Customer service serves as a keystone in every business endeavor. It is safe to say that your business’ success relies on the hands of your employees’ customer service skills.
You might be wondering that the most important area of business is its product and services—partly true. The thing is, any of those wouldn’t take effect as much as you’d expect it to without the ability to make your customers happy.
Digging deeper into customer service also means doing your best to solve their problem so you don’t have to lose any of them.
The goal is: Cultivate top-notch customer service performance in your team. We run down the impacts of providing stellar customer service, as we also give you the must-have skills of a customer service representative.
The impact of providing stellar customer service
With the world’s ever-growing competitive market, we are starting to see businesses’ freshest ideas and innovations in pursuit of “wowing” customers.
We can see various establishments upping their game to come up with gimmicks and other touches that have never been done before to show how serious they are in commitment to serve their valued consumers.
Everything comes down to the importance of customer service. As a marketer or a business owner, it’s a great reminder of how service can truly differentiate you from the rest. Remarkable customer service also cultivates a loyal following that refers customers, and welcoming reviews.
These loyal customers will then help you acquire new customers through referrals and convince them to try out your brand. An impressed customer will then give out positive testimonials and that is already a marketing strategy in a snap.
Top 10 must-have customer service skills
Investing in customer service means identifying the needed skills for you to serve customers better. This is why we’ve listed down our top ten must-have customer service skills that would be beneficial to your employees no matter what industry you are in.
1. Good communication skills
Your customer support team is the front liner of your brands. They serve as the official voice of your company as they speak with your clients.
Good communication skills are more than just having an impressive pronunciation of words and sentences. It’s also necessary for agents to have a practiced grasp on how to alter complex concepts and scenarios into highly digestible terms.
On another important note, they, in return, also represent the thoughts of customers to your company. The ability to communicate clearly and understand customers’ frustrations is a key skill in customer service.
Customer service professionals should know how to communicate properly to avoid missteps and disappointment.
2. Attentiveness and attention to detail
The ability to genuinely listen to customers might seem easy but needs focus and energy to be done properly. Attention is crucial in providing great service for several reasons.
If an agent misses any detail about the customer’s problem, it can lead to a wrong resolution hence the customer will be dissatisfied with your service.
When an agent pays attention, it includes being mindful about the feedback that you receive at large. Some customers may not be saying it outright, but perhaps there is a pervasive feeling that your customers can’t understand what you’re trying to do on the other line.
You have to listen carefully and be attentive to pick up on what customers are telling you without directly saying it—that’s a skill you can’t miss.
3. Willingness to learn
This is an important skill anyone should inhibit in whatever industry they may be in. After all, willingness to learn is the fundamental need for growing skills as a customer service professional.
If you’re a manager, your team members should be willing to learn your product’s inside and out, their workflow process, escalation, navigation, and all issues that need troubleshooting.
If they are knowledgeable about these important processes, they’ll be more independent and reliable to assist customers efficiently.
4. Empathy
Perhaps empathy is one of the first things being taught to us as human beings. That’s why it can be considered more of a character trait than a skill.
No matter how smart a person can be, or how good their technical skills are, if they lack to show empathy, it would be difficult for them to perceive customers’ emotions.
Even when you can’t say what the customers are expecting to hear, a dose of care can go a long way.
5. Ability to use positive language
Put a smile on your customer’s faces by tweaking some points on your conversational patterns.
The ability to use positive language while talking to your clients would greatly impact how they receive unexpected news or information.
For example, when a customer has an interest in a particular product, but that product happens to be sold out, a positive way of telling them about it would set their mood about their concern.
6. Product knowledge
One of the best traits of customer service professionals is their eagerness to learn how their companies’ products work. Because without mastering the product’s nitty-gritty, agents can’t assist their customers accordingly.
Having that solid product foundation will allow you to navigate even in the most complex situations. It will also be easier to build an understanding of their experience so that you can give the best solution.
7. Digital awareness
Marketing and content marketing strategies include multiple digital channels that customers would love to reach you out on platforms most convenient for them.
To effectively assist your customers, you have to study and get familiar with the tools they use. Customer service representatives should fully understand how to use office tools with their company’s personalized interface.
8. Problem-solving skills
Customers might like to self-diagnose the problems they have at hand, but it doesn’t always work correctly. That’s why a support team should be available to fix the issues.
A good customer service representative will anticipate problems that might come up. They may even exert extra efforts to troubleshoot the problem.
The great thing is, while they’re troubleshooting, they also can walk through the customers and educate them so they can do it for themselves in the future.
9. Patience
People say that patience is not just the ability of a man to wait, but the capability to maintain a respectful attitude while waiting.
Patience can also mean that you’re willing to take the time to listen and fully understand your customer’s problems and needs.
Customers, especially irate ones, who reach out for support are often confused and frustrated. Being patient with them goes a long way.
10. Persistence
Persistence is the firm continuance of sticking to resolve a problem even if it is difficult. A persistent customer service professional knows how to show how much a customer is valued and that her problem isn’t being dismissed out of hand.
An issue might be too challenging for you to handle. However, it’s exactly the reason why clients ask for your help. Do whatever it takes and don’t leave your customers empty-handed at the end of your conversation.
That simple act of showing how serious you are in solving their problems will make them satisfied. The customer will see your care and concern and might soften her tone as you go on with the conversation.
Go for the extra mile with your customer service skills
A support team that has strong customer service skills, will be an asset to your company as they can retain customers into doing more business with you.
A dash of each of the skills listed above all poured to each of your employees will definitely deliver the best customer service experience for your business. Make sure to use this article as a reference in managing your teams as they help you bring success to your business.
