Customer Service: It’s More Important Than You Think

When it comes to running a business, selling a product, or providing a service, there is one single aspect that can build a company up to riches, or cause it to crumble under its own faults. Customer service is one of the most important, if not the most important aspect of any business. If you can’t please your customers, they won’t return, and if they don’t return, you won’t have a business.

More than an act

Customer service is much more than a smile and an apathetic “thank you.” Customer service as defined by Google is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. However, customer service is so much more than that.

It is the building of relationships and the effortless use of proper communication. If your customers and investors don’t have trust in your abilities and find you lacking in adequate communication, then you might want to rethink how you treat them. Alright, so how do you treat them? There’s a lot that goes into proper customer service and equally a lot that comes out.

Communication is key

There are certain tips, tricks, and methods for achieving great customer service. The first and most important aspect of excellent customer service is knowing how to properly and appropriately communicate with your customers.

There should never be an incident that your customers are unaware of. I don’t mean broadcast any and every failure you encounter, but if there is any chance whatsoever that unfortunate news reaches or effects your customers, you need to appropriately reach out to the public and explain the situation.

Customers, potential or otherwise, enjoy being informed about events and actions that may influence their purchasing habits. Good communication also illustrates to consumers that you are trustworthy, will always tell it to them straight, and will never try to sneak something by them. This transparent and trusting vibe can draw in a much larger customer base and will most definitely elevate you above your competitors. Beyond communication is satisfaction, an equally important aspect of customer service.

Customers are needy, but that’s okay

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “The customer is always right!” Well, in part this is absolutely true. In most circumstances you should always do everything you can, within your means, to satisfy the customer’s request. If he or she says you messed up their order, you did regardless if you actually did or if it was someone else.

In situations like this, you must apologize and ask how you can fulfill their needs. Don’t actually say “How can I fulfill your needs?” that’s a little creepy, but ask that appropriately. In the unfortunate instances where satisfying the customer’s request is beyond your abilities, deny the customer’s request without using the word NO and explain to them why their needs can’t be met.

Most customers may not react favorably in this situation, but the important thing to remember is to remain calm and not to take it personally. Most people who honestly have a complaint will understand and not get overzealous about not getting what they want. Your company may have prewritten scripts for different situation, in which case, stick to the scripts. This will secure your job, and protect your company. However certain instances of ad-lib are very important to avoid sounding too robotic.

Smile

There are several things to keep in mind while communicating with customers whether in person, on the phone, or over social media. Remember to always, ALWAYS smile when communicating. Smile on the phone? Really? Yes. Studies show that customers can audibly hear a change in tone when someone is smiling vs when they’re not. It doesn’t have to be a real smile, you are at work, but even faking a smile can dramatically change how you speak with a customer.

Another thing to remember is to never exasperate or sound exasperated. If it sounds like resolving their issue is a hardship, your customer will probably not come back. Conveying a willing tone is always the best route to take, even when responding to someone’s tweet.

Customers always prefer reps who sound happy and are willing to go the extra mile for them. It is also critical to sound knowledgeable in your business but make sure not to sound like a know-it-all. In other words, know your statistics but don’t lean on statistics. Imaging asking a customer service representative a question and they respond with a tongue click, sigh, and a short “I guess, I dunno.” Just like everyone else, you would be aghast by their apathetic response. You would probably leave a terrible review, appeal to management, and never return to do business with the company again.

This may seem like a lot of information to remember all at once but we’ve barely scratched the surface. There are so many other things to learn about excellent customer service but for now, this will cover you. These are very important tips to remember and we hope you stick to each and every one of them the next time you handle customer relations.

Happy customer relations and happy adventures!

Author: B. Delamater