I have been involved in various aspects of customer service from business to business work to sales to information sharing.
Here is what I believe makes me successful:
- Being pleasant. If something has happened that will not allow you to be pleasant, step away from the counter, phone, etc. If a customer is unpleasant to deal with, rejoinders should never be argumentative or sharp (as hard as this is to do).
- Being willing to share information but knowing when to say "I don't know." Nothing disturbs a customer more than an untruthful answer; nothing makes a customer happier than a bit of knowledge given in answer to a question.
- Remembering that the customer could be you. Place yourself in the customer's shoes. How would you like to be treated? The customer is your paycheck; without them there is no job or business.
Steve Hoad
I am the lead customer support representative for Simply Bags & Keepsakes Etc. The entire customer team has embraced the "Delighted The Customer" philosophy. Many CS teams are trained to apologize; we truly listen to the customer, resolve the immediate problem, and improve business processes with customer's feedback.
Our company has made changes to product lines, inspection process, shipping methods, and scheduling. Customer Service must be the eyes and ears of your company and top leadership must truly support the "Delighted The Customer" philosophy.
When you have great products and services, it's a pleasure to work on the customer team!
Bob Shirilla, Keepsakes Etc and Simply Custom Bags
I spent 10 years in Customer Service at Tops Products, during which I learned some invaluable lessons about how to be successful in Customer Service and beyond.
The best advice I can give is that great customer service extends beyond just listening. Sure, your customers want you to listen when they have a problem or complaint, but the reality is they would much rather you spend your time proactively preventing their problems. A great example is a customer with a rush shipment. Taking the initiative and keying that order immediately, working with traffic ahead of time to ensure a truck is available, tracking the progress of the order, and communicating a successful on-time delivery without being asked is a great way to win repeat business.
The greatest part about acting proactively in Customer Service is that it alters the dynamic of your customer relationships by turning negative experiences into positive ones. Calling with good news is a much better way to win business than being the recipient of a complaint call. Your customers will appreciate the extra initiative and you will appreciate how much more you enjoy their calls.
Jennifer Stagner
I've been in the customer service field for over 10 years. I was recently promoted to a marketing position about a year ago. One of the things that made me successful in the field was honesty. It's amazing how much people appreciate your service when you just tell them the truth. I remember being able to defuse a situation by just telling the customer the truth. Here are some other ways to ensure success in this field:
Patience - This one thing that every customer service professional needs to have in order to be successful. In most cases, calling in somewhere for assistance is something that is difficult for most people. The fact that they can't figure it out on their own is very tough. So when someone calls in for help, they are at their wits end, which usually means they're not happy campers. So being able to go over the same problem over and over again until it's resolved is something you must require.
Being a good listener - This is a must have in the customer service field. Most of the time, customers just want to blow off steam and having someone listen to their problems is all they need to make them happy. I can't tell you how many times I have sat through someone yelling at me for 10 minutes, and at the end of the call the customer saying "thanks for just listening to me." It seriously goes a long way.
The passion for helping people - I remember when I first started in the industry, I used to get very frustrated because customers just wouldn't get it sometimes. So I remember telling myself one day that these people don't know what they're doing, which is why they are calling in for help, which in itself is hard to do for them. From that point on, I wanted to help people, not just do my job. So wanting to help people is very important.
Kevin Raposo, Blogger for SimpliSafe
What makes outstanding customer service is understanding the needs of the customer and being able to respond to those needs in a timely fashion.
In my field, I get hundreds of questions a week and being able to respond to them in a timely fashion with the most up-to-date advice is what gives me an edge. It is not about using fancy tech that gives the impression of customer service, it is about communication.
With every order that gets processed on our website, I communicate *at least *once by phone with the customer, and every order has multiple automated emails delivered to the customer to keep them abreast of the order and delivery progress. I get hundreds of email testimonials a year saying that my communication skills are second to none and are appreciated.
