Back to top

Encompass® Insurance Insights & Articles



Tips for Creating Meaningful Dialogue With Customers

Now more than ever, customers have come to value their overall experience with a brand as much as they value the quality and price of the products that the brand offers. In fact, 73 percent of consumers agree that customer experience plays an important role in their purchasing decisions.

While there's a lot that goes into developing an excellent customer experience, creating meaningful dialogue with your customers is the ideal place to start. Let's take a look at a few helpful tips to help improve those conversations.

Woman talking on her phone while taking notes.

1) Engage in Active Listening

Active listening is the process of giving your full attention to what the customer is saying while providing verbal and non-verbal cues to demonstrate that you hear and understand them. When it comes to creating meaningful dialogue with customers, listening attentively and showing the customer that you are doing so is an excellent place to begin.

2) Personalize Each Interaction

No one likes to be treated like just another number. While it isn't easy to personalize interactions when you don't have access to detailed customer data, even something as simple as making an effort to call them by their names can go a long way toward making your customers feel appreciated.

3) Encourage Feedback

Encouraging your customers to offer feedback will yield two key benefits. For one, feedback can be an incredibly valuable resource, providing insights that you could use to further improve the customer experience. Encouraging people to give honest feedback also demonstrates that your brand genuinely cares about what they have to say.

4) Use Positive Language

Words have a lot of power, so it's important to choose them carefully. Even if the message itself is not inherently negative, negative language triggers negative emotions. If the message itself is actually negative (for example, telling a customer that you won't be able to offer a refund), then it is even more important to deliver it using positive language.

Let's take a look at a few examples of negative vs. positive language:

  • Instead of saying, "We won't be able to ship your order until payment has cleared," try saying, "As soon as your payment has cleared, we'll be able to ship your order."
  • Instead of saying, "I'm sorry you're having this problem," try saying, "I would be happy to help you fix this."
  • nstead of saying, "Please do not reply to this message as the mailbox isn't monitored," try saying, "Please feel free to contact us at..."

Making an effort to replace negative words with positive language like the examples above will help ensure that you cultivate positive emotions and reactions instead of negative ones.

5) Be Personable

While it's important to maintain a certain degree of professionalism, you don't want to make your customers feel like they're speaking to a robot. A little humor and some off-script remarks will surely be appreciated when used appropriately.

Just be sure that you are delivering these doses of humor and personality at the right times. For instance, a customer who is obviously frustrated probably isn't going to be in the mood for jokes and lighthearted remarks.


A group of Encompass agents

Customer Centric. Agent Focused.

Our simple, tailored approach to coverage offers powerful benefits to you and your clients.

Become an Agent

The general information contained in The Encompass Blog is provided as a courtesy, and is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The contents of this website are subject to periodic change without notice. Information provided on The Encompass Blog is not intended to replace official sources. Although attempts will be made to ensure that the information is accurate and timely, the information is presented "as is" and without warranties. Information contained on The Encompass Blog should not be mistaken for professional advice. Information contained herein should not be considered error-free and should not be used as the exclusive basis for decision-making. Use of website information is strictly voluntary and at the user's sole risk. We encourage you to obtain personal advice from qualified professionals when making decision regarding your specific situation.

Other resources linked from these pages are maintained by independent providers. The Encompass Blog does not monitor all linked resources and cannot guarantee their accuracy. Statements, views and opinions included in an independent provider's material are strictly those of the author(s). These views may not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of The Encompass Blog, the Encompass family of companies or its agents, officers or employees.

ECC Monitor: OK