4 Lessons From the Worst and Best Customer Service
How a business handles customer service interactions increasingly defines its online reputation, yet, according to our recent survey that gives a list of the best and worst customer service brands, many are still getting it wrong. Brand reputation and online image can draw new customers or deter them, therefore we all need to be asking, “how do we get customer service right?”
1. Don’t Waste Your Customers’ Time
The survey shows that unresolved customer issues are a problem for many brands. A surefire way to earn a negative online review is for your customer support (CS) to leave a customer hanging after customer service contact. In making contact, your customer has taken the time to get in touch with you and give your company an opportunity to put things right, so don’t inflame the situation with noncommittal responses and vague timeframes.
The companies with the best customer satisfaction records make things simple for the customer with easy-to-find solutions and clearly stated terms. Upfront and clear communication will sweep away all those customer calls that can be resolved with a simple answer, keeping your customer service team fresh for any inquiries that need a more dynamic response.
2. Train Your Team to Be Able to Act on Their Own Initiative
A chief cause of escalating tempers is being passed around from one agent to another in an attempt to find the representative that “specializes” in the area where the customer has an issue.
While it may be necessary in some instances to put the customer on to a different department, an effective CS team will have a broad knowledge of the company’s systems and policies, quick access to all information relevant to customer inquiries and, crucially, the autonomy to act on a solution based on what they see fit.
The takeaway here is that it pays off to invest in your team. Instead of a staff that largely reads from a script and returns the worst customer service experiences, you should give your team the knowledge and tools they need to act autonomously and swiftly resolve customer issues unaided. The customer will appreciate it.
3. Put Yourself in Your Customer’s Shoes
For all its convenience, the increase of automation has imposed a distance that many consumers feel has taken away from the customer experience. Companies that often get criticized for poor customer service may be failing to act with empathy and a positive, problem-solving attitude. Good customer service understands this and recognizes that consumers who contact them with an issue, first and foremost, simply want to feel heard, get the impression that they are being taken seriously and that the company (in this case represented by the CS agent) genuinely want to help.
The above point about customer service agent knowledge and autonomy is foundational to this customer-centric method, empowering staff to communicate in a more natural way that customers increasingly feel is absent from the modern marketplace.
4. Show Your Customers You Care, and They’ll Show You Loyalty
While there is a lot more to talk about providing good customer service, I think these four points are ones all brands need to consider. Providing the best customer service should be a goal for every business. It takes work, however, and the results won’t appear overnight. Yet, with focus, effort, continuous learning, and a commitment to understanding their needs, you will build a stronger relationship with your customers, a healthy online reputation, and a more successful business.
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This article was written by Michael Podolsky from Inc. and was legally licensed through the DiveMarketplace by Industry Dive. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
