Getting what you want out of a customer services call isn’t rocket science, but it isn’t always easy either. If you find these calls awkward or uncomfortable (as many of us do!) you’re probably a little uncertain on what to say and when to say it. But when you’ve dealt with a few customer service teams or complaints lines, you’ll soon learn what works when trying to get the advisor on your side. And what phrases really don’t. Here’s some of the do’s and don’ts when speaking to customer services:

Speaking To Customer Services

Don’t: Use a thousand colourful words to describe your experience with the company. No matter how poorly you feel you’ve been treated as a consumer, it’s important not to lower yourself to an abusive standard. It’s rude and most of all it’s incredibly ineffective if you ultimately want a good result from the call.

Do: Instead of raising your voice and swearing, tell them in polite but firm English that you feel you’ve been treated unfairly, why you feel this way, and what can be done to make you happy again. It’s in their interests to resolve your problem, as bad reviews go a lot further than good ones.

Don’t: Tell them that you’re never in a million years going to use their products or services again. The whole point of customer services is to retain loyal customers, so if they think they’ve lost the battle from the start there will be little incentive to address your gripe.

Do: Make a point of how long you’ve used their services or products, and how you’re thinking about changing companies after this experience. Give them a carrot and they will have a driving factor to make you a happy customer again. For extra bargaining power, do your research on the prices and packages of other companies if you’re trying to negotiate a better deal.

Don’t: Tell lies, exaggerate the truth or make sweeping claims about their products or services. You want your story to be credible and if it’s warranted making a call in the first place you should be able to get what you want without having to stray from the facts.

Do: Get your story straight before you make the call. Know what happened, where, at what time and date, and gather any important information you might need before you make the call, so that you can waste no time in making your case heard. And have a pen and paper at the ready for anything you might need to note down.

Become that person who always gets their own way with customer services by following these simple do’s and don’ts with any call you make. Whether you’re trying to wangle a better deal from your internet provider or you’re making a complaint to your airline, you’re much likely to be a happy customer if you stick to the rules. Now armed with these tips let us know how you get on negotiating a better deal or getting a complaint dealt with.

This article is written by Kelly Gilmour Grassam, a freelance copywriter from Yorkshire. You can follow her on Twitter at @KellygGrassam. This article has been written with helpful information from Every Contact Number