The One Skill That Closes Big Drain Jobs—Without Selling Hard

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Ever notice how some service professionals can walk into tense situations and instantly change the entire mood? There's a secret behind this superpower, and it comes from an unexpected source: FBI hostage negotiation tactics.

Imagine having the ability to defuse customer frustration, overcome price objections, and build instant trust—all by saying a few simple words and then staying silent. This transformative communication technique called "labeling" was perfected by Chris Voss, the FBI's former lead international hostage negotiator, and it works just as effectively in crawl spaces and kitchens as it does in crisis situations.

At its core, labeling is deceptively simple: you calmly acknowledge what the other person seems to be feeling without judgment. "It sounds like this has been frustrating" or "It seems like you want to make sure this investment makes sense." These neutral observations create an immediate connection that bypasses defensiveness and opens the door to real conversation. The magic lies in what happens next—you pause and let silence do the work. That space allows customers to feel heard and naturally share more information about their concerns.

This technique isn't just for difficult customers. Use it with your team, your boss, or anyone you need to communicate with more effectively. When people feel understood, everything changes. Shoulders relax, trust builds, and suddenly you're not just another contractor—you're a trusted advisor who gets it. That's when customers approve bigger jobs, choose premium options, and become loyal advocates for your business.

Ready to transform your customer conversations? Try labeling in three interactions this week. Notice moments of tension, use one of the magic phrases, and then embrace the pause. You'll be amazed at how this simple FBI technique can elevate your communication, reduce stress, and ultimately help you close more deals. The calmest person in the room is always the most powerful—and labeling is your path to becoming that person.

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Episode Transcript

Corey Berrier (00:00):
Welcome to the Successful Life Podcast.
What's up y'all?
I am Corey Berrier, I'm yourhost, and today's episode is
packed with real-worldstrategies that will change the
way you communicate withcustomers, whether you're in a
crawl space, the truck or at akitchen table explaining a

(00:22):
repair.
Today we're gonna dive in to aworld-class technique from one
of the greatest negotiators ofall time, chris Voss.
If that name sounds familiar,well, it's because Chris was the
lead international hostagenegotiator for the FBI.

(00:43):
And the tool we'll be coveringtoday labeling.
Now, don't worry, this isn'tsome corporate script or therapy
trick.
Labeling is tactical, it'sproven and it will help you

(01:03):
close more jobs, reduce tensionwith tough customers and build
trust in seconds.
Let's dive in.
So what is labeling and whydoes it work?
Why does it work in the field?
Well, let me break it down.
Labeling is when you call outwhat the other person seems to

(01:29):
be feeling in a calm, neutral,nonjudgmental way.
You're not agreeing and you'renot disagreeing.
You're not fixing anything,fellas.
You're just naming what's goingon emotionally.

(01:49):
And when you do that, somethingpowerful happens.
The customer feels seen, theemotional pressure drops and
they become more open to hearingyour solution.
So here's a real example.

(02:10):
So imagine you show up late toa call, the homeowner is clearly
irritated and I know everysingle person listening to this
in the trades has had thishappen.
We've all shown up late.
We've all had homeowners thatwere clearly irritated.
Now you could say Sorry, dude,traffic was a mess, but here's a

(02:36):
better move.
It sounds like Excuse me, itsounds like this has been
frustrating.
You're not blaming anybody,you're just showing you see how
they feel, and that opens thedoor to problem solving.

(03:00):
So the three magic phrases touse when labeling it seems like
it sounds like.
It looks like these phrases arecompletely neutral.
They're soft on delivery, witha powerful impact in the end.

(03:27):
Avoid saying I think you are orI think you're.
You are Like I think you'reupset.
You are upset, right.
You're accusing that person ofbeing that thing.
Why?
Because those sound judgmental,and judgment triggers
defensiveness.

(03:48):
When somebody's already on theedge, the last thing they want
to feel is labeled in a negativeway.
So instead of saying you're mad, try.
It sounds like this didn't gohow you expected.
Saying it like that showsempathy without making the

(04:15):
customer feel wrong.
It sounds like this didn't gohow you expected.
That version.
Again, that version sounds.
I mean it shows empathy withoutmaking the customer feel wrong.
Nobody wants to feel wrong, andso how you can use this and I
just did a training on this thisweek with my guys here at Zoom

(04:38):
Drain how labeling shows up inthe plumbing and drain world.
Let's bring this into your world.
You show up to a sewer call.
The homeowner has had threebackups this year.
She's exhausted, she's beenburned before.
Here's what not to say.

(04:59):
Yeah well, these lines are old.
We see this all the time.
You know that is like slappingthe face.
Here's what really works.
It seems like this whole thinghas been a huge headache.
Now she doesn't feel like justanother number.
She feels heard and now you'vegot her attention.

(05:22):
You're not a tech anymore,you're a trusted guide or a
trusted advisor, and that's whatcloses jobs.
So emotions that you can lookfor and how to label them.
Let's go a little bit deeper.
Here are five common emotionsyou'll see on the job.

(05:43):
Common emotions you'll see onthe job and here's how you label
them.
If they seem, try saying like.
If they seem frustrated, trysaying it sounds like this has
been frustrating.
If they seem skeptical, itseems like you're unsure.
This will fix the issue.
If they seem confused.

