Have you ever received a compliment from a client?  If you are like most professional CSRs, you are complimented on your work daily.  Appreciation from customers and clients is one of the important intangible benefits of the customer service position.

How do you respond when you receive a legitimate compliment? Do you accept it graciously, recognizing that it has been earned by the service you provide?  Or, do you say "Don't mention it; it's just a part of my job."  Unfortunately, many CSRs do not understand the impact of a response to a compliment.

Responding Properly

How should you be responding?  If you watch a successful person receiving a legitimate compliment, you will find that person does not argue and does not brag.  Most successful people will accept a compliment graciously; often by simply saying "thank you."

That is important because when you agree with the person paying the compliment, you elevate the relationship.  That person feels better about the transaction and so do you.  The impact can be significant: the client will treat you better in the future and will tell others about you.

When you respond with "Don't mention it" you are deflecting a compliment and devaluing the relationship.  The client feels less and so do you.  Your mother may have raised you to be modest, but this is false modesty.

Implementing It

Learning new behaviors is uncomfortable and requires practice. You can simply learn to say "thank you." Or, you can try one of these.

• "Thank you, you know I always try to do my best."

• "Thank you, keeping you happy is important to me."

• "Thank you, I'm so glad it worked out for you."

With a little practice, it will come natural. The clients and customers who pay you compliments deserve it.