If you are
not clear about the problem, ask for more information. Don't guess.
The customer's
key words will indicate a problem. Ask yourself, "Is there
one clear problem here, or could there be more than one?"
If there could be more than one problem, ask for more information
for five reasons:
- It
lets the customer know you're working on the problem.
- It ensures you're on the right track so the
customer doesn't become frustrated when you suggest solutions
to the wrong problem.
- It
uses your time wisely. You don't want to spend time on the wrong
problem and don't want to explain solutions to two or three
problems hoping you hit the right one.
- It
engages the customer in the process. Let the customer know why
you need the information and what you are looking for. The customer
learns about the process and how to solve the problem.
- It
may result in the customer discovering what the real problem
is so you don't have to work on it at all.
Check your understanding if you're not sure you know what the customer's problem is.
Problem find before
you problem solve. Make sure that you have a clear conception of the problem before suggesting solutions. Having no solutions is not the
greatest obstacle to successful problem solving. The greatest obstacles
are having a solution to the wrong problem and settling on a standard
solution too quickly.
Before you work to identify the real problem, make sure you understand the customer's conception of the problem. Otherwise, you may set about gathering information about the wrong problem. The customer may not understand what the real problem is, but you must have a focus to help you identify the real problem. That focus begins at the customer's description.
If you are not sure you understand the customer's problem, try using paraphrasing and restatement to make sure you are focusing on the real problem. Understanding how to paraphrase and restate when you are speaking
with someone will help you understand how to paraphrase and restate
in your e-mails.
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing
means saying the same thing the person has just said in another
way. It sometimes shows miscommunications because it demonstrates
the receiver's interpretation of the communication.
Example:
Person One
says, "I gave them the order early Wednesday so it would
be finished for the meeting on Friday."
Person Two
paraphrases: "OK, you took the masters of the report to the
copier early Wednesday morning and told them you needed it by
Friday for the meeting."
Person One
corrects: "No, I just called in the order at about 11:00
a.m. on Wednesday and told them we needed it as soon as possible.
I thought you were going to send over the masters."
Restatement
Restatement
is similar to paraphrasing, but the person restating a message simply
says it again using the same or similar words. It may still lead
to miscommunication because it uses the first speaker's words and
doesn't show the listener's understanding.
Example:
Person One
says, "I gave them the order early Wednesday so it would
be finished for the meeting on Friday."
Person Two
restates: "OK, you gave the copier the order early Wednesday,
right."
Person One
corrects, "Well, maybe it was late morning, but it was Wednesday
morning."
Using paraphrasing
and restatement helps the speaker and listener check out their understanding.
It keeps the two on the same page as they talk about important issues.
You can't have
that kind of a dialogue with the customer in your e-mails, but you
do need to do the same kind of check to be sure you and the customer
are talking about the same issues.
Ask for concrete information.
After you restate or paraphrase the problem as you believe the customer has suggested it, request the information you need to solve it. In your request,
be specific. Ask for sensory data. "What did you do? What did
you see? What message did the computer show to you?"
Don't ask open-ended or vague questions. Don't
ask, "Could you give me more information?" without specific
guidance.
NO: "Could
you give me some more information about . . ." "What exactly
is the problem?" "What is it that you need?"
Instead, write concrete
questions asking for specific information:
YES: "Write
the exact words you saw on the computer screen when the system stopped.
They probably begin with 'An error occurred . . .'"
"You are
missing one of the cables. On the instruction sheet is a list of the
three types of cables included with the kit: cables A, B, and C. Which
cable is missing?"
List the information you need.
Separate out the
information you need into a clear list with numbers. Begin with a statement
of the list, follow with a detailed explanation, and end with the format
in which you would like the information:
To solve
this problem, I need three things: the date on which you ordered
the PC camera, the model number for the PC camera, and the amount
on the check you sent for the PC camera.