(06:04):
It looks like there are stillsome questions.
If they seem pressured, itsounds like this is a big
decision and you're being askedto make a quick decision.
If they seem cautious, it seemslike you've had some rough

(06:25):
experiences before.
Seems like you've had a badexperience with a contractor
before Most people have.
Or, if they haven't, they'veheard stories and so they take
on those stories and remember.
When in doubt, pause, stop,listen, look for tone, body

(06:51):
language, pacing, facialexpressions.
Then label what you notice.
So here's an example Priceobjection we all get them.
The customer says that's morethan what I was expected or

(07:12):
expecting.
I need to talk to my spouse.
What not to say is.
Well, this is what it costs.
We can't really lower that.
Here's how you can label thatresponse.
It sounds like you want to makesure this investment makes
sense for both of you.
Pause, let it sit, and now theyfeel understood and they'll

(07:45):
tell you more.
Maybe they're worried aboutmoney, maybe they've been burned
.
Whatever it is, you justunlocked it.
So here's a second example.
They're angry about a previouscompany.
Customer says I paid a guy$3,000 last year and the problem

(08:10):
came right back.
Here's how you label thatresponse.
Seems like that experience lefta bad taste in your mouth and
then you go silent.
Let them talk.
They'll share the backstory andsuddenly you're not the enemy,

(08:31):
you're the solution.
So you can practice this withyour team.
You can pair up, let one personplay the customer and make it
realistic, the other listens andthen labels, and then go back
and forth.

(08:51):
Here's something that's reallyimportant Focus on tone.
It should sound natural, notrobotic.
Labeling only works when itfeels curious and caring, Not

(09:12):
scripted.
And don't forget after youlabel, stop talking.
Let the silence work.
The pause is where the magichappens.
So here's how you label.

(09:34):
In high-stress moments, wheredoes labeling shine the
brightest?
Where is it most effective?
When the customer is emotional,when you're delivering bad news
, when you're trying to getsomeone to open up, when the

(09:54):
customer is trying to talk youdown on price, labeling turns a
heated moment into aconversation, and conversations
lead to solutions.
Here are three thingsspecifically that Chris Voss

(10:17):
says for how to master labeling.
Straight from Chris Vosshimself Repeat the label if
needed.
Sometimes the second attempt iswhat breaks down the wall.
You silence.
The pause after labeling isgolden.

(10:41):
Don't rush to explain.
Let them fill the space.
Don't label too soon.
Let them talk, then reflect.
Labeling isn't a shortcut, it'sa mirror isn't a shortcut, it's

(11:02):
a mirror.
So using labeling to handleobjections like a professional
like Chris Voss, let's take abig one.
This is too expensive.
The wrong thing to say is letme see if I can discount it.
That's the wrong move.
A better move would be move.
A better move would be.

(11:22):
It seems like making a smartinvestment here is really
important to you, or it soundslike cost is the main thing
you're weighing out right now?
Now they'll explain what theymean.
You can uncover fear ofoverspending, bad experiences in
the past.
You can lock out lack ofclarity on the value and once

(11:50):
you know the real concern, youcan solve it.
So if you want to use labelingwith your internal team to
improve communication this isnot just for customers Use it
with your co-workers, your CSRs,even your boss.
Here's a scenario your team leadseems frustrated with your call

(12:15):
volume.
Try this.
It sounds like you're underpressure to meet some tough KPIs
right now.
This diffuses tension.
It opens up a collaborativeconversation.
Labeling helps you lead up downand sideways.
It's not a sales trick, it's aleadership skill.

(12:36):
So how labeling increases salesand reduces callbacks.
Let's talk about results.
When customers feel understood,their shoulders drop, they
relax, they listen and then theystart to trust you.
And when they trust you, theyapprove more jobs, they buy

(13:04):
higher-end options, they leaveyou better reviews, they call
you back when it matters.
Labeling isn't being soft, it'sa strategic way of success.
So here's what I want you to dothis week Use labeling in at

(13:25):
least three customerconversations.
Look at moments of tension,hesitation, objection,
frustration and try one of thesemagic phrases.
It sounds like it seems like itlooks like.
Write down what happened.
Did they open up?
Did the tone change?

(13:45):
Did it lead to a better outcome?
And listen, make sure thatsilence is in there.
You got to pause.
The best way to pause is yourfirst word should be a breath.
So when you get a response backfrom a customer, breathe.

(14:07):
Try that right now.
Try that.
So just take a breath beforeyou want to speak.
It relaxes you, it relaxes themand it also shows you're
thinking about what you're goingto say.
It buys you time.
So here I'm ready to wrap thisup.

(14:31):
But labeling listen.
Labeling is simple, but don'tmistake it for being weak.
In the most high-stakessituations hostage negotiations,
business deals, $10,000,$15,000, $20,000, sewer

(14:53):
replacement, labeling wins.
It's the art of showing someoneyou're listening.
It's the skill of reflectingwithout reacting.
It's the fastest way to turntension into trust.
So go out this week and try it.
Labeling doesn't fix theproblem.

(15:14):
It makes space for the realconversation to happen.
Use the pause, let people feelheard.
You don't need to solveeverything right away.
You just need to be the calmestone in the room and if you can
stay calm, they stay calm.

(15:36):
So that's about all I've gotfor today.
I've gone through ChrisWallace's book multiple times.
I've gone through his masterclass.
I've listened to him numeroustimes on different podcasts,
including Waste no Day, whichwas you know.
I love Waste no Day podcast.
Shout out to Brian and NateMinnick, two legends in the

(15:57):
space.
I love those guys.
I listen to their podcast everysingle week.
So listen for you guys outthere running sewer lines,
clearing drains and navigatingcustomer emotions every day.
Use this technique, use thelabeling technique, because it's

(16:26):
going to help you be moresuccessful.
And if this episode helped youtoday, right now, share it with
your team Hell.
Play it during your morninghuddle, because when more of us
communicate with empathy,curiosity and confidence, the
whole industry levels up faster,and that's the goal today is

(16:49):
that you level up, your companylevels up, your customers level
up, everybody levels up.
So until next time, stay sharp,stay grounded and keep closing.
We'll see you next week.