Saul Kaye, CEO and pharmacist at IraelPharm.com
I work in the luxury business--we sell colored diamonds and colored diamond jewelry (www.diamondenvy.com) and what makes me most successful is walking a customer through from A-Z. Most customers start with questions about the diamonds, they want to know what makes each different from the next, what to look for in a diamond, and I'm there to educate them so that when they do make the purchase they know the true value of what they're getting. It's easy to feel ripped off when you are shopping in the dark, so it's my job to shine a light. I'll also work with a customer as long as it takes for them to be sure and to know exactly what they want.
Dina Silverberg
I believe in not only delivering quality service to customers but building relationships. When you view a customer as a friend and not a dollar sign, then you subconsciously change the dynamics of your interactions with that person. My company trains others on how to be successful in their customer service skills by building productive customer relations first. When you have a satisfied customer, they buy from you time and time again as well as bring others along for the ride. Any business knows the importance of customer service because without it, you won't be in business for long.
Tameka "L.A. Say" Anderson, Interpersonal Relations Coach
I'm co-founder of LoveBookOnline.com - We're a gift company that creates books that say why you love someone. Our products are very time sensitive and emotional so good customer service is very important to us. So important, that I handle most of our customers personally. Here are my tips.
- *Patience* - Everyone feels like their going into battle when dealing with customer service. Always take your time to hear someone out. Most people start frustrated and need to vent. It's ok. Don't take it personally.
- *Understand their situation* - We're all customers as well. Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel in the same situation. If you can visualize what you would like to have happen, it will most likely be what the customer is looking for as well.
- *Provide solutions* - The solutions don't have to be exactly what the customer wants (especially if it is impossible to provide). But do your best to give them more than one option. You take them out of the mindset of "I want" and into a mindset of "I choose".
- *Each contact is an opportunity* - Even if your company has made a mistake, a good customer service experience can turn a bad situation into a golden opportunity to prove that you and your company has the best interest of the customer in mind.
- *The customer is never wrong* - The customer may not be right, but they are never wrong. If a customer is upset, it is their perspective of the situation. The problem usually lies in a miscommunication somewhere down the line. Again, give solutions. Once a customer is explained how or why things went wrong, provide multiple solutions to help. At this point, the customer still feels like the company did not communicate the message well. You will never win that argument...but you can take the opportunity to make the experience a golden one.
Because I have a vested interest in the customer, I tend to go the extra mile. In the end, these are all guests to my home. They trust my company enough to spend their hard earned money. We all make mistakes and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt...even if that can be challenging at times.
Chris Sonjeow, Co-founder of LoveBookOnline.com
At my grocery store, sometimes I have to deliver bad news to customers (we no longer carry that, it won't be back at our warehouse for another month, we rearranged this section, etc.). Most retail workers skirt responsibility by using "they" statements. "They stopped carrying this," or "they moved everything around." Statements like that make a worker seem powerless, and customers love to treat powerless people like shit. I include myself in the statement, even if I had nothing to do with a decision or action. I say things like "Sorry, we replaced that with another product because it wasn't selling well," or "We rearranged this section; gotta keep things interesting for ya." In return, customers treat me with respect. Why? Because you don't fuck with a guy who has the power to take your favorite products off the shelf.
Casey Echternacht
Being a successful customer service representative requires listening, carefully fixing your mistakes and following up. Listening to the customer is key. You must be patient and work to fully understanding the situation. It definitely helps to put yourself in the customers' shoes and relate to them with experiences you've have had as a customer. You must be willing to admit when you've made a mistake or did not give the customer the fairest deal. Not admitting an error is a sure way to lose a customer. Follow up is key to great customer service and can salvage nearly any situation. If you need more time on resolving a problem, it's ok to let the customer know; don't let them wonder when you are going to call them back. Also, going the extra mile is what most impresses a customer. If the customer's request doesn't require a great deal of extra time or cost, then do it. A simple gesture can create loyal customer.
