What to Say When the Customer Won’t Stop Talking

A confident, respectful way to guide the conversation—and protect your time.

You know the call.
You greet the customer with warmth, ask how you can help—and then they’re off to the races.

They’re talking.
And talking.
And talking.

They circle the same issue multiple times.
They add in backstory, unrelated frustration, and just one more thing.

Meanwhile, your queue is stacking up. You’ve got other customers waiting. And this call? It’s nowhere near wrapping up.

So what do you say when the customer just… won’t stop?

Let me give you the phrase I teach in my LinkedIn Learning Call Control course, a phrase that’s helped thousands of reps take the lead without coming across as cold:

Give a limited response on your customer call from Customer Service: Call Control Strategies by Myra Golden

💬 Say this:

“Let me take the lead here so we can get this resolved quickly for you.”

This line is more than polite—it’s a psychological prime.

It signals to the customer’s brain that the conversation is shifting. It gently repositions you as the leader of the call. And it brings the customer’s focus back to the outcome, without confrontation or abruptness.

Why This Phrase Works So Well

1. It breaks the loop—without breaking rapport.
   Talkative customers often speak in circles because they’re overwhelmed or unclear. This phrase stops the cycle while still sounding like help, not control.

2. It prioritizes resolution.
   By explicitly naming the goal ("get this resolved quickly for you"), you keep the interaction anchored in service—even while guiding it forward.

3. It protects your energy—and your queue.
   Agents using this line report fewer escalations and faster resolutions, not because the phrase is magic, but because it gives them permission to confidently steer the call.

Want More Confidence-Boosting Phrases Like This?

I created a free guide that gives you 10 phrases just like this one—designed to help you stay calm, sound confident, and keep calls on track (without sounding robotic or abrupt).

📘 Download the Call Control Phrasebook
It’s free—and it’s helped thousands of professionals reduce their Average Handle Time while improving customer satisfaction.

Take my LinkedIn Learning Call Control Course.

Give a limited response on your customer call from Customer Service: Call Control Strategies by Myra Golden

If you’ve ever stayed on a call too long because you didn’t know how to jump in...
This is your permission to take the lead—with grace and professionalism.