Customer service is important to your business as it can help you increase customer loyalty, customer spend, quantity of purchases, positive word-of-mouth, and decrease buying barriers. Your ability treat customers with respect, follow up on feedback, handle complaints gracefully, understand their needs and wants, and exceed expectations is the key to a long and valuable relationship.
This is the third article of a four-part series focusing on how the fundamentals of customer service are crucial to staff interaction, stakeholder management and the growth of every staff member, including yourself. We cover the ability to persuade, resolve issues completely, continually learn, understand the types of customers, be courteous and follow up with customers. If you missed the first two articles you can click on the following links. Part #1 / Part #2.
13. Mastery of Persuasion
The ability to create compelling messages that leave your customers with no choice but to stay connected with your company is a valuable skill for you and your employees to have. This is a skill that will take your customer service to the next level, as it provides you with the tools to convince interested customers that your product or service is exactly what they need. Being able to subtly make it feel like it is the customer’s idea to purchase a product or service is the ultimate goal.
14. Closing Time
Finishing a conversation, either verbal or written, with a confirmed outcome and satisfaction should be the goal for every interaction with customers. Customers are looking for a resolution, so it is sacrificial to complete the conversation before all the problems are addressed. It is important to take the time to confirm that all issues the customer has, have been entirely addressed and resolved. Your ability and willingness to close effectively show the customer that you care about getting it right, willing to go the distance and that the customer determines whether it has been resolved or not.
15. Continuous Learning
Investing in your customer service skills is necessary to ensure that you are providing your customers with the service and support they deserve. Consistent improvement allows you to increase customer happiness ratings. Those who aren’t willing to develop their skills are likely to get left behind the people and businesses who make investing in learning a priority.
16. Know Thy Customer
There are five sales-orientated types of customers (livechat) that you are most likely to encounter:
- Potential customer – they show some interest in your business, so needs nurturing (show them value) and welcoming (let them know you are there to answer any questions) before they make a buying decision. The new
- New customer – they just bought something from you, is still learning from you, and will need your help to guide them to success with the product or service through a clear user on-boarding process.
- Impulsive customer – they can make a buying decision quickly, so it is important to reduce any potential boundaries, and ensure that help is quick, clear and concise.
- Discount customer – they love a bargain, will never buy at full price, and therefore require further information and added value before they purchase, otherwise they may quickly switch to a competing business.
- Loyalty customer – they keep coming back for more, are perfect ambassadors and help you grow through word-of-mouth, so it is important to provide them a platform to spread the word and keep them excited about your product and business.
17. Courteous
Treating your customers with respect and patience will take you along way. Greet your customers as they come through the door, use their name regularly, keep them informed if there is a delay, check in with them while they are purchasing and know your products inside-out. If there is a problem, make sure that you give them the time to express their issue and concerns, ask questions to gain greater understanding and be empathetic to their situation is crucial.
18. The Follow Up
It is absolutely paramount that you follow-up with customers to ensure the solution has been successful and that they are continuing to use your product and business. Following up with customers will exceed their expectations and may lead to increased loyalty and purchases in the future.
The fourth and final part of the 4-part series on customer service will be available in the next NRG2Perform article. It will take a look at conflict resolution, the use of technology, measuring customer service and more.
Looking for More?
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Are you looking for more insights and ideas? Then read the following inspiring and thought-provoking articles and podcasts:
- Going the Extra Mile
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- #7 Trina Gordon Recruiting the World’s Leaders (Podcast)
- Beyond the Comfort Zone
- #6 Indiran Padayachee Winning Only Matters (Podcast)
- High Performers Cultivate More Powerful Traits
- #5 Suzie Hoitink Enemy of a Great Life is a Good One (Podcast)
