Although it sounds backwards, by staying dead set on serving those you have sworn to serve, bottom-line results inevitably follow. So it’s safe to say that customer service is important.But how do you ensure your brand delivers happiness like some of the industry’s leading lights such as Zappo’s and Buffer? Fielding the usual suspects requires forethought into automation: namely, canned responses (editable email templates) and a user-friendly knowledge base for self-service FAQs. Get step-by-step instructions on the 15 support skills that matter most. That paradoxical tension lies at the heart of Bill Price and David Jaffe’s modern classic The Best Service is No Service: “Identify root causes of contacts, put in place countermeasures, and eliminate the contact from ever happening. Intentionality clarifies the goal out loud or in writing rather than assuming there’s alignment. The answer to that question—while robust, rooted in timeless sources, and back by data as well 11 qualities—doesn’t quite get us where we need to go. Customer service is an essential part—some would say the most important part—of delivering customer satisfaction. The first thing to think about is the most natural, relatable, and arguably important one—your personality. Whether the issue is a minor inconvenience or a major roadblock, that’s a painful and vulnerable position to be in. Now that you’re done snooping and figured out what your ultimate goal is when doing customer service, it’s time to get even more into you and your idea of customer service and what it means. Customer service is incredibly important to any business. Developing an overarching structure ensures that you’ll provide consistently high-level service, regardless of the individual context. Most customer service positions will be focused on one (or at most two) methods of communication. But I'll certainly be taking my business to him in the future and who knows how many other customers will be visiting him because I've told them how well he treated me? What works for you now could easily be buckling under pressure in six, 12 or 18 months time, and you’ll need to make some critical decisions around how you adopt automation, self-service and customer prioritization in order to scale and handle that pressure. Where do you think I'll go when I need a new watch band or even a new watch? Saying 'hello,' 'good afternoon,' 'sir,' and 'thank you very much' are a part of good customer service. Keep your customers satisfied by making them feel that they are always right. And the best part? If you can’t be a team player, you are not going to find the best customer service job. Those who have their issue solved with as little friction as possible will likely be appreciative. In this sense, you’ll never be “done” providing customer service—and that’s the point. Attentiveness majors on active listening skills like…. If you're a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. For instance, Microsoft’s State of Global Customer Service Report asked 5,000 people, “What is the most important aspect of a good customer service experience?” More than a third of both global and US respondents answered: “Getting my issue resolved in a single interaction (no matter the length of time).”, The only response that outranked resolution—in the US anyway—was: “A knowledgeable customer service representative.”. Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. Just as you expect your employees to foster good relations with your customers, you need to make the effort and time to build relationships with your employees. Good customer service takes team work. Do it yourself or hire someone to train them. The obvious issue with this approach is that each will be unique in one way or another. Good customer service is a company-wide strategy to (1) eliminate the root causes of support, (2) honor a customer’s time, preferences, and humanity, as well as (3) sacrifice ourselves in the service of exceptional support. Think of good service—especially during the first few interactions—not so much as dispensing “how-to” fixes but as guidance from a benevolent dictator. Resolution, speed, and personalization will all be highlighted below. People who call want to talk to a live person, not a fake "recorded robot".) Speed should be of the essence — especially for smaller issues that don’t take much time to solve. Think that goes without saying? And that good word of mouth will win you more customers. In this sense, support teams represent companies, speak on their behalf and handle the following issues: provide additional information about the product/service, You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won't be profitable for long. Especially in reactive settings. Once absorbed as an all-embracing philosophy, you’ll then be equipped to provide assistance to all of your customers’ needs—whether they’ve requested your help or not. However, those who gave the bank high ratings on “people” factors, like the tellers’ courtesy and willingness to help, were nine times more likely to be fully engaged. First, when you feel like, “If I send this email or make this announcement one more time, I’m going to scream,” that’s usually the first time they start to pay attention. Working well with others is an essential skill for being successful. Second, keep it simple. Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. Keeping customers in the loop during and after a support conversation cannot be over-prioritized. That’s not an excuse for inflexible, heavy-handed support. Thankfully, researchers have been gathering data on customer service satisfaction for years, and unlike the search for the Holy Grail, the search for good customer service comes with a far more detailed road map, and it all starts with the people you hire. Here are the top customer service skills your representatives need, according to data. If you say to a customer, “Your new bedroom furniture will be delivered on Tuesday”, make sure it is delivered on Tuesday. But you also need to keep in mind that a lot has likely gone on in that customer’s life since the last time you interacted with them. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that the individual customer feels that he would like to pursue. Want access to David's New, in-depth customer service training? Still, they’ll be at least a little aggravated they had to go through extra steps at all. But, in developing a structure and aligning it technologically, you’ll ensure your team never strays too far from the processes that have proven themselves in the past. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers. In a survey by The Social Habit, 32% of social media users expect a response within 30 minutes and 42% expect a response within 60. Hire staff if you need to. For example, customer service in part means being a good public face for the company. Following best practices for Gmail support can work wonders—so long as your team is one or two people. Properly dealt with, complaints can become opportunities. As the saying goes, the customer is always right. Only by understanding how your customers’ needs will evolve today and tomorrow—only by rooting your answer to that question in a philosophy of support that reaches beyond good—can you grow and succeed. In stark contrast to common wisdom—and despite what the eleventh and final quality will be—your business doesn’t exist to make money. And they’re relying on you to help them fulfill their heroic destiny. Get call forwarding. Good customer service is critical to business success, ensuring brand loyalty one customer at a time. One: everybody’s job is nobody’s job—even when “everybody” is only you and the customer. Two: deliverables without due dates don’t get done. If your customers have to sit on their hands for too long waiting for you to provide what you’ve promised, they’re not going to be happy. Everything we've learned (and are still learning) about growing a business. Even if an organization is able to solve 100% of its service inquiries in a way that leaves people content, this still means someone had to go out of their way to get the problem fixed. Excellent customer service improves public persona and strengthens your brand. (Notice I say "someone". If you apply these eight simple rules consistently, your business will become known for its good customer service. Customer service (or customer support) is the assistance provided by store’s representatives to its clientele during the consumer buying processes. Each of the five sources tie together what great support is all about. (Good Customer Service: How to Help a Customer explains the basics of ensuring positive staff-customer interactions.) But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. “Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.” – … Concern for the customer goes back to being concerned for the reputation and success of the business itself. Answer: truly free support removes non-monetary barriers that cost more than any price tag could. This may well be the most important of all of these eight rules for good customer service. Most consumers expect brands to acknowledge receipt of request within 24 hours of sending. He found it, attached it to my watch band – and charged me nothing! If you truly want to have good customer service, all you have to do is ensure that your business consistently follows the eight rules following: The first rule of good customer service is that your business phone needs to be answered. 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