This is very common in our today society many people deliberately overlook the importance of customer service. If you’re doing a poor job of handling customer queries and complaints, it can have a devastating impact on your business’s image. By contrast, customers who are dealt with well will be more likely to become repeat customers and recommend your business to others. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertising, and good customer service taps into it directly.
This article offers a few pointers that cover the basics of good customer service. If you can implement all of these tips in your business’s dealings with customers or clients, you’ll improve your reputation immeasurably and rate highly for customer satisfaction.
Service with a smile: The simplest rule to good service is to smile. More broadly, this also means being nice. Offer customers a smile as soon as you start dealing with them, and be sure to remain smiley throughout the conversation.
If you’re dealing with a customer on the telephone, the same rule applies – there are suggestions that the voice is subtly altered when smiling and this can be picked up even through the telephone.
Act bright and interested in your customer. Stay friendly, and stay positive. That’s what service with a smile is all about. It’ll make your customer feel welcome, more appreciated and also more amenable to discussing any problems.
Listen well: After the immediate impression of a smile comes the ability to listen well to a customer. Pay careful attention to what they are saying and try to understand their perspective. Put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine how you would feel in the same situation.
Listening well enables you to respond to a customer’s wishes more appropriately. Don’t rattle off pre-rehearsed responses. This leaves customers feeling ignored, or at least undervalued. By listening carefully and responding directly to a customer’s wishes they’ll feel like you value their custom.
Be polite: Being polite is just as important as dealing with customers in a smiley and friendly manner. Don’t be blunt with customers. If they take a long time to get to the point, then simply wait. Don’t rush a customer, don’t interrupt a customer and always offer greetings, pleases and thank-yous. These things are all important to a customer who will want to feel respected by the person she has given her money to.
Offer help: If you don’t have an immediate solution to a customer query or complaint, then offer to help. Suggest alternatives and be willing to put in a few extra minutes of time to assist a customer. Never be dismissive of a customer’s request. However strange or unusual, make sure you do your best to help. In doing so, you’ll ensure that customers feel valued and taken seriously.
Be proactive: Don’t stop at the bare minimum. Be proactive in trying to assist your customers. This means making enquiries on their behalf, suggesting ideas to them and more. Treat your customer as you would treat a friend or family member with a problem. Work actively to try and solve it.
The customer is always right: The bottom line of customer relations is to accept that the customer is always right. That means they’re right even when they’re wrong. Don’t respond negatively to a customer even if you may feel negatively about them. The only exception to this is when a customer’s demands would put your company out of pocket to an unacceptable degree.
Putting these tips into practice is guaranteed to improve your customer’s service experience. Remember, customer service isn’t just about helping the customer. It’s also a direct reflection of your company’s attitude. Good customer service will improve your reputation and help you build or maintain a respectable image in the eyes of your customers.
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