Dive Deeper: Customer Service Tips
Smile
This is the simplest and often the most powerful tip for
customer service (and most other interpersonal interactions).
Smile. Smiles are contagious – usually when you smile at
somebody, they’ll smile back at you. Do not pretend to smile or produce a
false smile since these are easy to spot and send the wrong messages. Instead
relax, gain eye-contact, and smile naturally. This will help the customer
or client to feel at ease and welcomed, and you’ll come across as friendly and
approachable, setting the scene for a more positive interaction.
If you are talking to somebody on the telephone, then you can
still smile – your voice sounds different when you smile and are happy.
Clients and customers are more likely to want to talk to a cheerful
person with an enthusiastic personality and by smiling while you talk you can
help to project this.
Make the Customer Feel Welcome
Use an appropriate greeting to make your customer feel welcome.
Customers nearly always have a choice of which businesses and organizations
they use, they didn’t have to pick yours and they don’t have to pick yours in
the future.
Start positively with a warm, sincere welcome; but don’t overdo
it! “Good Morning”, “Welcome”, “Thanks for stopping by” are all simple
introductions and you can follow up with “How can I help”, “Are you looking for
something in particular today” or some other appropriate comment to indicate
that you are there to help and that you are happy to help. Continue
communicating as appropriate, relax and be as natural as possible – if
necessary, steer the conversation around the product or service you want to
sell. You don't want to come across as being pushy or too complacent so try to
be natural and avoid sounding as if you are reciting a script.
Never complain to a customer about your organization, your day,
how busy you are, the management, your colleagues or anything else that may
lead the customer to develop negative feelings.
Having happy customers starts with having great customer
service. On average, just one happy customer refers around 9 people
to your company. The opposite acts the same.
Listen
You are unlikely to be able to help all your customers
effectively if you don’t listen to their needs.
By not listening you can become very frustrating to the customer
and may lose a sale or repeat visit. Listen to the customer’s needs, empathize
and find the best solutions.
Learn Your Business – Be an Expert
If you are selling cars then learn the features and
specifications of the models you have (and those of your competitors). If you
work in a hotel learn about the business, learn how many rooms there are, the
history of the building, when breakfast is served. If you work in a bank then
learn the advantages and disadvantages of the various products you sell and which
product suits which type of customer the best. Make sure that you know
more about your business than the customer does, be able to answer questions
about your business or organization even if they are not related to your normal
field of work.
If you don’t know the answer to a question then say so, NEVER
lie or make up an answer; if possible, find somebody who does know the answer. Don’t
be afraid to ask the customer/client questions that will give you a better
understanding of their needs.
Be True to Your Word
Only ever offer a customer or client something that you are sure
you can give them.
It is better not to mention a delivery date and then deliver
tomorrow than it is to say you’ll deliver tomorrow and then don’t. It is
better to tell your hotel guests that the fire alarm system is being tested in
the morning than let them find out for themselves. Stick to deadlines, make
sure you turn up promptly for any appointments and never make promises you
cannot keep. If situations change then let the customer know as soon as
possible.
Be Memorable – For the Right Reasons
We tend to remember positive and negative experiences more
vividly than average day-to-day ones. Try to make every customer’s
experience a positive one that they’ll remember and talk to others about.
Be helpful, be courteous and polite – give a little extra if
possible, even if it is just some advice or extra information about the product
or service they are buying or interested in buying.
If appropriate, and you need to be careful here, try telling a
joke or introducing an element of humor; if successful, you will add to the
positive experience of the customer.