Customers always remember excellent service.
While interacting with customers, solving their problems, and representing the company, diverse skills are valuable and make a big difference to the quality of interaction as well as the outcome.
Memorable customer service is a powerful magnet that draws repeat buyers and builds loyal fans for your brand. Happy customers will share their good experiences, write good reviews, and bring in more business too.
Therefore to grow your business, increase loyalty, and set yourself apart from the competition, deliver rockstar service!
Skills that help build the foundation of successful customer service are-
1. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence.
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. This gives you deep insights into why and how your customers think and act as they do. Reading a customer well means you know when a simple ‘I understand your need’ is all a confused potential buyer is looking for.
At other times ‘I understand’ could help put a worked up customer at ease. Emotional intelligence and empathy have the power to transform the customer service experience tremendously.
2. Product Knowledge
No substitute for this! Thorough knowledge of the product you are selling is very obvious to the customer; and is reassuring to say the least. On the other hand, lack of information brings a disconnect in the interaction.
However, customers who are expecting answers to product related questions will appreciate an honest acceptance of your knowledge gap; and a prompt effort to assist them accordingly.
3. A thick skin and a dose of patience
Sometimes things move slow; customers get upset, and there is not much you can do to hurry up and fix the issue. Being the face of the business means you bear the brunt of customer frustration; and often unfair blame for some failing.
Don’t take a tense situation to heart if you want to be more effective at finding amicable solutions that work.
4. Being Organised and Managing Time Well
As someone who is providing customer service for online stores, you might be spending time over email, social media, live chat, or any other means you use to reach your customers.
It is effective if all threads and time are organised and managed in a balanced manner for most impact.
5. Effective and Attentive Listening
Have you ever felt you are not being heard by the person you’re speaking to? That’s exactly what buyers and potential buyers don’t want! At an online store, listening will translate to reading and understanding what the customer is saying.
Don’t hesitate to write back and clarify when in doubt; that’s better than getting it wrong.
6. Ability to Communicate Clearly
Whether speaking or writing to your customer; favor smaller sentences, more focused message delivery, and a professional tone. Everyone appreciates a straightforward interaction when engaging either online, offline or in real-time.
7. Ability to Think Quickly On Your Feet
Some online stores offer a live chat option and others can be reached through phone, social media, messaging or email. Quick responses are highly valued. Train yourself to develop the skill of finding alternative solutions where needed to resolve customer concerns fast.
8.Adaptability and Willingness to Learn
This is an internal motivation; learning drives a passion to work and the willingness to learn keeps the joy of work alive. Great customer service agents have the ability to build long term relationships by being adaptable and keeping a growth mindset.
9. Self Control
The ability to control disruptive impulses and to think before acting is valuable for customer service. This comes from being self-aware; that is to recognize and understand your moods and emotions, as well as their effect on others.
10. Taking Responsibility
Lastly, excellent service agents take responsibility for responding and providing the required support at their end rather than choose to direct customers to the next button. For instance, pasting a section of the FAQ that answers a query rather than directing the customer to the FAQ section and asking them to find their answer.
The little details that matter.
Excellent customer service is the lifeblood of any organization. Pay attention to delivering this and start building deeper connections with your buyers.
See also –
Collect customer reviews – they’re important
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