Scripting to the Masses

An interesting topic came up inadvertently while writing my last article. Topic being, that I believe one of the reasons for the creation of these so-called “Forced Friendlies” is that they are defaulting to a script.

Let's say I called a customer service line for a major telecommunications company that will remain unnamed. I then asked if there is service in my area because I’m interested in understanding pricing. The response, after a brief pause, was, “I’m terribly sorry for your inconvenience, I will look into that right now. May I please place you on a brief hold?”

Sir, I’m asking a question, not lamenting my life story of neglect. A common mis-use of a script.

If you read the article, you will notice that I did not think there was anything wrong with scripts and that at times, they are even necessary. Disclaimer aside …

My belief is that scripts are integrated into training plans and were written by someone attempting to say the perfect response to canned questions. The primary issue I see is, the perfect response is rarely perfect and the questions being asked are rarely canned.

Questions are complex. People are more so.

The reality is that questions, on the surface, may seem simple enough to answer. This is why AI chatbots have a job, though I’m not sure who keeps hiring them. They rarely answer my questions with any satisfaction and they certainly don't give me the warm and fuzzies of understanding me as a person.

The complexities behind every question are emotions, context, and deeper concerns. While people like to believe that AI will eventually be able to decipher the infinite intricacies of the human mind, body, and spirit, I sincerely doubt that will be the case. And nor would I want it to (a conversation for another time).

So, if that is the case, how can you possibly generate a script for new hires on how to handle questions??

What this will boil down to is the following:

1. What is the purpose of scripts??
2. How can you use them to train your employees?
3. How can you use them as a trainee?

The Purpose Of Scripts

A good script in a professional environment is a document of the best responses to common scenarios, that ensures the communication is on brand and inline with the company's values.

So, you could say that the purpose is to equip employees to provide communication to customers (internal / external) that is helpful and on brand.?

I’m sure you could dive into the efficiencies of a script being built into the processes of training, consistency of language across the teams, etc. However, I believe that is all encompassing in the statement above.

How To Train Using Scripts

Scripts give your trainee the tools needed to respond to questions and scenarios that he has not yet experienced. Experience, however, is the best teacher. What scripts inevitably do is allow the user to bypass the need for in depth training of each scenario and rely on a document to guide the interaction.

This should never negate the need for training on how to handle these scenarios independently. Scripts should be used in conjunction with the training, not the training itself. While the script may give a word for word response, there is deeper knowledge of the situation and how it applies to your business that equips the team member to be more human.

The danger to scripts is dependency. To minimize this risk, use the script as a means of explaining the why behind the words. These are words that communicate specific values. What are those values, why are they said in this way, what are you hoping to accomplish with these words … All good questions that come in training.

If done well, you may hear portions or verbiage from the scripts in everyday interactions. However, they are being used methodically to apply to the situation, not prescriptively to tick a box.?

How To Use Scripts

Anytime someone is starting out in a new role, scripts are extremely helpful. I remember the first time answering a phone call at a new job and thinking, “Well, this is where I die of embarrassment.”?

I had no concept of how to handle the questions, how to speak professionally, how to engage appropriately, the list goes on.

Having a script in the early stages, especially entry level roles, are borderline necessary. The goal is to have confidence when interacting with customers. Having the words right in front of you will give you that confidence. It’s like riding a bike with training wheels. You try to balance so that they aren’t necessary, but they are there for when you get distracted.

A recognition of why these specific words are important will catapult you from entry level to competent employee. Understanding the why may even encourage you to step outside the script and respond in your own voice. The more you can craft your language to match the person in front of you, the better you will be able to truly assist them.

The goal here is to always think of scripts as guides, not to be read verbatim. Use them to understand the heart behind the why. Rely on them completely when you’re totally lost, then seek understanding.

Wrap Up

Scripts are helpful, scripts are intentional, and scripts will likely never go away. What I see is the dependency on scripts forcing people to interact in unnatural and unhelpful ways. Rarely do I get an AI chatbot to answer my actual question. The problem is that neither do most human beings.

I believe that understanding the why behind the words in the script will help engage the human element in interactions. The person can deviate and ask questions about their pet cat named fluffy and create better engagements. I love talking about my pet named fluffy.

Scripts are good, even necessary. Human interaction is paramount and needs to be the end goal.