Investing in excellent customer service is the key to long-term success. However, one of the big questions is, what constitutes excellent customer experience? Here are some things that create world-class customer service.
Product Knowledge
Extensive knowledge of a company’s product is vital. Agents should be able to go over important features and customers and how the product can benefit them. It also helps when an agent may need to troubleshoot.
A Positive Attitude Goes a Long Way
When interacting with customers, having a positive attitude goes a long way in providing world-class customer service. A positive attitude can change a potentially negative experience into a positive one. Since most interaction is not face-to-face, your tone of voice and language will dictate your attitude.
Also, be careful when communicating via email or over live chat. It’s easy to misinterpret the tone since the person can’t see you. You should use emojis to convey good humor.
Customer Experience and Prompt Response
Most people value their time and feel that a prompt response is the most important thing. Providing world-class customer service means responding quickly and efficiently. They shouldn’t feel rushed until their issue has been fully resolved. It is related to more minor issues that don’t take much time.
Personalized Customer Care
Customers like to feel that they are treated as individuals and not just a ticket number. Technology is vital but can never replace personal interaction. Many customers will get angry if they receive scripted responses or are constantly being transferred to different people. It’s also essential to ensure that your CRM is up-to-date so you know your customers’ names and birthdays.
Allow Customers to Help Themselves
On the other hand, a customer may not want to talk to someone to resolve their issue. Most customers try to take care of the problem themselves before calling a customer service representative. Answering the most frequently asked questions can also be a great resource. A self-service option goes a long way and can save you money.
Active Listening
You shouldn’t assume you know what your customer is going to say. Repeating the problem in your own words shows you’ve heard what they say. This way, you can actively solve the problem, not guess.
Active listening also means that you’re in tune with your customer’s emotional state. This way, you can tailor your responses and make the customer feel heard.
Customer Experience Means Always Deliver on Your Promises
One quick way to lose a customer is to let them down. Not keeping your promise also loses their respect and trust. For example, if you promise to call a customer back at a specific time, ensure you do it. If you cannot fulfill your promise, make sure you can make up for it. More often than not, customers will feel angry if you break a promise rather than grateful when you deliver more than you promised. As the old saying goes, it’s always better to under-promise and over-deliver.
Be Proactive
Providing world-class customer service means going the extra mile. Customers who feel like you value them will keep coming back. Sending them a small gift or giving them a secret promotional code will make them feel special and that they need to do something in return, like refer their friends and family.
Besides going the extra mile, anticipating your customers’ needs before they can tell them is very helpful. Sometimes a customer may ask for one thing and not even realize they need something else. Anticipating their needs ahead of time will keep them coming back.
Hire Endicott Contact Centers for a World-Class Customer Service
Learn more about our various call centers and answering services to match your business needs. Endicott can increase your call center performance and efficiency, lower operational costs, and create new sales opportunities for your business. We are ready to support your customer support outsourcing and be an extension of your brand! Request your quote today!