Call Me a Taxi — the role of humor in customer service success
Laugh and the world laughs with you. So says the famous quote. Unfortunately, not everyone has a sense of humor. Sometimes it’s the circumstances. People may be too stressed or angry or tired or any number of things that can interfere. So don’t take it personally if your attempts at brevity crash against a brick wall. Focus on just enjoying the joke yourself. That’s always been my approach and it has served me well as both an employee and a manager.
Let me give you an example: Long ago, I worked as an attendant at a gas station. This was in the era of full-service stations, and the work was often challenging due to weather. A sense of humor was a must to make it through the day.
One afternoon a gentleman cam into the station. We had a small stock of snacks and cigarettes, so people often stopped in to purchase something. This man came in, saw me and said, “I’d like you to call me a taxi.”
To those who know me, my response comes as no surprise. I replied, “okay. You’re a taxi!”
One of us thought that answer was hysterical and laughed heartily. Guess which one?
Yup, the giggler was me. The gentleman just stood there, staring coldly at me. I stopped laughing and explained that we don’t call taxis but that there was a pay phone where he could call for help if he needed. I also offered the services of the station tow truck and mechanics if he needed that kind of assistance.
I don’t recall the outcome of the situation, but I do vividly remember one thing — the laughter. It made me laugh, and certainly brightened my day. It was unfortunate that it didn’t do the same for my audience of one, but that didn’t lessen the enjoyment I got out of the exchange. I guess it’s like those kindergarten report cards — you’ve got to “play well by self” if you’re going to make it in this often-humorless world.
Fortunately, I’ve usually been good at gauging just how far I could take a joke. I remember one particularly delicate situation that occurred when I was a customer service representative. Phone interactions can be especially challenging. You can’t see the other person so there are no visual clues like posture or body language that can guide your responses. I suppose that’s why so many telephone interactions are scripted.
In this particular case, I had no script to rely on. When I answered the phone, the man was already mad. He told me he had just hung up from speaking to another representative, and the call had not gone well. His issue had not been resolved and he was calling back to let us know how angry he was. I did all the “correct” things like telling him I was sorry he was frustrated and that I’d be happy to see what I could do. Mr. Angry Man wasn’t having any of that. He was a frequent caller, judging from the volume of notes in his account, and he just wanted to vent. I let him know again that I would be happy to see what I could do to help and told him I was just reviewing the notes to see what had already been done, so I could avoid making him repeat the issue. I thought he would appreciate that — I hate having to tell my story multiple times when I call customer service.
I asked the man to give me just a moment to glance through the previous rep’s notes. In a quieter voice, he said, “I suppose the notes say I’m being an a — hole.”
I paused, for just the briefest of seconds, then said, “no….no, I don’t see that. Did you want me to add that?”
It was a Giant risk, saying that, and it could have gone very badly. But it didn’t. the man actually Laughed! The tension eased and we were able to work together to resolve his issue. At the end of the call, he was still laughing and relaxed. He thanked me for having a sense of humor and being so understanding. He also apologized multiple times, for taking his anger out on me. Of course, I told him that wasn’t a problem, and that I understood his frustration. Those are “expected” responses, Customer Service 101, but the difference was — I meant every word. And he could tell — something in my voice, perhaps.
I have always been excellent at telephone (and face-to-face) customer service because I do genuinely want to help people. I think that’s the secret to being great at customer service — you have to Care.
I had a boss who used to joke that “nothing sells like sincerity. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” He was kidding, but the truth is, sincerity does sell. If your employees care about helping people, that’s the key to success. They can have all the talent in the world, but it’s warmth that makes people want to return.
Sincerity can’t be faked or taught. It must be something that is just there, inside of them. As a manager, I went more by how an applicant made me feel, than by their resume. If they were able to engage with me one on one, if they were able to laugh and relax in what was a tense situation — then I knew they would be great at working with customers. There were other factors. I often interviewed them in a corner of the store. I’d watch to see if they were looking around the store, and if their eyes immediately went to someone entering the store. There are so many factors that are not on a resume.
Above all, as a manager, I looked for people with a sense of humor. That is such a necessary tool to carry you through difficult situations and days. The job could be demanding at times, and I wanted people who could deal with that. I wanted people who enjoyed life, because that meant they could enjoy the job. It meant they could laugh and have fun, even if the job was something like pumping gas in a blizzard.
Let your employees be who they are, allow them to have personalities. One woman I hired had a very brash sense of humor. She would stand at the door of the store and accost people. I was there one day when she called out to two young women, “c’mon in here, ladies! I know you have money. We have some great stuff, but you have to come in here to see it.” Overhearing that exchange, I have to say I gasped! But I kept doing what I was doing and just watched from the corner of my eye. Sure enough, the two women entered the store, giggling, and allowed my employee to aim them at some trendy, expensive merchandise. Which they bought. That employee became one of my top sales reps, just using her natural talents — her humor and warmth. Her personality.
I understand, not everyone has a sense of humor. And that’s okay. As my dad used to say, “it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round.” And he would add that if there weren’t all kinds of people, no one would want to be an undertaker.
I’m not saying all your employees need to be stand-up comics. But — wouldn’t the world be a more pleasant place if more people could laugh?
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Donna Wylie is always available for consultation regarding how your company can relax, have fun, and increase sales! Contact her at chiwowmedia@gmail.com
