For any given business (let alone offline and/or online) in order to survive in these times, an then to thrive must provide excellent customer service. People do not care how much you know, until they see how much you care about them. So true. The world is changing; consumers no longer fall prey to cheap marketing tactics, so hence it is critical for any business to give clients what they want every single time with ease and grace. I know this is much easier said than done. Consumers (customers) are much more educated and empowered today, and thus are really being more thoughtful and careful as to where they spend their hard earned money; especially due to today’s global economy. This is why it is important to always be win/win oriented towards a customer.
Provide exceptional service. This involves your full undivided attention. If you work in a shop, this means that. No gazing, slumped body language or continuing the chit chats with your fellow worker while a customer is at the counter needing your full undivided attention and service at any given moment. Clients demand fast, efficient and accurate service. You need to go out of your way and really treat people like they are a guest in your own home. Listen to what clients are asking you; this is essential human behaviour and professional courtesy anyway. If a customer knows what they want; do not try to sell them that which they do not want. You will come up with resistance otherwise.
If you are providing customer service over the phone, smile. People can sense things through the phone lines. Over the phone your tone of voice (tonality, the way you say things) is so critical. And also in a phone based customer service environment (actually as equally important in a face-to-face setting); if you don’t know the answer to a clients question: admit that you don’t know instead of making facts up. Never ever mislead customers under any circumstances. Do unto others as you want them to do unto you; lie and you will be lied to. It is important (in addition to the skills and attitude) to also have some product knowledge; knowledge of the product and/or service you are selling. If you do not know; again it is good to admit that you do not know, however go beyond this and say “I don’t know however I will find out for you.”
Customers expect you to take full ownership of their request. It is frustrating in a call centre environment to be transferred from one person to another; one person needs to (and ideally must) take full ownership of your situation as a customer. Follow up on complaints if you need to, and do not harass them for payment (even a late bill) if you had to rectify an error/mistake around the same time, which is obviously why your customer in this instance was disputing your invoice in the first place. In providing customer service, common sense goes a long way. Put yourself in your customers shoes, and ask yourself “how do I really want to be treated in this circumstance if I was the customer?” you will be pleasantly surprised with what you come up with.