1. The
date on which you ordered the PC camera. You might look at
your letter or the date on the check to remind you. We need
the specific day on which you sent the letter with your check
for the PC camera.
2. The model
number for the PC camera. In the catalog, just after the name
of the PC camera, is a five-digit code beginning with W. That
is the model number. We want to make sure we're getting the
right PC camera to you. Write the number of the PC camera you
want.
3. The amount
on the check you sent. We need the exact amount on the check
so we can make sure you're credited for it when the check arrives.
Thanks for
the information. Write an e-mail directly to me with this list
and the information following each item:
1. Your name:
2. The date
of your order:
3. The model
number of the PC camera you want:
4. The amount
of your check:
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Don't be afraid
to be redundant. You must be so clear you cannot be misunderstood.
Anticipate wrong responses.
Think about the
customer's understanding and possible responses. How might the customer
become confused? You will skip an e-mail if you can anticipate the problems
and address them in this e-mail:
"When you
enter the height of your building, the system may tell you that
the height and width don't match. That is just a precaution to make
sure you are entering the correct figures to make a proportional
building. Ignore it if you're sure the figures are correct."
Put contact information in your e-mail.
Put your e-mail
address in the message. Don't rely on the customer to know how to
use the "Reply" function to send an e-mail back to you.
End the request cordially.
End the request
with your thanks and commitment to solving the problem. Avoid "Thanking
you in advance" or other such stilted language. If you wouldn't
say it, don't write it!
If you ask
for more information, track the customer to make sure you're not
leaving him or her in limbo.
Organize with slots.
Every customer response
should have the same structure. Online chats and other electronic
communication should have the same format presented here for e-mails.
You may have to abbreviate some parts of it for online support. Starting
with the structure allows you to focus on solving the problem rather
than deciding what goes next in your response. As
you learn these responses, they will become second nature.
"Slots" are
used as a format for structuring your e-mails so you can focus on
their content rather than organization. A technical support e-mail
has several slots into which you place information. We'll use slots
in this lesson to show how you can request more information.
Request for More Information
If the e-mail requests
more information, it will contain these slots:
- Subject line with a
clear, encouraging statement of the content
- Cordial greeting
- Empathy with frustration
or inconvenience if present
- Statement of the problem(s)
- Request for more information
- Conclusion
Example Request for More
Information
This is an example
of the slots in an e-mail requesting more information. Notice that the
writer has skipped blank lines between parts of the e-mail to make it
clearer.
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To:
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Frank Landers |
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Cc:
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|
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Bcc:
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|
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Subject:
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More information to help us solve the problem |
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| Hello Frank. I
am Fay Morgan, customer service representative with Tridentpoint
Software. We received your description of the problem and are
anxious to take care of it for you as quickly as possible.
You wrote this
description of the problem:
"When I start
the program, it doesn't run. It just sits there."
That could be due
to several things. To help me isolate which problem it is, please
answer these questions:
1. What error
messages appear on your screen? Or does nothing happen?
2. What version
of the software are you using? The version number will be
on the software manual or the box the software came in.
If
you need help with these questions, e-mail me.
Send your responses to fay.morgan@tridentpoint.com
We'll work at
solving the problem as quickly as possible when you e-mail
the answers to these two questions.
Fay Morgan
Customer Service Representative
|
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Exercise:
Requesting more information
This is the e-mail
you received. You need more information from the customer. In the
box below the e-mail, write the first lines of your response to the
customer. Analyze the customer's e-mail. There are three different
types of Targomat Geomorphic Plotters that have been manufactured
over the past four years. If the customer's was used, that will make
a difference. Write the first lines of your responses below:
Electrical
Instruments,
I need
to install an updated driver for my plotter. It can't read
the global positioning data. I have a Targomat Geomorphic
Plotter that is around three years old. Please send it to
my home in Clairton, Pennsylvania, at 304 North Fifth Street.
Thanks.
Tina Blakemore
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Type your response
in this box.