Customer service, when done in a genuine way, can make or break a business
Business has changed so dramatically over the past 100 years, even the last 50 years. From ‘ma & pop’ stores in small towns to worldwide conglomerates, business is booming and always changing; however, there are some things that have stayed the same (or should at least) and one of those is customer service. Customer service, when done in a genuine way, can make or break a business. If you’re not making sure that your customer has a great experience when interacting with your business or product, it could be directly affecting your bottom line. Keep reading to find out if your business is 100% in customer service.
Not just qualified but friendly, too.
You know it’s so great to go into a business and work with someone that is great at their job. You can see the passion and all the intelligence there, but you know what’s even better? When they’re great at their job AND friendly in the process. Being helpful and friendly doesn’t mean over-the-top but taking a genuine interest in making sure your time (and probably, money) is spent in a pleasant way. Regardless of the position, bringing a friendly and qualified person into a workplace will increase positivity for both your customers and other employees. Think of the front-desk person at your dentist’s office who remembers your name and is always happy to accommodate your crazy schedules when making appointments.
Training to customer’s needs.
Employees that feel confident in their position and the value that they can bring to customers are always going to go above and beyond expectations. You’ve found the right person to hire, make sure they become an asset to your company through proper training. Does your company have an in-depth on-boarding process that prepares incoming advocates for the job they were hired to do? Not only that but is it part of your company mentality to make sure that training is an ongoing process? Taking your training procedures past the first couple of weeks or month can have a significant impact on the customer service experience. Making sure that your advocates can think critically and find solutions to the customer’s problems.
Positive mindset.
A large majority of the time, customers that are calling into customer service centers or are asking for customer service assistance are usually doing so because they are upset. Employees that work primarily in customer service can sometimes get the backlash of angry customers. To combat this, it’s important to instill the value of a positive mindset into your team. “I feel like the most important part of customer service is a positive mindset,” said Jamie Watkins, Customer Service Manager at a local Wichita, KS business. Jamie encourages her employees to keep a positive mindset through training activities about how to flip negatives into positives and how to speak to what they can do instead of what they can’t do. Even going as far as to encourage her employees to make sure they get a good night’s sleep and eating foods that will keep them energized.
Putting yourself in their shoes.
Customer service advocates are taking care of many customers a day with a multitude of complaints. Finding ways to make sure that the customer knows that they’re being genuine can be very difficult. Especially if the interaction is over the phone. We asked Jamie how she overcomes this problem. “We speak to what is happening the customer and their situation and try to relate to them, so the customer can see that we genuinely care. We make sure to find opportunities to personalize the call, so each customer receives a personal experience rather than generic responses.”
Ariel Westphal