CAN YOU HELP?

It's a tricky one...with the dead relation an empathy approach, expect them to be upset, take the details of whats required for neccesary amendments and keep it short but ensure they understand what's been done and any follow up actions (outstanding payments due etc.)

My own opinion, when dealing with people with a disability it's best to not change from your normal approach. The last thing a disabled person wants is to be patronised or treated differently. If anything slow down and question to ensure understanding but beyond that try and not change your approach.

Hope that helps some...JP

Hello Lee-roy. Soft skills in a call centre can often be overlooked. My training company Hendrix The Dog runs tone of voice workshops in call centres using professional actors. They show agents how to not only alter their tone but also show them how to improve their empathetic listening skills. Like an actor on stage, someone on the phone only has their voice and their body to work with. We also role play scenarios like the one you mention and demonstrate with the actors how by varying tone and listening create different and more positive outcomes. The listening element is particularly crucial in this case. Some agents can be so focused on their objective from a call, such a to make a sale or convey information that they fail to listen and respond with the right tone. If you want to find out more let me know. All the best with it. Steve