7 Tips for Good Customer Service

No matter what industry you are in, whether food services, banking or marketing, customer service skills are essential for the success of your business. This is especially true if your business works directly with clients and customers.

Use these seven tips in all your interactions to ensure positive customer experiences:

1. Be Patient

When customers are frustrated with your services or their experience, emotions can run high. Being patient when a customer becomes frustrated is key to reconciling the situation.

Some ways to stay patient in difficult circumstances include taking a deep breath, forcing yourself to slow down, and empathizing with the customer. Just remember, impatience rarely helps solve problems, so stay calm and keep the situation under control.

2. Practice Good Communication Skills

Building your teams communication skills will go a long way. Effective communication skills include active listening, asking thoughtful question, and being sensitive to differences in technical knowledge.

Its easy to feel comfortable with clients and slip into normal, everyday communication habits. Though you want your customers to feel comfortable around you, be cautious of what you’re saying and how your customer is translating it. This is especially true in the case on email and other forms of online communication, as the customer can’t see your body language.

3. Use Constructive Language

While you’re practicing your communication skills, get in the habit of incorporating positive language when responding to customers. Be sincere and use words such as absolutely, certainly, fantastic, surely and definitely to make your customers feel valued.

Imagine you have a client that is looking for a service or product that you do not offer. You respond back as follows: No, maam. We do not offer that service.

From first glance this doesn’t seem like a bad response; its simple and to-the-point. However, you are unintentionally using negative language. Instead try something like: We don’t currently have that service available, but heres another service we offer that is similar.

See the difference? The second response points them in the direction of your other services and shows the customer you are looking out for their best interests.

4.Become an Expert in Your Product

Of course, you can’t point customers in the direction of another service or product you have if you are unfamiliar with what it is your business actually offers.

Knowing the ins and outs of the services you provide customers or how a product functions in everyday life will help ensure your business never misses out on a chance to close a customer.

5. Stay Positive

Whether you’re dealing with a difficult customer or having a bad day, possessing the ability to maintain a cheery attitude is crucial.

Your attitude when dealing with customers affects the way they view you and your company and how they hear your responses. By remaining calm and cheerful in the face of a difficult situation, you will be better equipped to influence the moods of those around you, including your customers.

6. Maintain a Good Work Ethic

Not only is having a good work ethic beneficial for your customers, its also beneficial to your company.

Your willingness to work efficiently and do what needs to be done without taking shortcuts will showcase your companys strong points as well as guarantee that you maintain repeat customers.

7. Be Always Willing to Learn

Even after youve done all this and put it into practice, understand that theres still much to learn about exercising great customer service skills.

Some situations will require skills beyond these categories. Having a willingness to learn and adapt to new skills as they arise will ensure that your business will thrive and have a solid customer-base.

Customer service is not only important in-person, but also online. Learn how Horton Group can help you delight customers online by contacting us today at (615) 292-8642.