It’s a classic dilemma: you’re up against a deadline, focused, and then, bam — a chatty customer walks in your shop, eager to talk your ear off about everything from the weather to what they had for breakfast.
Ugh. It’s the worst.
While some trimmers have no problem telling chatty customers to STFU, others struggle with doing it in a polite way. After all, if you hurt a customer’s feelings, you might lose his business. Even worse, he could go around town talking bad about your customer service.
We recently spoke with John Nolan, a customer service specialist with 25 years of experience, about how to politely end a conversation so you can get work done. Here are the six best tips he shared:
1. Set the Scene with Body Language
Body language is often the subtle nudge that can help you set boundaries without words. Try shifting your stance slightly toward your work, nodding politely while occasionally glancing back at what you’re working on. A warm but focused stance suggests, “I’m listening… but I also have work to finish.”
2. Use Friendly Time Cues
One smooth trick is to create a gentle, verbal countdown. Try saying, “I’d love to hear more, but I only have a few minutes before I need to dive back into work.” It’s the verbal equivalent of setting an egg timer for the conversation. A short statement like, “I’ll have to get back to my task soon, but tell me one last thing!” can help shift the chat to a close without hurting any feelings.
3. Laugh It Off with a Bit of Honesty
Sometimes honesty (sprinkled with a dash of humor) is the best approach. A lighthearted, “You’ve got so many great stories! I could chat all day, but my to-do list would never forgive me,” can be both flattering and direct. This way, they know you value the conversation but need to refocus.
4. Empathize, then Redirect
Show empathy by acknowledging what they’re saying, then gently redirect. For instance, “I totally agree, the weather has been wild! Speaking of changes, I need to wrap up this task. Maybe we can catch up more next time?” You’re validating the person and smoothly steering the conversation toward an end.
5. Give a “To-Do” to Return to Later
Mentioning something specific you need to get back to signals your need to refocus while also making the customer feel heard. You could say, “This is such a fun conversation! I have to finish [insert task], but I’d love to chat more next time you’re here.” This lets them know you’re not rushing off but really need to jump back into work.
6. Use Friendly Closing Phrases
Wrapping up with an upbeat closing phrase—like, “Thanks so much for stopping by; let’s catch up again soon!” — helps to end things on a friendly note while creating a clear conversational end. It’s kind and shows appreciation without committing you to an endless conversation.
Remember, a genuine smile can smooth over almost any exit strategy. Plus, customers usually appreciate your openness and understanding — they’ll likely leave feeling good about the interaction.
Using a little tact and humor, you can keep the conversation short without shutting it down entirely. After all, balancing customer relationships and productivity is a skill of its own!
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