10 Steps to Successful Customer Service

Customer service is based on a trusting relationship between customer and business. Clients come to customer service representatives with a need. Great service staff will be able to deal with these needs no matter how angry or confused customers are. Step One: Identify Service Motivation and Mission. Customer service employees can best serve customers when they recognize their own passions and apply them to their line of work. Step Two: Define Great Service for Your Organization. Businesses can wow customers through customer service add-ons, but staples like honesty and efficiency are always effective. Step Three: Form Great Relationships. Relationships are built on reciprocity, so customer service staff should be willing to give value and gifts to make up for customer issues. Step Four: Building Trusting Relationships that Last. Trust is variable, but companies can build connections with customers through listening well and asking in-depth questions. Step Five: Use the Law of Attraction—Be Positive. Customer service members should use cheerful and positive language to avoid fights with customers before they begin. Step Six: Aggressively Solve Problems—the Bigger the Better. Staff members give excellent service when they are able to understand a problem, research it, and offer customers several different solutions. Step Seven: Recover from Mistakes Gracefully. Mistakes will occur, but skilled customer service representatives are able to apologize to the customer no matter what went wrong and repair the damage caused. Step Eight: Give Customers and Yourself a Break. People have different types of personalities and different ways of learning. Service staff should be able to change tactics based on the personality of the customer. Step Nine: Keep it Cool When Things Get Hot. Angry customers are difficult to deal with, but customer service members should respond with assertiveness and empathy. Step Ten: Be Your Own Best Customer. The best customer service staff take care of themselves as much as they take care of customers. Business Book Review® • Copyright ©2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. • All Rights Reserved