They say, “Customer is the king,” and it is safe to say that these words are actually valid to a great extent. It is your customers who bring you business, and as a matter of fact, your customers are the biggest source of free marketing of your products or services.
“Customer is the king” narrative also implies that satisfying your king is very important. In fact, pleasing your customers is even better than just satisfying them. However, a great product or service is not enough to win people’s hearts; you need to guide them through the purchase process and help them once they buy your product. In simple words, you need to deliver great customer service.
Although selling a product is complex, the real test begins after that. What follows next are some beneficial tips to improve your customer service game.
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What is a Great Customer Service?
Defining great service in formal words will be a difficult thing. However, in simple terms, good customer service involves every timely action taken to solve the problems of your customers. It may include guiding the customers throughout the purchase process and then giving them after-sales services.
Although businesses have dedicated customer service teams, it is also important to note that good customer service should not be limited to a specific department. Train or untrained, every employee of your brand should be able to help customers in any possible way.
Right, let’s get you to some important stuff now. Here is what you can deliver excellent customer service.
10 Amazing Ways to Deliver Great Customer Service
Know Your Product and Service
Customer support service agents usually find themselves troubleshooting for their customers, especially when a company sells tech or technical products. It is only possible when you know your product from all possible aspects.
Apart from that, in-depth knowledge about your product is vital as it allows you to explain the potential benefits of using the product and how your customers can use it more effectively. While troubleshooting, you can tell them what not to do to avoid this problem in the future. You can also guide them if they are not using all the product features.
Just try to make your customers realize that the money they spend on your product is worth the value it provides.
Respond Quickly
A quick response to your customer’s queries is another integral element of good customer support service. Customers only contact customer support when they are in trouble or need help with something, and they look for a speedy response. In fact, sometimes, there are time-sensitive queries that must be answered quickly.
Ideally, it is better to respond to customer emails within 24 hours or at least let them know the expected time period. Online chat support is another way to solve the problem immediately. Do you know that 66% of customers believe that acknowledging the value of their time is the most critical element of customer support?
Be Positive and Friendly
It goes without saying that having a friendly attitude is a must-have quality in a great customer service agent. A smile is a great tool to greet people, and the same goes for your customers; greet them with a positive attitude. You can use emojis or humor to settle your customers or reduce their tension during the process.
Most importantly, make sure you remain calm when your customer isn’t. Angry or disappointed customers are a part of the package but make sure you are not off track. Try to pay attention to what your customer needs and offer recommendations before they ask for them. This is a challenging part, but with experience, you can identify customers’ issues proactively.
Know Your Customers
A basic yet essential part of customer service is knowing your customer, and knowing your customer means identifying their needs and what they expect from your product or service. This way, you can offer customized customer support.
Check out these methods to know more about your customers.
- Social Media: People share their opinions, likes, dislikes, and desires on social media platforms. A business can use these platforms to gather basic information about customers’ preferences. You can also invite/attract customers to respond to your tactically designed social media posts.
- Direct Questions: asking direct questions to your customers is an excellent way to know them. However, make sure you structure your questions in such a few that they help you get maximum information in minimum time; people can get irritated if asked too many questions.
- Surveys: A well-structured survey can help you get honest customer responses.
Listen Actively
One of the biggest mistakes customer service representatives make is they focus too much on data rather than paying attention to what customers say. Checking previous data is not a bad thing to do but make sure you are actually listening to what they are saying. Don’t assume things just because you solved a similar case earlier. A proactive approach is a good thing, but the listening part should not be skipped.
Another thing is how you can reassure your customer that you are actively listening because customers often complain about not being heard properly. One way to demonstrate your listening skills is to repeat what the customer said in interrogative form.
Always Say “Thank You”
Another old-school tactic for good customer service, a simple thank you, can deliver great results. Showing gratitude to your customers makes them feel special, and it should be mandatory after every transaction. You can show gratitude in different ways, including;
- A handwritten note as a personalized way to thank your customer.
- Send digital thank you cards via email.
- Offer free samples (if possible). Free samples not only make your customers feel privileged, but you can promote new products as well.
- Offer special discounts on their purchases.
- Add something extra (such as candies, promotional material, or stickers) to the customers’ packages.
Ask For Feedback
Customer feedback not only gives you valuable opinions and useful suggestions, but it is a gesture that you respect and care about their opinions or thoughts. Seeking feedback makes your customers feel appreciated.
As for feedback, there are different ways to do it effectively. For instance, you can collect responses through customer surveys. You can also share questionnaires or create polls on social media. Also, you can ask for recommendations via social media posts.
Personalize Your Services
According to research, 40% of customers feel better when they are given a personalized treatment. In simple words, customers don’t like robotic responses. Your customer wants to interact with a human being for problem-solving, not a company.
That is why businesses send gifts or greeting cards to their customers on their birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions. If you want to go one step further, know about their interests and hobbies and help them in unique ways. For instance, if your customer loves reading science articles, you can share free sources if possible. Rather than just responding, talk to them and give them a human touch.
Fulfill Your Promises to Your Customer
Keeping your promises should be a part of our daily life, and there are no exceptions in business affairs. Apart from that, when you keep your promises, you convey a message that you are worthy of your customer’s trust and you want to build a long-lasting relationship.
It is important to note that any commitment, implied or expressed, is a promise. For instance, anything that is written on your company’s website, product packaging/description, or customer service ticket is a promise you have to keep. Moreover, a promise made by a company employee/representative on behalf of the company is a promise made by the company itself, and the customer expects the company to oblige it.
If, by any chance, you fail to keep a promise, try to make it up with other benefits and rebuild your customer’s trust. Here is another interesting fact, customers usually don’t feel extra grateful if you offer something more than promised, but they get angry when you break a promise. Therefore, commit wisely!
Build Life-Long Relations with Customers
Converting a potential customer into an actual one is more expensive than retaining a customer, especially in the B2B industry. How do you retain customers? Of course, by building long-lasting relationships with them. How can you build long-term customer relationships? By offering them personalized services, remembering them on their special occasions, sending them thankyou notes, offering special discounts, and prioritizing them while promoting new products/services.
