You Can't Survive Working in Customer Service Without These Tips
by Danial
Nov 12, 2018
text.at 9:24 AM
Not everybody who is interested in a customer service career is equipped with the needed skills. Improving your customer service skills isn’t easy, but the concept is simple. Try out these tips to help keep you at the top of your game.
You know what people like? People like other people who are similar to them. So when you talk to a client, find subjects that they like to show that you're also interested in what they're interested in.
So, this is where they don't treat you like a robot and realises that "hey, this guy likes what I like, I like him!", so now you have a connection with your customers!
2. Use CARP
We all make mistakes sometimes. Sometimes “the customer is always right”, so you have to apologise, even if you’re doing the right thing. That’s when CARP comes in.
The four stages of CARP are:
Controlling the situation so problems can be prevented
Acknowledging the problem to show you care
Refocusing the conversation solve problems
Problem-solving with the customer so they feel in charge
These steps will help you stay on track when you make mistakes. It keeps the customer service session from going into other stages like “no, I'm right!” and “taking unnecessary abuse.”
3. Realize and Point Out Your Mistakes
This is the practice of pointing out a problem early on to help people accept it without unnecessary emotional involvement. If you call out your mistakes, and tell them what you’re doing to fix the problem, you will demonstrate your honesty and gain trust.
4. Practice active listening
If you find the customer is talking non-stop, that's because they want to feel listened to. So even if you don't feel like listening to rants, you need to practice active listening. There are four components of active listening:
Clarifying: Asking questions to make sure you understand a customer's ideas. Paraphrasing: In your own words, repeat what a customer just said to confirm you understand. Reflecting Feelings: Using phrases like "that must have made you angry" or "you seem pretty excited about that" shows that you're paying attention, and that you have feelings. Summarizing: Finishing a conversation with a quick summary of the important points ensures that everyone's on the same page. "You're cool? We cool? Alright, cool!"
5. Say “I don’t know”
Don’t be afraid to admit to say “I don’t know, but here’s what I’ll do to find out.” Then set a time to get back to your customer with an answer.
The transparency and authenticity is expected from your customers.
To provide excellent customer service, you have to be willing to say “I don’t know” but always ensure the next thing you say is how you plan what to find out.
6. Bring your work home
Work-life balance is important, but do you know that you can use all these skills on your friends and family just to see how it works? It can be helpful to practice your customer service skills with your family. Use active listening, and transparency to interact with your family and see what happens.
7. Watch your language.
Wanna make customers love you? This is a how you impress your customers. Use the right language and culture to provide an excellent customer service that is also memorable and special.
Look specifically for opportunities in three places:
Authenticity: Do your words sound like a personal connection, or just cliche corporate sentences?
Positivity: Are you focusing on the best part of an interaction, even when it's an opportunity to improve?
Memorability: Can you, in an appropriate way, stop a customer in their tracks with a particularly clever, funny or meaningful phrase?
By going over your plans and training with an eye towards improving those three points, you won’t just be able to change your customer service language. You will also improve on your customer service culture.
The key is to not let those skills get dull. These tips will help keep those skills sharp.
Interested in customer service careers? Click here!
This article is adapted from 7 Customer Service Tips To Help Sharpen Your Skills by Jason Brick.
