Over the years, customer service trends have changed a lot. Companies and businesses are putting in a lot of effort to make their customer service exceptional as they’ve understood that providing good customer service is the key recipe to stand out succeed and make their businesses flourish in the market.
We’ve seen in recent years a lot of companies enjoying higher ranks in their respective markets because they’re working hard on the customer support service they’re offering to satisfy their customers. Because they understand that if the customers are happy and satisfied, only then their business will get the success it deserves.
For instance AT&T internet i.e. one of the leading ISPs of America is known to have the highest customer satisfaction rate. You’ll know all the reasons why when you call AT&T customer service phone number and their representatives will deal you in a highly professional way, listening to you attentively and will help you in every possible way.
There are certain factors that every customer service must have and those factors determine how good your experience with that service or company is going to be. We are going to enlighten you about those factors. So, without any further ado, let’s get into what to specifically look for in customer service:
Active listening
The first thing to look for in customer service is how actively the customer service representative listens to you. Notice if the person on the other side of the call is only listening to respond or he is actually trying to comprehend whatever you’re trying to deliver.
This can be considered as one of the best skills of a customer service representative that how much attention do they pay when customers are saying something and what measures do they take to get to the root of the problem. Notice how promptly they respond to you.
Effective communication skills
If something that is expected from the customer service staff is, effective communication skills. Customer support service is offered by the companies to connect to their customers, and communicating well is the only way to build a connecting and healthy relationship with customers.
Communication skills shouldn’t only be bound to verbal skills only, a customer service representative should also be able to communicate efficiently through their writing. Look if the customer service you’re reaching out to can convey and address the issue properly through chats and emails. Notice if they are precise and to the point and most importantly true to their word.
Empathy towards customers
Empathy is a crucial trait in customer service. And if a customer service representative can’t practice empathy they must be compassionate; compassionate about helping customers. Making things easier for them and offering them the best services. Compensating for the inconvenience their service has caused to the customers.
Empathy and compassion are key factors to look for in customer service in the coming year. That is what makes the service worth opting for. Whenever you come across a customer service representative that this empathetic towards you and shows compassionate behavior, always appreciate them and ensure them that they have your loyalties towards the service. Appreciate customer support staff will encourage them to continue providing good services.
Problem-solving skills
Customer service is all about dealing with customers’ issues and providing them with needed help in real-time. So whenever you reach out to customer service observe how the representatives are trying to cater to your problems. If they’re only providing you with a few generic responses or they’re willing to go out of the way to help you.
Most of the time customers are unable to self-diagnose the problems correctly. So they leave it to the customer support representatives to take the initiative to identify the problem and navigate a solution to it.
For instance, if a customer comes up with a problem that they’re facing trouble in resetting their password, rather than making them feel dumb it’s the job of a customer service representative to come up with multiple solutions and an easy guideline to help them reset it.
Use of positive language
Whenever you contact customer service, what is the first thing that leaves an impression about the company on you? It’s the language that the customer support representatives use. Even though using kind and positive language is a part of their job but in the long run, it can make a lot of difference in retaining customers. The use of positive language can change customers’ moods, make them happy, and can go a long way.
There might be times when you have called customer service in rush hours, long waiting times can put you in a bad mood and chances are that you’ll be really exhausted when you finally get to talk to a customer service representative but remember that they’ve been busy dealing back to back customers too. So try to be nice to them, stay polite and appreciate them for still being patient with you.
Language is one of the best ways to portray a good gesture to someone. So if you come across customer service staff that is careful with language appreciate them and try to give back the same response.
Final Words
Customer service is one of the major aspects you need to look into before signing up for a service. It determines how your experience is going to go with that service in the future so always look into the aforementioned factors before signing up for a service and you’ll surely not be disappointed.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
