Customer service is critical to the success of almost every business, and it is only fair to give it all the credit it deserves. Effective marketing, competitive pricing, and excellent products or services are no longer enough for a company to gain a loyal customer base. In most cases, customer service can frequently make or break a business. It helps you build deeper connections and allows you to acquire vocal advocates for your brand.
A single lapse in customer service can be more damaging than a pattern of mediocrity. Those pretty awful moments stick with people and are easily shared with others. Providing compelling customer service necessitates a delicate balance in any industry, as it directly impacts factors like patient retention in healthcare or customer loyalty in other sectors. There are some things that customer service people should always do and others that they should avoid at all costs. But how do you know what you should and shouldn’t do?
Customer Service 101: The Dos And Don’ts To Remember
While some customer service dos and don’ts seem pretty straightforward— be respectful and polite, don’t be dishonest and insensitive, many techniques entail finer details. Whether you’re a new business or an established one that’s looking to enhance your customer care services, here are 3 do’s and don’ts of compelling customer service that could help you deliver a better experience for your clients:
- Do Simplify Your CRM System
Investing in the right tools and areas is crucial to get more customers, scale operations, and build your bottom line. That is, if you’re looking to grow your business and establish a loyal customer base. A good starting point is simplifying your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to make it user-friendly and easy for the entire team to use.
Adopting an all-in-one CRM software for small business lets you see the customer from every angle, allowing you to focus resources as efficiently as possible. While the structure of the platform itself has a lot to do with simplicity, so does the way you customize and use it. The ability to simplify process flow within a single software lightens daily work, thus allocating resources for growth. CRM offers a well-defined set of processes for closing more deals, completing tasks on time, and minimizing communication gaps.
- Do Show Empathy
Empathizing is a great way to show your clients that their concerns are important to you. Always keep in mind that your customers are more than just a revenue generator. They expect you to put yourself in their shoes and relate to their difficulties rather than simply listening to them.
While it may not always be possible to provide a definitive solution, the very least you can do is show compassion. Simple phrases like “I sincerely apologize for this experience” or “I’d be frustrated if this happened to me” are frequently all that is required to reassure them that they’re essential. Put yourself in their shoes and don’t leave them to deal with the situation on their own. It is okay to offer an apology, and you’ll quickly notice that you’ll gain more satisfied and loyal clients.
- Do Respond Quickly
Nothing irritates patrons more than waiting an extended period of time for a response to their e-mail. Make a serious effort to respond to all customer inquiries within 24 to 48 hours, even if it’s just to thank them for their inquiry and inform them that a representative will contact them shortly. Customers are more appreciative when someone acknowledges their concern or message, and if you take a little longer to get back, they will know you aren’t neglecting them.
Customers despise delayed replies, especially when there is an urgent issue they want to resolve. In responding to a customer’s complaint, timeliness is critical for providing compelling customer service. In a digital age with high customer expectations, you must go above and beyond to keep the ball rolling.
- Don’t Deny Accountability
Mistakes occur, and it’s critical to accept responsibility for them. When you’re willing to admit your mistakes and take responsibility for a customer’s distress, even if you’re not directly involved, you can be confident that you’re providing good customer service.
Consumers appreciate sincerity and accountability. They may be willing to do business with you instead of leaving a negative review or approaching your competitors if they see that your company is genuinely sorry and willing to make amends.
- Don’t Disregard Customer Feedback
Make an effort to listen to your clients. They are the ones who want your business to succeed, so let them express their thoughts on their interactions with you. Be open to any feedback or recommendations they may have. Show them that their perception and expectations from you really matter.
It’s a good practice to incorporate your customers’ ideas into your business strategy because it tends to pay off handsomely. It’s not difficult to see that the only way to improve your customer service is to actually pay attention to them. Yes, there will always be rare exceptions at both ends of the feedback spectrum, but taking customer feedback into consideration significantly helps identify the areas of your business that need improvement.
- Don’t Complicate Things
Underestimating your customers’ inexperience is something you might not want to do when providing compelling service. Although consumers today are much more tech-savvy, experienced, and sophisticated, they still hope your customer service to be simple and straightforward.
Ensuring your customers have convenient access to support can go a long way to keeping them satisfied. It stands to reason that your customer service should include several, if not all, of today’s tools, such as self-service, phone, e-mail, FAQs, social media channels, Live Chat, and more. Also, avoid jargon in customer service interactions, just as you would in any other external communication. Jargon can significantly confuse your customers and make them feel clueless.
To eliminate jargon, try listing down your business’s terms and “de-jargon” them. Instead of calling the “settings icon” by its technical term, you could call it a “gear icon” since it looks like that. Simple language changes like this contribute to a more compelling and streamlined customer care process.
Conclusion
Customer service will always be an essential aspect of any business. It’s your client’s first line of interaction with your company and enables them to make a connection with your brand, eventually leading them to trust your business. In today’s modern world, providing excellent and compelling customer service can be more impactful than any form of advertisement.
