4 Grounding Techniques for Service Agents

Customer service agents have a tough job. They work with individuals who are often disappointed, frustrated and impatient because a product or service didn’t go as planned, and they handle these complaints one right after the other.

One can imagine how easy it would be for an agent to be pulled deep into a customer’s story, feel personally responsible for the customer’s unhappiness, or just have feelings of bitterness or resentment by the end of the day. It's important that agents be emotionally invested in customers, but at a healthy distance in order to preserve themselves for the next interaction as well as protect their emotional wellbeing.

Getting up to walk around isn’t always an option, especially if heavy feelings are coming up while still on the call. For these challenging interactions, here are 4 grounding techniques you can teach your service agents:

Breathe

By breathing in and out over counts of 3 or 5, heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, and anxiety subsides.

Feel Your Feet on the Ground

Focusing on sense of touch, or like feeling your feet on the ground or feeling the ridges of your fingers, can help bring the mind to the present moment.

Scan Your Environment

By turning your face away from the computer screen and observing the scene around you, you can reorient yourself to the bigger picture.

Study an Object

Taking in all the details of a nearby object can divert your focus for a moment, creating space in your mind.