The way you end a conversation with a customer is just as crucial as how you started it, as you want to leave a positive lasting impression, reinforce customer satisfaction and help future interactions be as successful. The following guide contains useful scripts to help ensure a perfect finish, as well as the exact steps you should use for ending a customer conversation with elegance and finesse.
1. Set the Stage for a Smooth Ending
When ending a conversation with a customer, the first thing you need to do is set the stage for its conclusion. That means you need to make the customer aware that the conversation is winding down while at the same time ensuring they don’t feel rushed or disregarded. You’ve just spent a lot of time building a connection with the customer – for more general information on how to talk to a customer, see this more in-depth article I wrote about it here, and you don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.
The key to balancing the two is to ensure that the customer feels respected and heard until the very end of the conversation.
To set the stage for a smooth ending, you need to gently guide the conversation towards its conclusion. To do this, use forward-looking statements that transition the discussion from what has until now been the main focus of the conversation, to talking about future steps or actions. For example, you could say something like, “Let’s explore the next steps to ensure we address this matter to your satisfaction” or “What specific actions or information would you find most helpful moving forward?”
If you’re on the phone, start speaking slightly slower and more deliberately. Gradually and naturally shift your tone of voice to a softer and more gentle tone while at the same time reducing its intensity and pitch. Since there are several significant differences in how to end a conversation with a customer over the phone, I wrote a separate in-depth guide about it which you can find here, although I’ll still integrate some of the more general ideas in this article too.
2. Summarize the Key Points Discussed
The next thing you need to do in the process of ending a conversation with a customer, is to summarize the key points you’ve discussed. Not only will this also subtly indicate that the conversation is coming to an end – that’s the nature of all summaries, but it will solidify both you and your customer’s understanding of the conversation and leave you both with clear takeaways to act upon.
If you’re serving customers in a store where interactions are more transactional, then depending on the type and length of your discussion your summary may well be very brief, and under some circumstances, such as when the customer merely asks for help locating an item, it might be totally unnecessary altogether. In such a case you can skip this step entirely.
If you had a meeting or call with the customer, then identify the main topics discussed and emphasize the crucial details and any solutions you have provided. Ask the customer to confirm that your summary is correct and in light of it, to verify that all their concerns or questions have been addressed adequately and that they’re satisfied with the outcomes you’ve both decided upon.
3. Confirm Any Next Steps and Finalize Commitments
If any resolutions or follow-up actions were promised during the conversation, you should now reiterate and finalize them. Recap the commitments you made and outline the step by step process for their completion along with the timeline by which the customer can expect them to be carried out. This proactive confirmation ensures the customer has clear expectations about what’s going to happen next and that they aren’t left uncertain about the next steps, or worse disappointed in the outcome.
Similarly, if specific actions were suggested for the customer to undertake, you should now ensure that they completely understand what they’re supposed to do and confirm their agreement with this step. Clarify any time-sensitive tasks by reminding the customer about the time frame within which these actions need to be carried out. This confirmation not only provides mutual clarity but also once again ensures that the customer is not left uncertain about the next steps, or disappointed in the outcome.
4. Address Any Additional Concerns
If you had a meeting or call with the customer, then it’s important to allow space for any lingering queries or concerns. That’s why you need to proactively ask the customer to voice any further issues or questions that they might have. By offering the customer this opportunity – despite having already taken steps to wind down the conversation, you demonstrate attentiveness to them and a commitment to resolving all their potential issues comprehensively.
If you’re serving customers in a store ask them if there’s anything else you can do to help, whether in providing more information regarding what you’ve been discussing, or about something completely different. You could also offer a demonstration of a product, provide a recommendation, or tell them about any loyalty programs or special offers.
Yes, you “risk” restarting the conversation, but that’s what exceptional customer service is all about.
5. Express Gratitude and Appreciation to the Customer
Once you’ve addressed all the customer’s concerns, there are still several things you can do in the final moments of the conversation to leave a positive impression that will remain with the customer long after your interaction has ended. In this stage you should express your gratitude and appreciation to the customer for their contribution to the conversation.
Tailor your thanks to the type and length of conversation that you had. For shorter, less detailed conversations, where there’s not much to thank the customer for, simply express gratitude for their time and engaging with your business.
