What is good customer service, and how should you deliver it?
Positive customer service is critical to any business intending to grow. Getting yours spot on though can be tricky.
So, what is good customer service? In this blog, we’ll not only define but show you some guaranteed ways to elevate yours.
Good customer service can mean the difference between retaining customers and losing them. It’s what builds your company’s reputation, connects your business to buyers and keeps your customers happy from the first point of contact.
As a small business owner, you’ll know how valuable customer relationships are to business success. Here at alldayPA, we’ve built a strong team of customer service advisors that understand how to leave a lasting impression.
Why is customer service a vital part of your business?
According to surveys, 86% of buyers are more likely to pay more for a positive customer experience. In addition, 72% of consumers are likely to share their positive experiences with other people.
These staggering statistics speak for themselves. With positive customer experience boosting both brand engagement and loyalty, it goes without saying that neglecting your customer service is a risky move.
Here are just some of the many reasons why customer service should be a priority for your growing business:
1. Good customer service = increased revenue
The better you treat your customers, the more they are willing to pay and the more they return to your company. This is a basic principle that every business should adhere to. It is the magic potion between positive reviews and healthy profits. In the same respect, bad customer service can drastically reduce sales.
2. Reputation is everything
The quality of your customer service plays a pivotal role in your reputation and how customers perceive your brand. With technology and social media giving the public the freedom to slate, review, engage with and discuss brands, working towards a good reputation is paramount. If you can meet (or even exceed) customer expectations, your chances of receiving good feedback are much higher.
3. Customer retention and loyalty
The difference between customer satisfaction and loyalty is the experience they receive. A service-driven company invests in their customers, ensuring that they receive a quality experience. Quality service is the most important business value a company can have because it sets you apart from your competition and results in happier customers.
4. Employee retention and low turnover rates
How customers are treated by a business can impact employees. Your employees want to work for a company that understands people and knows how to treat them fairly. Besides, if you are receiving constant negative feedback or customer complaints, this can leave employees feeling unhappy at work.
So, what exactly makes good customer service?
Your customer service representatives are the face of your company. It is their job to represent your brand values, communicate with customers and handle all queries and issues thrown at them.
But, what steps can service agents take to ‘wow’ your customers and make a real difference? What are the crucial customer service skills required to build a great reputation?
Listen, empathise, offer a solution
The first step to offering good customer service is listening. Sometimes, simply hearing a customer out is one of the most effective ways to solve a problem. Ask questions, be understanding, offer apologies where needed and repeat their query back to them for clarification. These small things tell a customer that you’re interested in what they have to say. They suggest a willingness to help.
Finally, reassure the customer that you can provide a solution. Even if the issue cannot be solved immediately, setting expectations and giving clarity on the resolution process goes a long way.
Practice problem-solving skills
Delivering good customer service requires a high level of problem-solving skills.
It’s so important to be able to solve problems for your customers, and it’s also one of the biggest ways you can differentiate yourself from your competitors.
If you’re not sure how to go about solving problems, here are some tips:
- Listen carefully to what the customer is telling you, and ask questions if you need more information.
- Think about what may have led up to this problem, and what may be contributing factors.
- If the issue is related to an error on your part, apologise! That’s often all the customer wants. And while it may not take away the issue, showing empathy can go a long way toward building loyalty with your customers.
- Figure out what you can do to help and let them know that you’re committed to solving their problem. Even if the fix is not immediate, giving them an idea of the time scale will help manage expectations.
Be proactive and forward-thinking
This is a crucial skill in customer service. The best customer service representatives anticipate problems and solve them before they become issues that cause trouble for the company they work for.
A forward-thinking representative will be able to think through many potential scenarios and know how to deal with them before they even happen. This is an important skill because it helps prevent issues from becoming larger than necessary, which can result in lost revenue for the company.
Maintain a positive and professional attitude
A positive attitude is the most important thing in customer service. When customers call, they are looking for someone to help them solve their problem, and they want to feel heard by someone who cares and can empathise with them.
If you maintain a positive attitude, it will help your customer feel more confident that they can trust you and the company you represent.
Go the extra mile to truly impress
One of the best ways to wow your customers is to go above and beyond. This can be as simple as offering to send more information by email, talking to them about their day or offering to call back with any updates on their case.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating an experience for your customers that goes beyond what they were expecting.
Deliver quick response times
The faster you can respond to a customer’s questions and concerns, the better your business will be perceived.
We recommend setting an average response time for your customer service team. This can be something as simple as ensuring that all emails are answered within 24 hours and that calls are picked up after a set amount of rings.
You may also want to consider having dedicated teams for different types of questions, too (e.g., technical issues should be handled by technical support, not sales reps).
Provide omni-channel support
Customer support is a crucial part of doing business. With the advent of online shopping and e-commerce, it’s now even more important than ever to ensure that your online shoppers are taken care of from different platforms – and that they feel like they have multiple ways of contacting you.
Even B2B companies should focus on opening up various avenues for communication. Utilising social media, live chats and media platforms in addition to the traditional phone line will give you some extra brownie points from customers.
Your goal should be to make sure that all questions are answered quickly and thoroughly without compromising human interaction. Omni-channel support is a great way to provide accessible customer service.
How alldayPA can transform your customer service with our telephone answering service
Your business is unique. So is your customer service.
alldayPA can help you tailor a telephone answering service to meet the demands of your business and your customers. We offer live chat, email management, diary management and call handling services to ensure that your customers are always supported, no matter where they are in the world.
Our team of highly trained professionals will be on-hand 24/7 to answer calls and emails, manage bookings and appointments, and provide advice on how best to support your customers. You’ll never miss a call again.
If you’re ready to save time and money whilst strengthening your customer service, talk to us today to discuss what we can do for you.