Ok, So we’ve all heard the jokes. Especially those of us that live or spend any amount of time in New York or L.A. It seems like everyone that serves you at a restaurant in these cities is just doing this gig to pass the time until the call comes in from Cameron or Spielberg.
But, isn’t it ironic that the best restaurant servers do things their way? They don’t follow a script. They don’t take direction about their every move. They bring their own personal style into the engagement with their customers.
This struck me last weekend when I was out to dinner with my family. And for those of you that know me personally, no, it was not at my local Applebee’s.
It was, on the surface, undetectable. But, the more I thought about it, the more it began to sink in. Sure, my waiter did all the basics. He was attentive, courteous and timely without being overly intrusive. But, the style with which he delivered his service was what made the experience richer.
After a few days of pondering this, going back to work in a contact center on Monday morning, I wondered how that same dining experience would have gone if my waiter was given a script to follow verbatim.
I’ve heard all the reasons under the sun why scripts are necessary in the contact center. The interaction is complex. These reps are paid eight bucks an hour. They can’t be trusted with free forming it; using their brains. The regulators require that we say certain things.
Nonsense.
Hire people with a passion to serve. Give them the basics and set them free. You’ll be amazed at what they’ll deliver.
Then again, maybe you prefer the automated talking box at the drive through. If so, script away.
