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Lots of people will be dealing with customer service departments now that the post-holiday return season is well underway. And for many, there’s nothing more annoying than being put on hold for a long time, only to realize once the agent picks up that he or she is obviously working from a script and can’t really help with the problem.

Customers (and customer service agents) wonder if there’s a better way, and a Forbes article argues that there might be.

“As a customer service consultant, I’d argue that it’s important that you take this plunge and do away with word-for-word scripts while retaining a ‘punch list’ of points that need to be covered in the course of a conversation,” Micah Solomon wrote.

While the scripts are intended to standardize customer service operations, they also run the risk of assuming that customers will have standard problems. A more effective approach to improving customer-agent interaction is by ensuring that agents are not only well equipped to provide support through customer service software, but that they are also capable of speaking informatively and conversationally with customers.  

“Customer concerns come in infinite varieties, with infinite moods, paces and nuances. So instead of training to a script, the best thing an organization can do is teach its people to deal with situations, both good and difficult,” Solomon wrote. “Give them the tools to recognize behaviors and respond appropriately and effectively.”

Solomon uses the Drybar chain of hair salons as an example of good customer service without scripts. Representatives fielding calls from customers scheduling appointment don’t work with scripts but are trained to hit “prompts,” such as a customer’s hair length.

The lack of scripts allows agents to be more flexible, while feeling more personal to the customers. The company, which only offers blow drying and styling, or “blowouts” has 40 locations in the U.S. and is planning to expand internationally into London.

This approach combines the benefits of scripting, namely that customer service reps don’t miss anything important, and it also empowers them to be more creative if they need be. This means going from scripts to checklists. Pilots already use checklists to keep flying safely, and doctors are also using them to control infections after surgery.