Providing great customer service is relatively simple. It’s incredible how many people get it wrong. Being polite and devoting time to customers gives an impression that you care about their experience, and are available to answer any queries or concerns they may have.
Poor customer service can spell the end of a business, as word about a bad experience can spread fast. Therefore, taking some time to learn about giving excellent customer service is important for your company’s success.
Here are four tips for great customer service.
Give customers contact choices
One of the keys for great customer service is to provide accessible customer support channels available for clients everywhere. Some customers prefer to contact phone support and get immediate answers. Others prefer online chat support. Nowadays, many businesses are looking at using chatbots. Chatbots can be useful for answering FAQs and, where necessary, transferring the customer to a live agent. An email address and contact forms are also great ways for customers to reach you.
Communicate warmly and clearly with customers
Always greet customers appropriately. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the conversation. You need to be professional and polite, but not gushing. If you come across as overly eager, you may put them off. However, customers will pick up on genuine warmth and approachability, so try to get the tone right. Always ask if you can help them and how. Listen carefully to their questions or requests. Be friendly and clear in your response.
Use positive language
Positive language is an art worth mastering. It applies whether you’re talking to a customer in person, on the phone, or via email or chat. A simple example is that a customer asked you for a specific handbag in purple. A response using negative language can be: “I can’t get this for another two weeks. It’s unavailable until then.” On the other hand, a response using positive language can be: “The bag in purple will be available in two weeks. I can place an order for you right now.” A simple change in language has switched the conversation to solution-based and can make the difference between a happy customer and an irritated one.
Accept customer complaints
Most businesses get complaints. When a customer is angry, it doesn’t always mean you’ve done something wrong. However, regardless of what the customer needs, it’s vital that you give credence to what they say. Firstly, always thank the customer for their feedback. With that being said, an effective tool for dealing with complaints is to rely on CARP:
- Control the situation
- Acknowledge the issue
- Refocus the discussion
- Problem-solve so the customer’s issue is resolved
Utilizing this method and using positive language will ensure your tone and manner remains calm and consistent.
Giving excellent customer service results to consumer loyalty and referrals. Doing it should come from a company’s drive to exceed the expectation of their customers. Aside from selling products, a brand should also focus on the overall customer experience.
