If you were unhappy with a purchase, what would you rather hear from customer service? “Our policy clearly states we can’t refund after 30 days, so there’s nothing I can do about your purchase from two months ago,” or, “While I see this purchase was from two months ago, I can definitely help you find an alternative solution—would you be interested in store credit or an exchange for a newer model?”
Customer service teams are the human touchpoints between your business and its customers, shaping how consumers perceive and connect with your brand. You want customers to feel valued and respected, not abandoned. Equipping your support agents with positive scripting can help them reframe negative situations into solution-focused interactions.
Here’s how positive scripting can help you turn frustrations into opportunities for building customer loyalty.
What is positive scripting?
Positive scripting is a customer service communication technique that emphasizes affirmative language, focusing on solutions rather than limitations. Sometimes, positive scripting takes the form of an actual script that guides customer support teams through customer interactions—on calls, live chats, emails, or social media messages. By adopting positive language, teams can create an encouraging experience that builds trust and promotes a positive customer experience.
What are the benefits of positive scripting?
Positive scripting offers several benefits for customer service teams:
Creates a consistent experience
With standardized, scripted responses, every customer receives the same clear, empathetic, and solutions-focused responses, regardless of which customer service representative they speak with. This builds trust and ensures that support aligns with your brand’s core values.
It can also help you retain customers: more than half of consumers leave a business for a competitor after just one negative interaction.
Improves customer satisfaction
Emphasizing what is possible and offering action steps empowers customers to solve their problems. Meanwhile, using language that expresses gratitude—like “thank you” and “appreciate”—helps customers feel valued and respected.
Positive, solutions-focused language can leave customers with a lasting positive impression of your company, which translates to customer loyalty.
Defuses conflict and tension
Acknowledging your customer’s emotions, speaking empathetically, and maintaining a positive tone can help limit customer frustration while creating a supportive environment where you and an angry customer can work together toward a solution.
Increases efficiency of customer service teams
Positive scripting provides support agents with a framework to handle customer queries quickly and consistently, eliminating the need to craft responses on the spot. This helps teams manage higher volumes of customer service interactions without sacrificing quality.
Effective positive scripting can also reduce misunderstandings and decrease the need for follow-up inquiries, allowing customer support teams to focus on new issues rather than revisiting the same ones.
Positive scripting best practices
If you’re ready to implement positive scripting in your customer service strategy, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:
Prepare responses for common customer service situations
Create customer service scripts for your most common customer inquiries. Start by analyzing customer feedback, questions, and complaints to identify common issues, then brainstorm solutions and prepare positive responses for each.
Say your customers frequently call with issues logging into your ecommerce site. You brainstorm solutions and determine that sending a one-time password reset link via email is the most effective solution. You would then draft a script for your customer service reps that:
- Acknowledges the customer’s frustration.
- Provides information on the one-time link.
- Guides the customer through clicking the link and resetting their password.
Maintain a positive tone and infuse warmth
Use positive words that emphasize solutions—like “can,” “help,” and “happy to assist.” Avoid or replace negative words like “can’t” and “unfortunately” with positive phrases that don’t focus on limitations. A simple shift from, “We can’t process this request” to “Here’s how we can help resolve this for you” can reframe the situation.
Create a sense of personalization and warmth by addressing customers by name and acknowledging their specific concerns. Incorporate empathetic language, express gratitude, and acknowledge the customer’s points to validate their inquiry and build rapport.
For example, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention; I’m sorry you’re experiencing this issue” validates the customer’s effort in reaching out and shows that you value their satisfaction.
Focus on solutions
Speaking positively is important, but it won’t feel genuine if you can’t solve the customer’s issue. That’s why positive scripting must be explicitly solutions-oriented.
Customer support scripts acknowledge the customer’s concern, assure them of your commitment to resolving it, and provide clear, actionable next steps. When the ideal solution isn’t possible, offer practical alternatives to meet customers’ needs.
For example, if a customer calls after tracking their order and seeing that the dress they purchased won’t arrive before a special occasion the following day, you might offer an alternative solution like a refund, store credit, or discount on the customer’s next purchase. You might not be able to get a dress to the customer in time, but you can still show that you care about making things right.
