Empowering Growth...
How to improve your customer service skills...
Enhance customer experiences and increase satisfaction using our top tips to improve your customer service skills.
Clear communication
Ensure your customers are clear about what you mean. The last thing you want is a customer disputing pricing or information you have provided due to it not being communicated clearly enough. Listen well to enquiries and communicate effectively. Where possible follow-up a telephone conversation with an email to clearly reiterate the points discussed which can eliminate confusion.
Get personal
Customers want to know they are dealing with a real person, therefore add a personal touch when communicating. Whether you are handling enquiries over the telephone, email or social media channels tailor your response rather than sounding automated. Even after you have answered a customers queries, ask if there is anything else you can help with, to show an additional interest in their needs. This way customers are more likely to remember the experience positively and therefore increasing their level of satisfaction.
Be an expert
Learn as much as you can about the business. Having knowledge about the wider operations of the company will allow you to offer information on areas that may not within the scope of your role. It is important to know more about the business than the customer or client to offer the very best customer service. If you are unable to answer a question never lie and offer to find out the answer. This will show you are willing to go out of your way for them. Simply saying ‘I don’t know’ will make your customer feel unimportant and that you do not have a vested interest in their needs.
Take customer feedback onboard
Working within a customer service based role, it is likely the company collates feedback from customers on their experience. Where possible ask Managers to feed this back, in order to find areas of improvement and to identify your strengths. Having a clear idea of what customers/clients like and dislike can enable you to tailor your customer service accordingly. Furthermore, this can increase customer satisfaction by providing the service they want and expect as opposed to what training may have taught you.
Time management
Enhance customer experiences and increase satisfaction using our top tips to improve your customer service skills.
Clear communication
Ensure your customers are clear about what you mean. The last thing you want is a customer disputing pricing or information you have provided due to it not being communicated clearly enough. Listen well to enquiries and communicate effectively. Where possible follow-up a telephone conversation with an email to clearly reiterate the points discussed which can eliminate confusion.
Get personal
Customers want to know they are dealing with a real person, therefore add a personal touch when communicating. Whether you are handling enquiries over the telephone, email or social media channels tailor your response rather than sounding automated. Even after you have answered a customers queries, ask if there is anything else you can help with, to show an additional interest in their needs. This way customers are more likely to remember the experience positively and therefore increasing their level of satisfaction.
Be an expert
Learn as much as you can about the business. Having knowledge about the wider operations of the company will allow you to offer information on areas that may not within the scope of your role. It is important to know more about the business than the customer or client to offer the very best customer service. If you are unable to answer a question never lie and offer to find out the answer. This will show you are willing to go out of your way for them. Simply saying ‘I don’t know’ will make your customer feel unimportant and that you do not have a vested interest in their needs.
Take customer feedback onboard
Working within a customer service based role, it is likely the company collates feedback from customers on their experience. Where possible ask Managers to feed this back, in order to find areas of improvement and to identify your strengths. Having a clear idea of what customers/clients like and dislike can enable you to tailor your customer service accordingly. Furthermore, this can increase customer satisfaction by providing the service they want and expect as opposed to what training may have taught you.
Time management
The time spent speaking to different customers will vary dependent upon the nature of the enquiry. However, where possible resolve an query with an efficient manner. Although this may be easier said than done, identify whether you can help the customer or not and from there take action to address the customer concerns. Going out of your way for customers wastes not only your time but also the customers which can lead to dissatisfaction.
Are you looking for a new Sales or Customer Services role? Check out our latest vacancies.
Published in
Admin & Customer Service