. Alright?

Is he allowed to retract the case and relist it? Or will he, as he says, will he have to charge me for that?

No , actually , if the case is closed you’ll be charged for the unpaid item. If you. Like I said, once the case has been closed. You will not be charged, Call us again, once the case is closed, ummm you can call us again, in this hotline, so we can close the unpaid item strike in your account.

I noticed, as a normal person, I didn’t take copy of front and back of the check. Is that something that I have to provide?

Yes, if you’re sending a document you have a black and white copy just in case….

Bank was saying it’s not a normal thing to do. How do I prove that I sent him the check?

Actually ummm..You can…How did you send the check by the way?

From post. It’s just a small amount of money, he seemed mad for all this.

Uh huh….(dead air) I totally understand that. Not a problem, Right now cause the case is still open. As I said, once the case is closed. We can remove this.

I feel nervous about dealing with him now, that probably sounds strange to you. Once you get a fear, you just can’t…You see what I’m saying.

Yes. I understand your point here. Not a problem, as I said, you monitor the case, once it’s closed, call us again.

But I’ll still be charged for the necklace and the post will I?

No, you will not be charged if you’re going to remove it.

You’re so helpful Megan.

Not a problem.