The relevance of a business is in its ability to attract and retain customers. Research shows that about 70% of customers are likely to spend more on a company with effective customer service. Another survey conducted also shows that nearly 97% of people tell others about excellent customer services that they have experienced and that 24% of customers will return to a business after two or more years due to excellent customer service experience.
This shows that customers play an instrumental role in promoting your business, so it is crucial to invest in treating your customers well. These seven tips are guaranteed to help you stay on top of the game concerning customer service.
Build your staff
You shouldn’t reserve customer service for the customer service department, but for every staff. Clients value a business whose team is dedicated to attending to their needs, irrespective of the department that they are in. You need to organise training sessions for your workers where they learn customer service skills. There are many skills your staff must learn to be excellent at serving your clients. They include persuasive speaking, adaptability, self-control, patience, responsibility, positive language, communication, and attentiveness. You can also teach them the principles of commitment and diligence.
Respect for your customers
People respond positively when they are respected. So it would help if you accorded your customers respect at all times and in all situations. It is not unusual for people to talk in an upset manner when they have grievances about your products or services. It is up to you to calm them down, apologize for the troubles, and resolve them accordingly. You can only do that by patiently listening to them and then responding respectfully. Gestures like attentively listening to your clients and giving them as much time as they need to express themselves sends a signal to them that you respect them. Other gestures include going the extra mile to ensure that they are catered for, calling them by their name, and thanking them each time they patronise you.
Make the most of your website
Your website is the first place that people check for information about your business and seek help on certain issues. For this reason, you should be active on your website, especially in the customer service section. Make your website easy to access and organised so that people know where to go when they need something. You can also get testimonials from your existing customers to encourage new ones. Are you looking to add live chat to your website? Then invest in it because it is an effective way of direct communication between your clients and you, without delay or stress.
Feedback is essential
Customer feedback refers to the information that customers give about your products and services and their experiences with them. It also involves customer opinions on how well your business is doing and what can improve. Encouraging customer feedback puts you in a good position with your clients because it makes them feel important and appreciated. They feel happy because they know that you think about them and that their opinions are valuable. They will be pleased to continue their business with you.
You can personalize your feedback extraction process by calling them directly to find out what they think about your products and services and their suggestions on how you can improve. You can also use platforms like email, SMS surveys, live chats, electronic surveys, FAQ feedback, on-site feedback, social media accounts, and the likes.
Be empathetic
Empathy is the capacity to understand a person’s point of view or feelings. In customer service, it is the ability to put yourself in the clients’ shoes, understand their grievances, and show support, even when you cannot solve the problem. You deal with people every day, and they are bound to raise issues. People often put their complaints forward because they require you to understand how painful it is for them.
You should show them that you care about their feelings and that you are truly sorry for the inconvenience that came from patronizing you. Respond to their grievances, letting them know that you understand how they feel. Then apologize to them and rectify the issue if possible. It will help if you are kind with your words and your tone is sympathetic. Empathy will make your customers stick with you and motivate them to keep patronizing you.
Treat your staff right
A happy employee is a dedicated and diligent one. Employees are more willing to treat your customers right when they are happy working for you. They are also delighted when you recognize them as members of your team and not just employees. Treating them as members of your team helps them view your business as their own and encourages them to put in the effort to promote your business.
Be respectful to your workers, recognize their efforts, and acknowledge their initiative. Whenever they hit their target, acknowledge and reward them. Also, welcome their opinions on how to make the business better and act accordingly. Also, reward their efforts with bonuses and other incentives apart from their salaries. These gestures tell your workers that you appreciate and value them, and their happiness will translate to how they care for your customers.
Effective time management
Time management is essential for effective customer service. Your clients also have other commitments and are probably working on a schedule. Therefore, you must be time conscious when attending to them. Be swift to pick their calls and attend to their emails promptly. This tells your clients that you are serious about your business and that you also value their time.
Customer service is more than attending to customer issues; it takes the time to understand your customers and do all that it takes to keep them satisfied. It requires dedication to the service of your customers while maintaining the integrity of your business. Investing in customer service will keep your customers loyal to you.