4 Tips for Improving Customer Service

What does excellent customer service mean to you? The most commonly observable customer service request is where a customer has already bought a product from your business and now requires you to modify or repair something that's gone wrong. Another more common instance of customer experience is when a customer comes in contact with your product.

With online stores and online sales forming the bulk of revenue for companies in several fields, especially when they are software- or firmware-based, positivity in a customer's experience becomes even more of a priority. A single bad experience can act as the start of a domino effect that could end in the absolute destruction of your company's reputation. This isn't an absolute possibility, but if something can go wrong, it will – remember that. This remains the same, be it an in-person interaction or a virtual one.

The following pointers shall elucidate all the things one must keep in mind before accepting a service request.

1. Be Cheerful and Available

The first step in making your customer feel valued is to acknowledge them as soon as possible. When someone contacts your service associate, that particular someone should be the first and only priority for the associate for the whole duration of that interaction. They should lay off any other tasks that are not urgent to focus on the one that they have been presented with. A small delay can cost your company a lot of work.

Your demeanour should be cheerful and jovial at all times. You can't let yourself get carried away with a difficult customer. The customer might be frustrated by something or someone at that moment; Try and understand their plight and find instant and longer-lasting solutions for said problem.

Now, it would be obvious that in a virtual service request, your physical characteristics won't matter. How you come across via your words or even your voice on a call will create the greatest impact. You should never give off the impression that you're trying to finish the customer's task in haste and not taking stock of what their problem or query might be. That is a big no-no, and you must avoid making the customer feel any more inconvenienced than they already do. Remember, barring special cases, the customer always contacts you when there's a problem, and you should try not to pile on.

A major part of managing customers and the problems associated with that stem from poor staff management and other business resources. OkStaff is a staff management app that helps you efficiently manage staff and business resources, ultimately helping you offer a better customer experience.

2. Display Eagerness, not Aggression

When assisting a customer, keep in mind that first impressions count. Customers who say something like, "I just thought I'd take a look around" should be approached after an acceptable amount of time (which will vary depending on the type of business, floor layout, and other business specifics) and asked if they have any questions or if they've found what they're looking for. If the customer declines your assistance, acknowledge their refusal and inform them of your location if they require it later.

When a customer asks you about a problem, pay close attention to what they say. If necessary, ask clarifying questions after the customer has finished speaking to obtain more information that will allow you to solve the customer's problem. When a customer is speaking, do not interrupt them – because when you are speaking, you are not listening.

When in an online instance of a service request, it is much harder to convey one's emotions through words. This is a reality for both the customer and the service provider. As the service provider, you must always ensure that whatever you convey to your customers must always be in a calm, collected, and cheerful tone.

3. Be Knowledgeable about your Product

Ensuring that your staff is knowledgeable about your product line is a pretty safe bet. Keep in mind that what a staff member may perceive as knowledge sharing could be perceived as showing off and pretentious to a customer.

Most customers tend to compare and contrast products and services from different brands. A single misstep with them, and they'll remove your business from their considerations. Your staff needs to be highly knowledgeable about all aspects of any product that they may be required to answer and be peripherally aware of the ones that they aren't. Your knowledge of a product and the general details that distinguish it from any other product can help you gain new customers while retaining loyal ones.

Customers frequently have questions about your products or services that aren't directly related to them. Any customer's interests are partly defined by their desires and partly by how you're able to sell them on the quality of your products and how you're able to exemplify the importance of the said product in their life. You could do this in the form of answers on social media, replies to reviews and replies on store faq sections.

Knowledge about your products doesn't just stop at your product's technical specifications; it includes pricing and discounts. Whether it be repairs or even service time, anything customer service related can burden your finances. OkCredit is a financial accounting service that helps you keep track of all your financial expenditure and resources to focus on better customer service and providing the best product suggestions to your clients.

4. Closing a Service Request

After you've finished assisting a customer, move them further towards your products. If they are ready to buy now, direct their way to checkout, where they must be guided through the payment process.

Let's say a customer is browsing through some online store, and they spy on one of your products; They like your product. They go add it to their cart, but they remember a small negative connotation in the reviews, or perhaps they experienced something themselves in the past. This could be an unresolved warranty claim or a rude service executive. This particular won't only go on to remove your product from their cart; you can also assume with fairly strong conviction that you're unlikely to have any business from them anytime soon. All this could be avoided with some effort on the business's part to close a deal or a service request while keeping the customer satisfied.

Conclusion

Although it may appear difficult and perfection may seem far beyond your reach, it is fairly simple to do so. The difficult part is consistently being mindful of your customers. Hopefully, the suggestions above will assist you and your team in accomplishing this. If one consistently provides great customer service, you may expect, in almost all instances, more business from older clients as well as more word-of-mouth affected sales boosts soon. Everything you say and do impacts customer experience: this is an undeniable truth. A cold demeanour, lethargy in response, or any other negative aspects of any service provider can drastically affect customer experience.

Also Read:

1) How to Answer the Phone Professionally at your Business?
2) How a Good Market Research Can Give You a Steady Start?
3) 10 Ways how to operate your small business easily with a smartphone
4) How to Create a Customer-Centric Culture for Your Business?

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FAQs

Q. What are the three most important things in customer service?

Ans. The three most important things to keep in mind for any customer service provider is to:

• be patient
• be attentive
• understand that professionalism is paramount

Q. What are the four principles for exceptional customer service?

Ans. Keep these four principles in mind before any service request:

• Understand where the customer's problems stem from.
• Make it seem easy for the customer to find answers fast.
• Be consistent and compassionate.
• Close the service request and leave no stone unturned.

Q. What makes customer service excellent?

Ans. Building good relationships with your customers should be your focus when providing excellent customer service. Thanking the customer and fostering a positive, helpful, and friendly environment will ensure that they leave with a positive impression.