What’s KISSing got to do with live chat work?

Don’t worry...no one is asking you to get up close and personal with customers. K.I.S.S. stands for ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid!’ Wikipedia says:

"The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided."  

As far as live chat is concerned, this means sticking to core principles. These are not complicated...they are simple! But if you keep these basics front and foremost in your mind, you will find it so much easier to deliver exceptional service.

Here are four ways you can keep it simple and get great results:

Your initial interaction with a visitor is critical...first impressions do count. So make sure your first message is friendly and welcoming. 

For example, there is a vast difference between these two chat openers:

‘How can I help?’

‘Hi, John. Thanks for contacting us. How can I be of assistance today?’

The first is borderline acceptable but won’t make a very positive impression. But with just a few more words, the second one conveys a friendly tone and a willingness to help. Which live chat agent would you prefer to speak to?

We’ve already discussed the Iceberg Principle and how it has a huge impact. So when chatting to customers, you should always be listening for what’s below the surface.

For example, if you get replies like these, you know there may be trouble brewing:

‘Heck, I’ve been waiting for ages already.’

‘You’re not going to put me on hold again, are you?’

‘This is the third time I’ve contacted the company about it this week.’

All of these clue us into the ‘9/10ths of the iceberg’ forming in the customer’s mind. We can feel the dissatisfaction, which may soon turn into frustration, then into anger. 

Right now, you probably still have time to turn things around. Deal with the ‘iceberg problem’ and take whatever action is needed to diffuse the issue. Get this right, and you can turn an unhappy customer into a raving fan!

Elton John sang that sometimes ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word.’ He was right...so many people struggle to offer a simple apology. Yet this is very often all that’s needed to turn a ‘Titanic’ situation into a happy outcome.

Very often, customers just want to feel heard and understood. They want to know that you sympathize with their situation and accept responsibility for whatever went wrong. Even if you had nothing to do with causing the problem personally, you can still apologize on behalf of your employer.

All you have to say is something like:

‘I apologize for any inconvenience, and I’ll get this fixed right away.’

‘I’m so sorry your product was damaged. I’ll get a new one sent out today.’

‘I understand how frustrated you must feel and would like to offer you a formal apology.’

If you have the authority to offer a discount or a refund where appropriate, that will help, too. If you can’t do this yourself, offer to pass the customer over to a supervisor who can. 

The way you end your chats has a significant impact, too. You should always aim to end on a friendly note and make the customer feel you were happy to help.

This can be as simple as saying:

‘Thanks for being a valued customer, and have a great day!’

‘We know you have a choice of providers, so we appreciate your custom. I hope to be able to serve you again soon.’

‘If you need any further help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ll always be happy to help.’