Ever been on the phone with a frustrated customer, doing your best to help, but they keep asking tough questions?
Your palms start to sweat, your chest tightens and it feels like the right words just won't come out.
How would you feel in that moment — confident or completely overwhelmed?
In customer service, confidence is a secret weapon that helps you stay calm, find the right words, and turn tough situations around. Without it, every problem feels like a mountain to climb.
Ready to build that confidence? These 3 tips will help you learn how to be a confident rep.
Tip 1: Know The Product Inside-Out
Confidence starts with knowing your stuff. When you really know your company's products and services, solving customer problems becomes a breeze.
Without that knowledge, it's hard to feel sure of yourself, and customers will pick up on it.
Make a cheat sheet and cover these key points:
Pricing, features, and special offers for your products
Company policies for refunds, exchanges, and warranties
Steps for handling customer requests and escalations
Details about upcoming product launches before they go live
Study it until you can say...
Tip 2: Master The Art of Verbal Judo
Verbal judo is the art of using your words to prevent and de-escalate a tense situation.
A key part of that is using language that focuses on what you can do for the customer, rather than what you can’t.
Certain phrases display empathy and help keep things positive, while others can accidentally create friction.
Phrases to avoid:
"Unfortunately,..."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"Calm down!"
"I don't know."
"No."
What to say instead:
"Although [X] isn’t available, we can offer [Y]."
"I understand how frustrated you must be feeling."
"That would upset me, too. Here’s how I can help."
"Great question! I'll find the answer for you."
"While we’re unable to do that, here’s what we can do."
Tip 3: Listen To Understand
Active listening builds confidence by helping you fully understand the customer’s needs before responding.
Active listening can look like:
Focusing on what the customer is saying without interrupting.
Paraphrasing their concerns to confirm understanding.
Asking questions to clarify any details.
Read this Byte to improve your active listening skills with customers.
Try It Out
A long-time customer calls in, frustrated about a recent bill.
They say, "I saw that 20% discount you’re giving new customers. I’ve been with you for years — why am I not getting a break on my bill?"
What's the best response?
Response 1:
"Sorry, but that offer is for new customers only, so it wouldn't apply to your account unfortunately."
Response 2:
"Thank you for being such a loyal customer! The 20% discount is for new customers, but I’ll check if there’s another way we can help lower your bill."
Response 3:
"Honestly, I’m not sure. The 20% discount is typically for new customers only, but I can transfer you to another team to see if they can help."
Quiz
Take Action
Photo by Berkeley Communications on UnsplashI learned how to be a confident customer service rep from my own experiences working in a call center and then later dealing with customers face-to-face. Now it's your turn!
Take your customer service skills to the next level:
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