Silence is golden, except in customer service. And no news does not equal good news in customer service. Silence means nothing is going on or that no one knows what is going on, which can turn in to frustration and anger for the customer.
It is better to give more information than no information. It is better to let customers know that you are doing something or keep them informed than to let them wonder what is going on. Silence is nerve-wracking for customers precisely because they don’t know what is going on. Hold music is often maligned, but if a customer can hear something on the line, he or she knows that he/she is still connected.
Even if there is no information to share, it is best to say something. Take for instance a transit delay. A train is supposed to leave at a certain time, and it does not leave the station as scheduled. There is no announcement. There is nothing. Customers don’t know what is going on: how long is the delay or will the train be canceled. This causes anxiety, but worse it disrespects the customer’s time. If a passenger on the delayed train is told that there will be a 30-minute delay, he or she can choose to get off the train and take alternative transport.
Information allows people choice and control. Lack of information does the opposite–it does not give customers the opportunity to make informed decisions.
As part of customer service training, representatives should understand that information is key. Do not allow radio silence. Keep the information flowing.
