Exemplary customer service is by far one of the hardest tactics to master within the service world, meaning it is also one of the most important. Where would you be without satisfied customers? While some companies believe customer will continue to come if they have the best product, most understand that superior and consistent customer service is the key to longstanding relationships.
Facilitating superior customer service may be difficult, so here are some ways to begin building the best relationships possible with your customers:
1. Encourage kindness and courtesy from employees
Set a standard of excellence for employees to follow that includes showing kindness and courtesy to all customers. A simple act of kindness can go a long way in making a customer feel acknowledged and satisfied, and by encouraging employees to resolve customer frustration themselves through kindness, the appreciation for your business will increase.
2. Express and connect through empathy
Frustrated customers appear quickly when they feel like the company representative they’re speaking to doesn’t have empathy for their problem. This is especially true for small businesses, since customers want to believe their business means a lot to you and your company. Always acknowledge the distress a customer is feeling, and show a sense of understanding for any disappointment they have.
3. Ask questions
The customer has clearly come to your service or for your product for a reason. Find out what they want specifically, and why. Asking questions creates a dialogue between you and your customer that shows them you are interested in helping them solve their problem. It also presents new opportunities to provide them with ulterior options, or inform them about something that might interest them.
4. Avoid these words: “I don’t know” and “That’s not my job”
These might just be the words that customers despise the most. They understand that you’re human and do not expect you to know the answer to every question, but instead of deflecting, use the opportunity to learn about what the customer is looking for and direct them to where they can receive the right information. If it’s a request that you don’t deal with directly, let the customer know that you’ll pass the information on to the appropriate people!
Whether you work in the customer service industry or not, you will almost always have to face interactions with people. Always remember that customers are people too, and they appreciate being treated like one.
© Zoe Begopoulos, DemGen Inc. 2013
