Are you a customer service manager or call center agent looking to improve communication with your customers? Looking to improve your customers’ satisfaction, loyalty and retention?
A large part of customer service is the ability to communicate effectively with your customers. But it is not enough to just be able to communicate well. You must also be able to communicate in a friendly and personable way that makes your customers feel heard and valued.
RisePath has done some research to find out the latest changes in customer service communication methods.
Everyone knows good customer service when they see it. But how do you create an environment that allows it to flourish?
There are a lot of things you can do to improve your customer service communications, but we’re going to focus on one piece at a time. Today we’ll look at the power of saying “Thank You.”
A simple “thank you” is powerful enough to make someone’s day. Acknowledging that someone has helped you with a problem shows them that you value their time and appreciate their efforts.
The way that I like to say thank you is by letting the other person know what it means for me personally that they have helped me with my problem. For example, when I have a problem with my phone bill and the rep on the phone helps me straighten it out, I let her know that her help will allow me to spend more time with my family and less time worrying about my bill! This lets the rep know that they have had a positive impact on my life, which makes them feel good about their job and encourages them to continue helping others in the same way.
10 Tips to Improve Customer Service Communication
You can improve your communication skills by understanding the psychology of customer service.
As we all know, poor communication between customers and representatives can lead to disastrous results. One such example is the case of Air Canada Flight 797 where an electrical fire broke out in the cargo hold of an aircraft. The crew was not able to determine the cause of the fire and had trouble communicating with ATC because their radios were only capable of transmitting on one frequency at a time, and they could not figure out which frequency to use as several had been assigned to them. They were also not aware that there was another plane nearby that could have helped them find their way back home safely if only they had communicated better with it!
Customer service is often considered a “necessary evil.” Customers only reach out when there is a problem, and they expect a fast resolution. However, it is possible to make the customer experience better by improving customer interactions. These five tips will help you improve customer service communication and reduce the frustration your customers feel during these interactions.
- Start with the right mindset
Before you jump into trying to correct customer issues, review your company’s mission statement and goals. If you have an established mission statement, use that as a guide for how to handle your interactions with customers. If you don’t have a formal mission statement, then create one that guides how your company approaches customer problems. The goal of this exercise is to get everyone on the same page about what your company values when it comes to customer support.
- Be available
Ideally, you want to be available to customers 24/7, but depending on your industry and budget, this may not be feasible. However, if you are only available when the office is open or during business hours, then make sure that customers know this upfront so they can set expectations accordingly. It is frustrating for customers to try calling. Consider implementing a customer relationship management software like RisePath CRM which will make helping customers comparatively easier.
- Talk in Person or Video Chat
We believe that there’s nothing better than an in-person conversation or video conference for getting on the same page with your clients. We use online video calling tools for this purpose, and it allows us to talk through project details — as well as anything else going on in your business — so we can get on the same page for future work. If you work remotely, online video calling tools are invaluable because they allow you to feel like you’re having a conversation face-to-face, even when you’re hundreds (or thousands) of miles apart.
- Listen
Listen to what your customers are saying and be prepared to hear the good, the bad and the ugly. The best way to do this is to listen without interrupting. Keep your body language open and receptive by leaning in, facing them directly and making eye contact.
- Be polite
You may not be able to please everyone all of the time, but you can always try. Be polite, courteous and respectful when speaking with customers – even if they’re not being so towards you! It’s important to stay professional at all times and remember that some people just need someone to talk to.
- Stay calm
When a customer is riled up, it’s important that you remain calm – even if they are not! Avoid getting flustered or taking things personally as it could reflect negatively on the company or brand you represent. Remember that they’re not angry with you as an individual, but rather with the customer service experience they’ve received as a whole.
- Speak clearly
Speak clearly and slowly when conversing with customers so that what you’re saying doesn’t get lost in translation.
- Make your customers feel valued
You can do this by listening attentively when they speak, making eye contact, and being friendly in general. Make sure they know that they are important to you as well as important for business purposes!
- Don’t interrupt or talk over people
Let them finish what they want before moving on to another topic or question so there’s no confusion about who said what first etc.
- Stay calm even if things get heated
One of the most important skills to have in customer service is the ability to respond quickly and politely. Customers value speed, and you’ll get frustrated if you’re always waiting on a coworker. The good news is that you don’t need to be a fast typist to respond quickly. RisePath CRM is a Salesforce alternative that makes customer relationship management very easy.
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