Reading The Customer's Body Language

If a person says one thing, but her body says something different, which one do you find
most convincing. How about when a customer hasn't spoken at all, but you can see her
face? What can you learn about what she is thinking?

From The Customer's Perspective

I don't know why people read so much into the expression on my face or how I hold my
arms. I really don't think about my body language. I'm concentrating on what I want to
accomplish, not how I look.

When I need customer service, I usually have to wait for my turn to talk with a rep. The
wait can be long, especially when someone ahead of me has a complex problem. When I
have to stand around and wait, I like to be as comfortable as possible. I read signs to
distract me from just standing there. Often, I fold my arms in front of me, or I stick them
in my pockets. Otherwise, it feels like they're just swinging useless at my side, and I don't
know what to do with them.

You wouldn't think that people would attach so much meaning to small gestures. I'm just
trying to be comfortable; I'm not using body language to communicate my thoughts. But
sometimes customer service people take one look at me, and they think I'm going to give
them a hard time. Why would I do that? Most of them are just doing their jobs; I can't
really fault them for what they are doing. But I wish they wouldn't jump to conclusions so
quickly.

From The Rep's Perspective

"I have a lot of people asking for service. I find that I only have a short time to handle
each person. That means I have to use shortcuts to speed the process along. One of the
best techniques I've found to know exactly what the customer is thinking is to watch their
facial expressions. Instantly, I can tell exactly how they are reacting to me, the store, our
service, etc. Then, I know exactly what to do. If they're nice to me, I'll go the extra mile
to help. But if they're grumpy and upset, I'll just try to get them out the door."

Talk with other customer service reps who can see their customers, and you'll hear
similar comments. The fact that you can see the customer and their reaction is both an
advantage and a disadvantage of face-to-face service. The degree to which body language
impacts the outcome of an interaction is profound.

The Power Of Body Language

Body language (those gestures, body movements, facial expressions and other forms of
nonverbal behavior) serves as a mirror to our inner thoughts. As children and young
adults, we learned how to control our words. We quickly learned what we could say that
would be acceptable to those around us. We even learned how to say it. We consciously
worked and re-worked our words to make sure we said what we meant to say.

Check it out for yourself. What would you do if you needed to call a local restaurant to
set up a birthday party for your mother? If you are like most people, you rehearse your
words before you pick up the phone or walk in the front door of the restaurant. You know
in advance exactly what you want to say: "I'd like reservations for 10 people for Saturday
night at 8:30. It's a surprise birthday party. Is it possible to arrange for a birthday cake?"

But you don't spend time rehearsing your body language. Are you going to stand up
straight and tall when you talk with the hostess? Will you smile? Will you approach her
with your hands held upward and the palms exposed? Chances are you haven't thought
about this part in advance. Yet, you know that getting your reservation may depend just
as much on how you make your request as on what you actually say, especially if there is
any resistance to your request.

That's the power and the problem of body language. The unrehearsed reaction that occurs
naturally is interpreted as a sign of your true feelings. If you ask for the reservation with a
sneer on your face, what is the likelihood the hostess will go the extra mile to help? She
doesn't know the sneer involves a problem you have with your teenage daughter. She
doesn't know you're anxious about how you are going to pull off surprising your mother,
especially when your brother is not cooperating. Whether or not your body language
signals your real, inner feelings is open to interpretation. But body language on its own
should not be used as a true gauge of reality.

The Confusing Vocabulary Of Body Language

It has been said that there is a vocabulary of body language -- both positive and negative
signals. For example, the following gestures are said to indicate a positive reaction:

 Relaxed breathing
 Hands in front of the body with the palms held upright
 Good eye contact
 Nodding affirmatively
 Smiling

Accepted body language vocabulary states that the following gestures indicate a negative
reaction:

 A hand over the mouth

 Moving around a lot in a chair
 Playing with things
 Yawning

If only it were that straightforward. Take a look at Desmond Morris' book, BodyTalk:
The Meaning of Human Gestures. He offers three definitions for crossed fingers:
  Protection
 Friendship
 A threat to end friendship

One arm raised has four meanings:

 A request for attention

 A promise
 A friendly greeting
 A hail

Mr. Morris lists more than 600 gestures and their meanings. If there are so many options,
it's no wonder body language can be misinterpreted.

How To Use Body Language In Customer Service

Offer assistance and wait

Start your conversation with the customer by offering assistance. After all, the reason the
customer is talking to you in the first place is that he or she needs some type of help.
After you offer assistance, wait for the customer to respond.

Listen carefully to the customer's words

It's now the customer's time to deliver her carefully prepared and rehearsed purpose for
the visit. Focus your attention on the customer's words. How clearly is the customer
describing what needs to be done?

Take a look at the body language

Examine the customer's body position, gestures and overall demeanor. Do they support
the customer's message? Is the customer asking you about your company's return policy
in a gentle tone of voice with a smile on her face? Or is the customer asking about special
delivery in a growling, demanding voice, while banging his fist on the counter?

Decide whether or not the body language supports the verbal message
If the body language is consistent with the nature of the verbal message, it is likely that
the customer is saying exactly what he or she means to say. The body language appears
to confirm the message. If the body language is inconsistent with the verbal message, it is
likely that there is some ambiguity. In either case, you should not respond to the most
likely message. Body language is subject to interpretation.

Determine the customer's most likely message

You only have an assumption of the customer's message, you have to find out whether or
not your assumption is correct. Decide in your own mind what the customer is trying to
say. If in doubt, follow the message from the body language.

Test your assumption, leading with the message from the body language
As we said earlier, body language is likely to be a better gauge of reality, but you can't be
sure. So before acting on your assumption of the customer's body language, test for
reality by asking the customer a question. For example, "I sense that you are not pleased
with the service we've provided so far. How can we be of more help to you?" or "It seems
that you like our store's return policy. Is this what you were looking for?"