Dejan Obradovic, Customer Service Supervisor at Abt Electronics
Customer service is what makes for successful business as we are the first and often times, the only point of contact between the "product" and the consumer. It doesn't matter if you offer the most competitive price or the best product in the marketplace, if your customer service is lacking, you won't be in business for long. Understanding that customers need to feel valued, and that their business is the most important business to you, is what we've strive for in our customer service department. Each and every single point of contact with that customer is an opportunity to show them that they made the right decision in choosing our company to do business with as in today's marketplace, there is always another option available to them. What I've found is customers want to their issues addressed immediately; they don't want to leave a message, or sit on hold. Their time is valuable and it's important to have someone available to meet their needs as they arise. I've realized that customers do not want empty promises; they want to know that if there is an issue, it will be resolved and the steps required will be done to resolve the issue in a timely manner. They don't want excuses or to feel that they are being misled. It's important to not just "hear" the customer on the other line, but to "listen" and digest what they are saying; restating the issue while expressing empathy goes a long way. And finally, going above and beyond a customer's expectations can lead to confidence in your product and return business; making a follow up call to verify the issue has been resolved is a simple step that validates you have reached a resolution, that the customer is satisfied and that there are no further issues requiring your attention. It once more, lets the customer know that they are important to you and your business, and that you value them.
Denise Ellington, Milrich Associates LLP
I have had the pleasure of working for many fine organizations throughout my 25+ year career in the restaurant & hotel industry. From Crowne Plaza, Hilton Hotels, Westin and others. They all strive for excellent customer service and so do I.
Creativity, an attention to detail, follow through and anticipating the needs of the guests has allowed my teams and I to provide the experience our guests desire, and more.
In addition to my experience as a Room Service Manager, Restaurant Director & Director of Banquets, I have been part of a team that has opened new hotels and departments. I have been instrumental in creating or redefining the service standards at all properties I have worked and developed leaders within my department.
Customer service is nothing more than the cheerful giving of attention. Once we put ourselves in "the shoes of the guest" and realize that we must tend to their needs as we would want the same, it is much easier to provide that "WOW" service experience we always hear about. I recently self-published my first book on customer service based on various training methods I currently use today. An added benefit came out of this where my staff started to receive more and larger tips from their guests. Hence the title, and book, was born.
Steve DiGioia, Author of "Earn More Tips On Your Very Next Shift...Even If You're a Bad Waiter"
I think my record speaks for itself. As a CSR for RCA I set five national sales records. Most of which will never be broken. I was also named the number one CSR in the country for General Power corporation. I was also presented with a plaque for salesman of the quarter three straight quarters by Southern Fastener and Tool.
The number one thing that made me successful is that I LISTENED to the customer. I listened to what they would say and I listened to what they did NOT say. Example: It doesn't matter who you are talking to, whether it is a housewife or a business owner. If you hear a baby crying in the background or a business owner sounds harried, ask them if there is a better time to call them back when they are likely to be less busy. At the very least this shows that you are not pushy and are willing to be patient.
Number two: Know your product inside out, backwards and forwards. Also know your competitors product better than he knows his own. This technique helped me to become the number one CSR in the country for General Power Corp.
Practice, practice, practice. Practice your pitch until you can do it in your sleep. My point is, practice it until it sounds like it is a natural part of your conversation. The worst thing you can do is to sound like you are reading it off of a sheet of paper, particularly if your voice tends to be monotone.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be courteous and polite. NEVER lose your cool and get into an argument with someone over anything. Doing this just guaranty's they will not do business with you in the future regardless of your product or service.
Mark Horner
The key to good customer service is listening. Sometimes a customer is calling with a genuine issue that needs to be resolved, but sometimes that's not actually the most important part. It's been said that many people call the doctor when all they really want is an audience. I've listened to customers make specific complaints about my company's product, but I've also sat with them as they've complained about their husbands or rude clients. Throughout the course of the interaction with the customer, hopefully you can solve whatever problem your customer is trying to solve, but the prerequisite is listening to the customer and making him or her feel heard.
