We live in an age of innovation, fast-changing technologies, and startups. Each day, new companies rise up, offering unique and game-changing products that they hope will be embraced by consumers. Unfortunately, many such companies and the ones that came before spent most of their efforts on the products and services, failing to account for what a customer might need besides the actual product/service. Customer service is an important pillar of a consumer-focused business’s success and not something that exists solely to fix problems.
There is no single method or focus that ensures excellent customer service but rather a set of points and approaches that, when combined, give an outstanding result. If you are looking to improve or establish your customer service work, you may consider taking a customer service course or jumping right in. In either case, you may find the tips on excellent customer service below useful.
Accept and implement feedback
Many customers like to make their voices heard, and if you give them the medium and opportunity to do it, they will let you know just how much they like or dislike your product/service. Even if the feedback is not positive, it may help you find some shortcomings in your service and eliminate them with time. Studies have shown that even the most dissatisfied customers will usually give your service another chance if their feedback is heard and responded to with a commitment to improve.
Give an opportunity for customers to help themselves
Some people have no qualms about communicating with customer service representatives about any issue or request that they have, while others prefer to problem-solve themselves. For example, if you are running an online business, creating a section of your website with guides and FAQ pages will address most of the queries customers may have and allow them to take care of the matter without contacting your support team or giving up on the service altogether.
Be prepared
It may sound like common sense to train support staff to be knowledgeable about their company and work, but this is something a surprising number of companies get wrong. Unfortunately, some services only train their staff to carry out some basic functions, or focus too much on exclusively technical knowledge or communication techniques. The right way to approach training is to give staff both thorough knowledge of the intricacies of their service and the best methods and techniques for assisting customers. This will leave them well-equipped to handle the rigors of the challenging work.
Go the extra mile
This tip has been a staple of customer service handbooks for decades, and with good reason. When you are willing to go above and beyond for the customer, offer them help or service beyond what they expect and what is traditionally offered, it will leave a lasting impression. This is important because the customer is much more likely to stay with the service for years to come, and share their experience of great service with others, growing your user base solely based on a customer service experience.
