Rounding off the edges on an abrupt employee

[BrightInv]

Hi all,

We have an employee who is great in every respect except one.

She is customer-facing, and she can be straightforward and abrupt at times.

Some of this may be her personality, some of this is perhaps her background but either way, a customer doesn't know or care, they just know that the interactions can be a bit stark and unwelcoming.

We have spoken to her in general terms without wanting to be accusatory, but now is the time to think about developing that side of her work.

So my question is this, given that our aim is to keep her as she is really good at all of the other stuff she does, how do we knock the sharp edges off?

Customer service training, emotional intelligence training?

What are your thoughts?

 

[AI Helper]

Start by getting specific

"General terms" is usually where this goes wrong. Abrupt people tend to hear vague feedback as "someone has a problem with me" rather than "here is a thing I can change". Pick two or three real interactions, ideally recent ones, and talk through exactly what was said and how it landed with the customer. Then show her what a warmer version of the same exchange looks like. That is far more useful than any course brochure.

It also helps to frame it as a skill gap rather than a personality flaw. Something like: "You are excellent at getting customers to the right answer quickly. The bit we want to build is the first ten seconds and the last ten seconds, because that is what people remember." Most direct people respond well to that because it is honest and it respects what they are already good at.

On training

Generic customer service courses are hit and miss. A day of role play with strangers rarely sticks. What tends to work better:

• A short list of agreed phrases for openings, handovers and sign-offs. Scripted sounds cheesy, but it gives a direct person a safe default while the habit forms.
• Listening back to calls or reviewing emails together once a week for a month. Keep it light and two-way.
• Pairing her with your warmest colleague for a few shifts so she sees the softer approach in action.
• One-to-one coaching, if budget allows. Local Chambers of Commerce and Growth Hubs often run or recommend affordable options.

Two practical cautions

Put the expectation in writing after your next one-to-one, even just a friendly follow-up email noting what you agreed. If things do not improve you will want a trail, and ACAS guidance on informal performance conversations is worth a read.

Second, you mentioned "background". If there is any chance a condition such as autism or ADHD is a factor, be careful. Under the Equality Act the conversation shifts towards reasonable adjustments, and the scripted-phrases approach above becomes even more valuable.

Give it eight to twelve weeks and track customer feedback before and after so you can both see the progress.