Jason Swett, Founder and CEO, Snip Salon Software
My names Sarah and I work for Lenstore, one of the UK's leading brand of contact lens retailers. Founded in 2008, Lenstore is one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, and has amassed over 100,000 customers. I've spoken to Kayleigh, our expert optical advisor and head of customer services, and she had the following tips:
- Interaction is a key feature of our customer service. As part of our service, we offer in-house advice from our Optical experts. We believe it is evident we want to interact with our customers - and this automatically translates in our handlings.
- At Lenstore, we aim to anticipate our customers' needs. A good CRM system is essential for this. It allows us to collate customer information and subsequently answer customer questions efficiently. It also allows a centralized database, in which every department can gain access to a customer profile. This enables the company's staff to market better and easily communicate with our customers.
- We encourage customers to review our service and products. If a customer is unhappy with our product, 98% of the time we respond within the first two hours, and return the product within the day. This level of interaction shows we care and also instills trust from the customer.
Sarah Sheridan
First line brand ambassadors:
Being with Spreadshirt for 8 years, I have seen how customer service can really shape a customer's expectations. Customer service is a key aspect to any business and at Spreadshirt we put the customer first. We are the voice of the company and a customer's interaction with our team will likely contribute to their overall perception of Spreadshirt, making our department an essential part of the company! We are also in a position to change a perception, making it personally motivating to continue to provide exceptional service to all of our customers.
Skilled in multi communication areas:
With the many aspects of Spreadshirt, our team often wears many hats through their daily biz, so open communication within the team and company is a key factor to building a strong foundation. We are constantly working on email and phone contacts from customers, managing our partner forum, processing returns and various other aspects to keep things running smoothly in our department and company.
Keep work environment fun, enthused, and customer centric:
Offering a fun and challenging work atmosphere helps us build a strong team and keep motivations high, allowing us to deliver exceptional customer service and be the customer advocate. As the customer's voice, we are the customer advocate, so we are fighting for the customer to make sure issues are recognized and solved and ultimately offering a better service for our customers. Each day our team strives to delight our customers, which in turns helps keeps us motivated to continue a high standard of service.
Temple Williams, Customer Service Manager for Spreadshirt
I work for Kars4Kids (www.kars4kids.org), a nonprofit that uses car donations to fund our charity programs. We've got an excellent customer service team taking car donations and I asked one of the stars of the team, Julia Flynn, for her input on your question, what makes a customer service rep successful. This was her answer:
"You have to really listen to the donor and hear their needs. Many times, people contact us to donate as the result of a loss, whether they're donating a deceased parent's car or donating a car that was in an accident and is too expensive to repair. So you have to first sympathize with the donor and feel their loss. And you have to really tailor the donation experience to their needs. Some people are very attached to their car and want to be involved in every step of the process. Other people are really busy and just want to be able to give us one call and get all the information they need, and we'll take over from there. So we give each donor the service that they want.
In general, it's all about making the donation process easy. You have to willing to communicate with the donor/customer in whatever medium they prefer, be it over the phone, email or chat. And we go out of our way to accommodate them, even if they need the car picked up the same day. You'd be surprised how often people call and have no title for their car; we take care of that too. You have to think about the customer- what do they want? How can I make this as easy as possible for them?"
Wendy at Kars4Kids
A great customer service worker is a person who is genuinely interested in others. You know this person: there's no pretense at listening, no grabbing the conversation and turning a spotlight on her/himself. This is the person who really listens when someone is talking, and asks questions that help the speaker air the issue completely. That's the acid test for finding the customer service person who will excel in this position.
The second sterling quality for the customer service worker is the person who is relentless (tenacious) in getting to the best solution for each and every problem. No slap stick, quasi solutions will satisfy this person. She/he wants to make sure the best solution for all parties involved is reached.
And the customer service worker needs to be able to multi-task, and without stress. Find this person, and your customer service position is in great hands.
Sandra Lamb, www.SandraLamb.com, is a business, career, lifestyle, and etiquette expert, and the author of 3000 Power Words and Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews; the award-winning, How to Write It; Personal Notes; and Write the Right Words. She often speaks and writes on related topics.
