Is Your Customer Telling The Truth?

Tuesday, 03. 30. 2010  –  Category: T2 Communications

Is Your Customer Telling The Truth?
Dishonesty is an annoying side effect of doing business.  Whether it is simply to cheat the system or because they honestly need help with a legitimate problem, unfortunately, customers lie sometimes.  The argument is already won that lying is unethical, but it still occurs and in the end business must go on.  As a customer service representative, it is usually not in your job description to cleanse the moral capacity of the public, but you still have to deal with dishonest customers and be able to sleep at night.  Here are a few tips on how to deal with customers that refuse to tell you the truth.
Cut Them Some Slack
It is easy to take offense when you know that the customer is telling a lie, whether a tiny white lie or a big one.  But consider this: if the customer is happy in the end, it only serves to benefit your company.  Many customers are used to lying to bigger companies to get their way.  It is unfortunate, but the moral dilemma of telling the truth or not becomes a quick, split-second decision to lie after time and time again of not getting the assistance they need after telling the truth.  It is important in times like these to try to see things from the customer’s perspective.  They are just looking for a little help, and you happen to be the one that is caught in the crossfire of lies and deception.  Forgive, forget, and move on.
Do Not Call Them Out
At the height of frustration, a customer can quickly lose their cool with a customer service representative.  It is easier for them to see you as an entity, much like the automated menu operator, because you are on the other end of the phone and not face to face.  They are pretty sure they will not have to see you at the grocery store tomorrow or at church next Sunday.  Regardless, it is not pleasant to deal with an unhappy customer, especially when you suspect that they are not telling the truth.  As tempting as it may be, do not call them out on their dishonesty.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it is unprofessional.  It is true that lying is unethical, but most customers feel that “the customer is always right” no matter what the circumstance.  Listen and be helpful.  Second, this will only anger them more, causing you to have to be their sounding board even longer.  Find out what they are asking for, and move forward.  And finally, you may be wrong.  As far fetched as some stories may seem, the truth is that anything is possible.
Make It Easy For Them to Get the Help They Need
Assisting customers immediately, even just partially, helps them to get what they want from the start and may encourage them to be honest right away.  It could also prevent dishonesty in the future.  Many customers are used to having to jump through multiple hoops to get their desired end result.  The process, even if it is justified by your company, can be painful and frustrating for the customer and it may seem like a waste of their time.  Customers can learn to stretch the truth about the severity or cause of their issue to get their desired end result in a way that appears easier and faster for them.  It may not make sense for your company to bypass its process or make exceptions to its rules every time, but it may make sense to do it once and show the customer how you are willing to help, but let them know that next time you will have to go by the book.  Next time they may be more willing to be honest and cooperate, which could save your company time and money in the future.

Dishonesty is an annoying side effect of doing business.  Whether it is simply to cheat the system or because they honestly need help with a legitimate problem, unfortunately, customers lie sometimes.  The argument is already won that lying is unethical, but it still occurs and in the end business must go on.  As a customer service representative, it is usually not in your job description to cleanse the moral capacity of the public, but you still have to deal with dishonest customers and be able to sleep at night.  Here are a few tips on how to deal with customers that refuse to tell you the truth.

Cut Them Some Slack

It is easy to take offense when you know that the customer is telling a lie, whether a tiny white lie or a big one.  But consider this: if the customer is happy in the end, it only serves to benefit your company.  Many customers are used to lying to bigger companies to get their way.  It is unfortunate, but the moral dilemma of telling the truth or not becomes a quick, split-second decision to lie after time and time again of not getting the assistance they need after telling the truth.  It is important in times like these to try to see things from the customer’s perspective.  They are just looking for a little help, and you happen to be the one that is caught in the crossfire of lies and deception.  Forgive, forget, and move on.

Do Not Call Them Out

At the height of frustration, a customer can quickly lose their cool with a customer service representative.  It is easier for them to see you as an entity, much like the automated menu operator, because you are on the other end of the phone and not face to face.  They are pretty sure they will not have to see you at the grocery store tomorrow or at church next Sunday.  Regardless, it is not pleasant to deal with an unhappy customer, especially when you suspect that they are not telling the truth.  As tempting as it may be, do not call them out on their dishonesty.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it is unprofessional.  It is true that lying is unethical, but most customers feel that “the customer is always right” no matter what the circumstance.  Listen and be helpful.  Second, this will only anger them more, causing you to have to be their sounding board even longer.  Find out what they are asking for, and move forward.  And finally, you may be wrong.  As far fetched as some stories may seem, the truth is that anything is possible.

Make It Easy For Them to Get the Help They Need

Assisting customers immediately, even just partially, helps them to get what they want from the start and may encourage them to be honest right away.  It could also prevent dishonesty in the future.  Many customers are used to having to jump through multiple hoops to get their desired end result.  The process, even if it is justified by your company, can be painful and frustrating for the customer and it may seem like a waste of their time.  Customers can learn to stretch the truth about the severity or cause of their issue to get their desired end result in a way that appears easier and faster for them.  It may not make sense for your company to bypass its process or make exceptions to its rules every time, but it may make sense to do it once and show the customer how you are willing to help, but let them know that next time you will have to go by the book.  Next time they may be more willing to be honest and cooperate, which could save your company time and money in the future.

Katie Petre works for T² Communications, a CornerWorld company.

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One Response to “Is Your Customer Telling The Truth?”

  1. Barb Kleeves Says:
    March 31st, 2010 at 9:56 am

    aNOTHER GOOD ONE kATIE, KEEP IT UP.