Customer service failures can result in negative online reviews, customer complaints, and lost revenue, so being good at customer service is imperative to the success of any business.
Customer service takes many forms, but the key to being great at serving the customer depends on how well you execute your customer service strategy. Here are five ways you can win customers and improve customer service.
- Listen.
Customers, rather people, want to be heard. Listen to what the problem is (and take notes). The majority of customers requesting service cite having to repeat themselves as one of their biggest frustrations. - Respond quickly.
Patience is a virtue, but your upset customers don’t like to wait for a response. In fact, 53% of consumers complaining via social media expect a response in under 60 minutes. - Keep calm.
Customer complaints represent a huge opportunity for businesses to recover potentially lost business. Maintaining a positive, kind, and helpful tone will ensure you don’t fuel the fire. - Surprise customers.
Most consumer complaints can be solved quickly, but even a little complaint presents an opportunity. Go beyond an apology and make their day. Provide a coupon or discount, even if they don’t ask. (They should never have to ask.) - Be honest.
Your customers can tell when you’re full of shit. Don’t lie about the cause of their problem, or make excuses. Take responsibility for their dissatisfaction and be transparent.
There’s much more to providing outstanding customer service than these five tips, but you have to start somewhere!
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