Customer Service Tips, some absolute Must Do's

We live in a very competitive world, where often the only differentiator we have is the service we provide.  Here are some things you must always do in the interactions with your customers.

1. Impactful Introduction

Whether face to face (F2F) or over the phone, your introduction must feel welcoming to the customer.  Do not demonstrate indifference (ie you can't be bothered) to the customer.  Make sure that you introduce your name clearly, offer a handshake (F2F), sound interested, it may be the 20th customer for you today, but for the customer you the face and voice of your company.

2. What's in a name
A lot actually.  Dale Carnegie said 'The biggest compliment you can pay someone is to remember their name'. So when you first meet or speak to someone, repeat their name back so you get it right.  For good measure say their name a few times in the conversation you have back. Any difficult names to pronounce, just ask how to say it?

3. Paraphrase

Paraphrase what the customer says to let them know that you are listening.  It also helps to demonstrate empathy to the customer and avoids any misunderstandings.  Paraphrasing makes the customer feel your are attentive and are their to help.

4. Explain the next steps
It is good to walk customers through the next steps of the process.  Specifically over the phone, if you need to put a customer on hold, explain what you are doing, giving an indication of how long it will take.  If you summarise or recap what you will do for them then they will have more confidence and this will prevent a call back or revisit.

5. Put yourself in their shoes
Really!  Get yourself in the living room/building site/office/world of your customers.  Don't get bogged down with process, and hide behind your process.  What would you want in their situation? What would it take for you to delighted in the same scenario?   A customer really does not care about process/other colleagues so take responsibility and get things fixed!

To further enhance your customer service skills why not book onto our customer skills workshop