Have you ever spoken to a customer service team member and thought:
“That sounded like a script.”
The words might have been perfectly correct.
The process might have been followed.
The information might even have been exactly what you needed.
But somehow…
It didn't feel human.
I recently asked Customer Service and CX leaders:
What makes a customer interaction feel human?
The conversation that followed got me thinking about something many service teams are trying to balance.
How do you create consistency without creating conversations that feel robotic?
Because scripts aren't necessarily the problem.
They can give teams confidence.
They can help maintain standards.
They can make sure important information isn't missed.
The problem comes when the script becomes more important than the person in front of it.
A customer doesn't want to feel like they've entered a conversation with a checklist.
They want to feel heard.
They want someone to understand their situation.
And sometimes, that means knowing when to move beyond the expected response.
A great conversation might involve:
- Flexibility which means adapting the conversation to the customer rather than forcing the customer into the process.
- Personalisation: Using what you know about the customer to make the interaction feel relevant.
- Rapport: Finding the natural human connection rather than rushing towards the next scripted line.
And then there's something incredibly simple that can change the whole experience: Tone
The same words can feel completely different depending on how they're delivered -
- Warm or cold
- Interested or rushed
- Empathetic or defensive
That’s why I think the goal shouldn't be:
“How do we get our teams to follow the script perfectly?”
It should be:
“How do we give our teams enough structure to be consistent, while giving them enough freedom to be human?”
Because great Customer Experience doesn't live in the checklist.
It lives in the human moments between the lines.
So here's something worth asking your team:
Do your customer conversations sound consistent or do they sound scripted?
And perhaps more importantly…
Would your customers know the difference?
Want more practical ideas for Customer Service and CX?
That's exactly what I share here.
Each week, The Gold Dust Standard (opens in a new tab) brings practical lessons, ideas and real-world thinking to help Customer Service and CX leaders create experiences customers remember.
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And if you're a Head of Customer Service or Customer Experience and would like to share your experience on the Customer Service Gold Dust Podcast, I'd love to hear your story (opens in a new tab).
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There are plenty more conversations to come.
I'd love you to be part of them.
Stay memorable,
Gavin