Make scripts easy to read
When you create customer service scripts for phone calls, incorporate clear formatting that’s easy for call center agents to read. Use legible fonts and large text for readability, highlight key points or phrases for quick reference, and structure call center scripts with labeled sections and color-coded headings for quick navigation.
Guide the conversation with closed questions
Guiding customer conversations with closed questions—ones that solicit specific responses—helps keep the interaction focused and moves it toward a resolution. Questions like “Can I confirm your order number?” or, “Would you like me to process a refund or issue a replacement for this item?” provide clear, direct answers that streamline communication and reduce the chances that the conversation goes off script.
Leave room for customization and improvisation
There may be times when going off-script is necessary. Customers might have questions you haven’t planned for, and sometimes, overly rigid adherence to customer service scripts can make conversations feel robotic. Encourage support reps to adapt their tone and wording to align with their personality and the customer’s disposition and situation.
Test your script and collect feedback
Before implementing your customer service scripts, test them with your support team through role-playing exercises and mock calls. This kind of simulation allows customer service reps to familiarize themselves with the material and may reveal holes in your script. It’s also a great way to train new team members.
Once you implement the script, gather feedback from agents and analyze customer responses to identify areas for improvement. Regular reviews help you fine-tune your scripts, keeping them relevant and effective over time.
Positive scripting examples
Here’s how positive scripting can turn common customer service situations into positive customer interactions:
When you make a mistake
If your business makes a mistake, you want to make it right as quickly as possible to earn back customer trust. For example, if a customer reaches out about receiving an incorrect item, customer service agents should apologize and quickly remedy the situation.
- Avoid saying, “You can’t keep the item and need to return it,” which uses the negative word “can’t” and does not offer a solution that benefits the customer.
- Instead, say: “I’m so sorry you received the wrong items, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I’ll send you the correct items right away with express shipping. I’ll also provide a free return label for sending the wrong items back at your convenience.”
This response offers an apology, expresses gratitude, and offers a solution, with no negative language.
When a customer requires extra assistance
If a customer needs help making a purchase or processing a return, customer service reps should patiently walk them through the process.
- Avoid saying, “You can find return instructions in your confirmation email,” since this doesn’t offer actionable instructions or validate their question.
- Instead, say: “I’m sorry those items didn’t work out! I’m happy to help you process a return. First, let’s confirm your order number so I can send you a return label and guide you through the next steps.”
This response uses positive language like “happy” and offers the customer a concrete way to remedy their problem.
When you can’t grant a request
Some requests aren’t possible due to company policies. In these cases, support agents can offer alternative solutions.
- Avoid saying, “You can’t return a final sale item. That’s our policy”—it dismisses the customer’s effort and offers no solution.
- Instead, say: “I’m sorry this item didn’t work out! Because it’s final sale, I won’t be able to process a return. However, I can offer you a 15% discount on your next purchase.”
This response adheres to the company policy and offers a solution.
When you don’t know the answer
No matter how thorough your script is, there will be times when a customer asks a question it doesn’t cover. Prepare your customer service reps by training them to think on their feet and handle the unexpected with confidence and empathy.
- Avoid saying, “I don’t know,” as it doesn’t demonstrate your commitment to resolving their issue.
- Instead, say: “That’s a great question! Let me get that information for you right away.”
This validates the customer’s questions and shows your willingness to help, even if you need a moment to find the solution.
Positive scripting FAQ
What is an example of positive scripting?
An example of positive scripting is saying, “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. Let me quickly check on that and find a solution,” instead of, “I don’t know what happened.” The former conveys empathy and a desire to make things right, while the latter is uncertain and unhelpful.
Why is positive scripting important?
Positive scripting is important because it helps customer service teams create a consistent experience, improve customer satisfaction, defuse conflict, and increase efficiency.
What is an example of positive language?
Positive language uses a positive tone and focuses on solutions. For example, instead of saying, “This isn’t available,” say, “We’ll have this back in stock next week—can I notify you when it’s ready?”
