Direct customer service is known to be stressful. But there are customer service "tools" (ways of thinking and communicating) that can make this job easier and more rewarding. Upset customers, no matter the cause, have one thing in common: They Want the pain to stop. The problem or need, even if unresolvable, always has another part - customer's anger, agitation, or disappointment. Intervention calls for the skill of empathy. Empathy helps those with whom we interact feel heard. The more deeply heard, the quicker the return to a prior state of calm. This emotional relief is your reward and theirs. Empathetic responses are classified by "level." The higher the level, the greater the calming effect. For example, imagine a customer agitated about a $10 service charge. The following level of empathy would likely have increasingly positive benefit for the customer:

Level 1: (lowest and least helpful): "Easy does it, this is not my fault."

Level 2: "I'm sorry, but the invoice does say $10 service charge applies."

Level 3: "I apologize if you are only finding out about this now."

Level 4: "I agree the charge can be easy to miss."

Level 5: "You feel blindsided and taken advantage of, and for that I'm sorry." Experiment and role play with your team.

Try to hit level 5 responses with customers. Before long, you'll be a customer service dynamo and enjoy your job much more.