Welcome back to this lovely world of customer service. I have to tell you, I am kind of happy to say this will be the last customer service tips I dish out for a while. Lets start with the don’ts. I like to save the best for last, ending on a good note is always better right? Like the saying goes, “don’t go to sleep angry.”
Don’ts
Let things become unprofessional
This should go without saying, but there should be a zero-tolerance policy against any kind of foul language or insults toward a customer — no matter how rude or insulting the customer is being. Remember that guy is speaking for himself, but you (or your customer service employee) represent your entire company.
Let obtaining service be more painful than the problem
Nobody enjoys long hold times, confusing or complicated rules, lots of phone transfers or untrained service people. If customers deal with this enough, they’ll think twice about doing business with that company in the future.
Go back on your word
When companies use loopholes to avoid honoring return policies/guarantees, or just flat-out choose not to honor them, they may keep that one sale, but they damage their reputation and can lose future sales.
Throw co-workers under the bus
The customer doesn’t care who made the mistake, he or she only cares who is going to fix it. Skip the blame game. If a mistake was made, apologize, fix it and move on.
Do’s
Learn about your customers and how best to serve them
If you cater to busy business people, help them without wasting their time. If you provide technical products to people who are not technically savvy, focus on patience and attentive training. The same information you used to gain the business can be used to keep the customer.
Convenience people
Can you get customers the product sooner than expected? Can you solve a problem they didn’t know they had? Train your service people to head issues off at the pass. If you are successful in this task, your business will grow and the growth of your representatives will as well.
Be more than a voice on the phone
Anytime there is a chance to build a one-on-one relationship with a customer, take it. When a client tells you their situation, take notes. Being remembered is a big deal to people, the customers do not want to repeat themselves over and over. If you are able to connect with the client by showing you are concerned about their situation, they will be more patient and understanding of your work for them.
Always follow through
Deliver on all promises and be unerringly reliable. If you say you are going to do it, you need to make sure that you get that job done for the client.
