Practice Active Listening
Behind every customer, is a real human that probably has a question or a concern that you have to answer. You need to help the person to feel understood and you also need them to feel heard. At the end of the day, active listening is a skill set that you can develop by simply practicing daily with your family and even your coworkers. First of all, you have to approach each conversation with an open mind. When the customer has finished speaking, take the time to ask any clarifying questions and make sure that you understand what they are saying before you form your response. Finally, make sure that you finish the conversation with a summary so you can make sure that everyone is on the same page. If you can take the time to practice active listening then this will help you to become better at customer service and you may even find that it helps you to improve your relationships out of the office too. Little things like this can make a major difference to how much you can connect with your customers, so make sure that you keep that in mind.
Learn to Empathize
Empathy is your ability to understand as a whole, how the customer might be feeling and where it is they are coming from. While some people may feel as though they are born with empathy, it is also a skill that can be acquired. When you listen to your customer, you need to see the issue through their eyes and you also need to take the time to listen to them about how it is making them feel. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to connect with your customers and that you can also reduce conflict. This will give everyone a much more enjoyable experience, so make sure you keep that in mind.
Use Positive Language
When the time comes for you to attend to your customer problems, you need to focus on using positive language skills so you can take the stress away and de-escalate the situation. Verbs can be powerful here, for example, don’t tell them not to hit the red button and instead, tell them that in this situation, the green is the best option. Tell them that they are asking great questions and that you can support them in the current moment. If you can keep the customer present and you can show them that you are both positive and authentic then this will help everyone to stay calm in the situation, even when the customer may be feeling intense anger or upset.
Improve Technical Skills
Over time, you may find that your customers end up coming to you with a range of problems. They may also want answers to their questions quickly. If you don’t know how to implement a service ticket though then there is a high chance that you will be wasting their time. Before you choose to interact with customers, make sure that you know how to use live chat and that you understand of the ticketing system too. Learn how to type fast and go from there. If you can do this then there is no reason why you cannot show your customers how much you care about them and that you want nothing more than to provide them with good customer service.
Know your Products
It is also imperative that you know your products. To help your customers, you have to make sure that you have a deep knowledge of your products. You also need to know how your customers work. On board with a seasoned specialist so that they can then advise you on the ins and outs of what you offer. This way, you can help customers when they might be having difficulty with it, especially when it comes to troubleshooting. If you have no idea what it is you are selling then you won’t be able to help your customers and this will work against you more than you realize.
Be Human
Live chat, email or even telephone communication can seem somewhat impersonal because you might not be able to read the other person’s facial expressions. Consumers want to feel connected, so you need to try and look for common ground so you can make a quick connection. If you can do this then you are bound to see an improvement in everything across the board. The ability to communicate clearly, in verbal form and writing form will help you exponentially. Answers to any questions should be both clear and concise too. If you can make sure that this is the case and if you can use your natural tone of voice then this will help them to connect with your brand. Customers might want an explanation but at the same time, that doesn’t mean that they want all of the details. If they ask for more, or if they tell you that they are interested but on the fence, then give them more details but don’t bombard them with information. You also need to ask them if there is anything you can do for them today so you can give them the support that they need with ease. Communicate any hold times too, if you intend on putting them on hold, so that you can make sure that they are never left waiting too long. If you can do this then you will soon find that things end up working in your favor.
Be Solution-Focused
Sometimes, you will be dealing with customers who are frustrated and angry. For everyone’s sake, you need to adopt an approach that keeps you focused on the big picture. You also need to be determined to reach a good outcome. If you can, you have to make it your mission to find good solutions and then offer them. If you can do this then you will be able to help your customers to move from a problem mindset to one that encompasses positivity. This approach is most successful if you have customers who are in a good mindset to begin with, but either way, if you can focus on this then it’ll help you out either way. Remember, if you maximize your customer satisfaction then your product sales will take care of themselves. Need help with your bottom line? If so then now would be the time for you to hire a revops agency.
Admit When You’ve Made Mistakes
If you have misunderstood the needs of your customers or if you feel as though you have made an error that has cost them time or money then you need to do something about this. Be transparent and understand that things like this happen. Everyone makes mistakes and admitting to them is often the best way for you to resolve any issues, positively. If the mistake happens to be something that you have done, then make sure that you are clear about this and that you are also mindful of how you have had an impact on that person negatively. If you can own up to the situation then this is often the first step to solving it, so make sure that you keep this in mind.
Be Willing to Learn
You also need to make sure that you are willing to learn. Tom Brady did not become a fantastic football player in one day, he had to practice for years and he was even a backup QB for quite some time before he was able to get a starting position. Great customer service isn’t much different here. If you want to be a world-class representative then you have to be willing to work on your skills. Make sure that your staff understand how valuable the role that they play is, and how seriously you take their contributions. Set standards for what it is you expect from them and be clear about what matters. Make sure that your staff are punctual, courteous and supportive of other team members while ensuring that you set clear expectations at all times. If you can do this then you can easily make sure that everyone is on the same page and that everyone cares deeply about the service that they provide. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to better your service while giving your customers the chance to connect with your brand on a deeper level. Things like this are imperative when running a business, so keep that in mind if you can.