Managing Customer Expectations

1. Talking About Waiting Times and Delays

Sometimes, things take longer than planned. It's important to be proactive and manage the customer's expectations about the temps d'attente (waiting time).

Let's start by listening to a real-world example of how waiting time is communicated.

When you need to inform a customer that a resolution is not immediate, you need clear and reassuring phrases. The goal is to let them know you are working on it and will get back to them.

This first resource provides excellent, professional phrases for this situation.

The alternative, « Veuillez me donner un peu de temps. Je reviendrai vers vous dès que j’aurai trouvé une solution. » ("Please give me some time. I will get back to you as soon as I have found a solution."), is a fantastic way to manage expectations.

Now, let's look at another resource for more examples, especially for when a request is taking longer than you initially thought.

This gives us another key phrase: Votre demande est toujours en cours de traitement (Your request is still being processed).

Here are some key phrases for managing delays:

2. Setting Expectations for Follow-Up Actions

The most important part of managing expectations is clearly stating what will happen next (les prochaines étapes) and when. This could be an email, a callback, or a problem resolution.

A. Promising an Email Confirmation

A common follow-up action is sending an email with a summary, a confirmation, or a ticket number.

Let's see a perfect example of this in our phone call video.

This is a simple and effective phrase you will use often. Another very useful resource gives more examples.

The phrase Vous recevrez un e-mail de confirmation une fois qu'elle aura été préparée et expédiée ("You will receive a confirmation email once it has been prepared and shipped") is another excellent model.

B. Promising a Callback or Update

If you or another team needs to investigate, you must tell the customer that they will be contacted again.

C. Stating a Resolution Timeline

Whenever possible, give the customer a specific timeframe (un délai). This is the most effective way to manage expectations.

Here's a summary of key phrases for setting follow-up expectations:

3. Setting Expectations on Conditions

Finally, setting expectations can also be about communicating the terms or conditions of a solution, not just the timing. For example, you might need to explain that a replacement part is free but that the new ticket is non-refundable.

Let's watch two quick examples of this.

These are more advanced examples, but they show how experts manage expectations about every aspect of a solution. Key phrases include:

• Sachez que... (Be aware that...)
• Cependant, il faut noter que... (However, it should be noted that...)
• Vous bénéficiez toujours de... (You still benefit from...)

Conclusion

Fantastic work today. You have learned how to manage one of the most important aspects of a customer service call: setting clear expectations. By doing this, you control the conversation, build trust, and prevent future frustration.

Key Takeaways:

• Be proactive in communicating waiting times and delays using phrases like Votre demande est en cours de traitement.
• Clearly state the next actions. Use future-oriented phrases like Je vais vous envoyer... (I will send you...), Vous recevrez... (You will receive...), or Un technicien vous rappellera... (A technician will call you back...).
• Provide a specific timeline whenever possible: ...dans les 24 heures (within 24 hours), ...d'ici demain (by tomorrow).
• Reassure the customer that you are handling their request: J'ai informé notre équipe... (I have informed our team...).

Preview of the Next Lesson:
Managing expectations is a great way to prevent customer frustration. But what do you do when a customer is already frustrated or angry? In our next lesson, we will begin a new module and learn how to acknowledge customer frustration with empathetic phrases, a crucial skill for de-escalating difficult situations.

À bientôt