by Linda Julian

We live in a sea of hollow, scripted phrases and responses. "How are you?" opens telephone conversations.

"Have a nice day" follows cash register transactions. "Thanks for your help" terminates totally unsatisfactory requests for service. "Thanks for calling" is the automatic end to a call with an irritating and intrusive telemarketer. "Good luck with it -- it's been a pleasure" is the last word in an ordinary project.

These and many others fit the required or "automatic" mould: statements made whether the person saying it understands it, feels it, or truly wishes it.

Often, these cliches thrown out at regular intervals now mean little: words rarely matched with enthusiasm and sincerity. Some are so overused that they of send messages of disinterest, simply and easily closing out a service experience to quickly move on to the next item or client.

Absence of any meaningful thought or expression may leave a negative lasting impression. When you promise exceptional service, getting this wrong is a negative mark.

What if you (and your team) delivered less mechanical and more unexpected phrases which reflected more involvement in service delivery and closer focus on the client ?

You'll catch the attention and admiration of clients by expressing sincere thoughts which make a memorable difference -- something meaningful which treats each client as an individual about whom you care, or about whose outcome you care. When you do this, you'll also inspire your team to follow.

I am reluctant to simply suggest better options: automatic scripts and hollow utterances are the problem, not the words or phrases themselves. Replacing the old script with a new one will have short-term and marginal benefit, if any.

But consider how an alternative to the hollow "how are you?" may be a more powerful opener to your next conversation and set the tone for more meaningful dialogue.

Maybe one of these would be better:

-- How's business going for you ?

-- I was thinking about you the other day and the work we did on ....

-- I'm so pleased you called because I've been giving some thought to ....

-- How can we help ?

-- Is there something I might help with ?

While these ideas may be a useful guide to better possible ways to address and respond to clients, scripts do not create emotional connections. It is sincere and real communication which will have great impact.

Words and expressions are important touch points in each client's service experience and we must monitor them closely.

Sometimes, it's the parting comment, a 100% on-point question, an insightful thought, or sincere and courteous communication which can be just the thing to set us apart as a professional adviser and exceed client expectations.

Awareness and understanding of how to genuinely connect with clients is important. Examining your often used phrases can help you to shift to more meaningful choices in future. Challenge yourself and your team to make it real and you'll create a degree of difference on the path to exceptional and memorable service.

(*) Linda Julian is at www.julianmidwinter.com.au

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