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Back before the internet was everywhere, people would call radio stations to get information such as the current temperature, the day’s forecast, sports scores, or even just the current time. My sister’s phone number was almost identical to that of a local radio station. She frequently got calls from people who had misdialed the radio station’s number looking for various information.
When it started, she politely informed the callers that they had the wrong number and let it go. It happened so often, however, that she just started giving them the information they requested. (My sister is much more patient than I am.) It never occurred to her to say, “Not my job” or “Not my problem.” Frankly, it was easy for her to do, and she liked the idea of helping another person. That idea is a basic concept in customer service and interpersonal skills.
Remember how you felt the last time you asked someone for help and they said, “Not my problem.”, “Not my department.”, or “Not my job.” At the least, you probably felt frustrated or neglected, and maybe even a little angry.
What do you do when someone asks for help that’s not part of your job or for something that your department does not handle? In general, your best option is to try to help them somehow. Here are some examples of customer service and interpersonal skills:
- Take care of their issue on the spot and educate them about who to ask for help in the future.
- Sometimes, you may be unable to help them (for whatever reason). In those circumstances, refer them to the right place.
- You could take them to the correct person or department, give them clear directions to get there, or, if they’re on the phone or in chat, transfer them to the correct person or department, but stay connected with them until they’re connected to the new person.
If an issue is a problem for the company, or even potentially a problem, you need to be concerned about it, concerned enough to help your customer or coworker get a solution, even if it’s not your job or department.
Sure, some people will take advantage of you, but most people won’t. Ask your supervisor for guidance if you think it’s getting out of hand.
Of course, if you are with an MSP or TSP, you must consider whether the request is something you can do as a favor or if it needs to be billed.
Remember, like you, most people are just trying to do their jobs to the best of their ability. This is about one human helping another. It’s about people working together to solve problems.
So, what are the customer service and interpersonal skills you use to handle requests that are outside of your job or your department? Leave a comment below.
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