Good customer service sets your company apart from the competition.
“Customer service done right has the power to increase brand loyalty, customer advocacy, and increased revenue. 86% of customers say that they would pay more for better customer experience.” – SupportBench
Here are some of the key principles you need to know.
Empower Your Representatives
Representatives who are empowered have the confidence to deal with issues on their own.
“A non-empowered employee needs to escalate the issue to her managers. An empowered employee, on the other hand, can make the judgment call herself — which drastically reduces costs.” – Userlike
Representatives are often taking responsibility on behalf of the company they work for. Provide your reps with the tools and knowledge they need to handle common issues that might arise.
While the individual rep might not have caused the issue, they need to be able to solve it and appease the customer. “A good starting point or target to set for your team is to aim to never hear the words, ‘I need to speak with a manager’.” – PaySimple
Provide Good Customer Service By Practicing Empathy
Emotional intelligence is key when it comes to customer service and empathy is one of the most important soft skills representatives can have.
“In today’s often impersonal world, empathy has become a competitive advantage. A company cannot be successful with a culture of apathy. Your service agents, especially, must master the lost art of empathy to deliver effective customer service.” – Sales Force
Agents must be able to put themselves in the shoes of the customer. No one likes being on a customer service call, so it helps to acknowledge the natural frustration a customer might be feeling.
“In customer service, empathy is the ability to affirm a customer’s feelings and indicate that you can understand their pain or frustration, even if you cannot fix it.” – Study.com
Customer Service Should Go Above & Beyond
Representatives should aim to go above and beyond the call of duty.
“With the rise in the popularity of customer reviews and word-of-mouth, great service is a way to grow your business by attracting new customers — and, conversely, can be a way to lose new customers if your service isn’t up to par.” – Hubspot
Beyond selling a good product or service, customer care should focus on making sure customers really feel seen and heard. While solving the initial concern is of utmost importance, exceeding expectations will help your company stand out and create a lasting impression.
Provide Excellent Service Through Speed & Accuracy
The practical aspects of customer service should never be ignored. Above all else, your representatives must be prompt and accurate.
“Besides being fast, your service answers should, obviously, be correct… it won’t raise customer satisfaction, but inaccuracy definitely causes dissatisfaction.” – Userlike
Excellent customer service should never waste the customer’s or the company’s time. Track the response times of the most common issues and aim to improve efficiency.
“Great customer service has the potential to convince your existing customers to stay and even refer their family and friends, expanding your customer base.” – SupportBench
The companies with the best track records always put their customers first. By identifying and planning for common customer pain-points, you ensure your team is always ready to provide the best service possible.
Keep these principles in mind and both your customers and your company will benefit!
If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email and my team will get in touch with you!