On the other hand, for longer, more extensive conversations where the customer has demonstrated patience and understanding, or even meaningfully contributed to it, be sure to include appreciation for all those things in your expression of thanks. You could say something like, “I want to express my sincere gratitude for your time and patience throughout our in-depth conversation. Your insights and contributions were invaluable. Thank you for being such an engaged and understanding customer.”
Finally, highlight the importance of the customer’s business or relationship with your company and thank them for choosing your service or product. Phrases like “We value your partnership” or “Your satisfaction is our priority,” ensures that the customer feels valued and essential to your organization.
6. Ask the Customer to Provide Feedback
Before ending a conversation with a customer, it’s a good idea to ask them to provide feedback. Obviously if your interaction was quick and simple this is unnecessary and would look over the top, so once again you can skip this step, but for more complex and involved conversations, asking for feedback demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and shows a genuine willingness to listen and evolve based on customer insights.
Be open and direct. You can say something like, “We highly value your feedback” or “Your thoughts are important to us” to encourage the customer’s participation. Ask open-ended questions too because they prompt detailed responses. If the customer is not sure what type of thing you want to know, ask them what aspects of the conversation they found most helpful, where there were areas for improvement, and to provide suggestions for enhancing the overall customer experience.
Be sure to acknowledge the value of the customer’s input by expressing genuine interest in hearing their insights and assuring the customer that their feedback will be considered seriously and used to enhance the quality of the service. Emphasize that their input is instrumental in shaping future interactions and improving services.
You can also tell the customer that they don’t have to provide any feedback directly to you, and that they can use any of the alternative methods or channels your company has available, instead. Refer the customer to any online surveys, feedback forms, emails or phone numbers that they can use for this purpose.
7. Offer Further Information for Continued Support
Your support for the customer doesn’t end with the conversation, and you should offer them further information for continued support. This applies even if you’re conversation with the customer was relatively brief, where you should just let them know that you’re available to help them should they need any further assistance.
If your conversation was longer and more extensive then provide the customer with any appropriate contact information and make them aware of any relevant support channels, in case they need further assistance. This includes if relevant, a help-desk phone number and the hours at which they can reach a member of the support team, an email address and how long it will take to get a response, the website name and what actions they can perform there.
Assure the customer that you or another member of the team are available to help them, should they encounter any issues in the future. Remind the customer that these support channels exist because you’re committed to their satisfaction and are dedicated to assisting them in whatever way they need.
8. The Final Words: End With Elegance and Finesse
Once you’ve summarized, confirmed the next steps, addressed any additional concerns, showed appreciation to the customer, asked for their feedback and provided contact information for additional support, you’re ready to end the conversation. Going through the previous steps means the customer won’t feel the conversation is abruptly ended and that they’re not really valued, because the process is designed to improve your relationship with the customer at a moment when it could so easily be ruined.
But what do you actually say to end a conversation with a customer? What are the exact words you should use? The answer is it depends, because each situation is different and requires it’s own final words. However, here are some examples of things you can say to end your conversation with a customer, with elegance and finesse.
- “Thank you for choosing [Your Company]. If you need anything in the future, feel free to reach out. Have a great day!”
- “It was a pleasure assisting you today. If there’s anything else you need, don’t hesitate to contact us. Have a wonderful [morning/afternoon/evening]!”
- “I appreciate your time and patience. If there’s nothing else, I wish you a fantastic day ahead. Take care!”
- “Our conversation has been truly valuable. If you ever require further assistance, feel free to contact us. Thank you and have a great [day/week]!”
- “Thank you for the insightful conversation. If there are no more questions, I look forward to serving you again. Have a fantastic [day/week]!”
- “It was great assisting you. If there’s anything else on your mind, I’m here. Otherwise, have a wonderful [morning/afternoon/evening]!”
- “Your satisfaction is our priority. If you ever need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you and have a fantastic [day/week]!”
- “I’m glad we could resolve your concerns. If there’s anything else, please feel free to let us know. Wishing you a pleasant [day/week] ahead!”
- “Thank you for choosing us for your [product/service]. If there are no more questions, I wish you a fantastic day!”
- “Your feedback is important to us. If you have a moment to share your thoughts or if there’s anything else you’d like to discuss, feel free. Thank you and take care!”