Customer service is one of the most important parts of many jobs. The retail/customer service industry is a huge industry that employees millions of workers and keeping customers happy is their top priority.
We also employ many Customer Service Reps at Breakaway Staffing and it is important to remember how crucial good customer service is when doing your work. To help brush up on your customer service skills we’ve put together a list of 10 tips that we think are critical to conducting great customer service.
10 Customer Service Tips
Smile When Greeting Someone (Even over the phone)
Customers can sense the enthusiasm in your voice so make an effort to smile and sound excited and happy even when speaking to someone over the phone.
Stay Visible and Available But Don’t Hover
No one likes an employee that bugs them as they’re trying to shop. Keep your distance and allow the customer to shop, register, etc. without interference but stay available in case of questions or concerns.
Read Customer Body Language
Observe body language to determine if a customer needs help. If a customer is actively expressing that they’re not interested in an interaction than try to give them their space whenever possible.
Never Discuss a Customer in Front of Other Customers
Bad-mouthing a customer in front of another customer affects your business reputation. The customer does not want to hear your complaint and will wonder how you will speak of them after they leave your establishment.
Encourage Further Engagement
At the end of a customer interaction be sure to suggests next steps. This could be a follow-up, asking the customer to come again, or mentioning that you will ‘see them soon’. This goes a long way towards customer retention.
Be a Good Listener
A major key to good customer service is understanding what the customer wants. Understanding their needs/complaints or solving their problems all start with being able to properly listen to what the customer has to say.
Make the Customer Feel Important
You may deal with hundreds of customers per day but you should strive to make each customer feel as though they are your most important one. Remember their name, details about their family/interests they have shared with you, and be sincere in your conversations with them. This will earn their trust and trust goes a long way to creating repeat customers.
Always Look For the ‘Yes’
A customer is coming to your business to help them solve a problem or fill a gap that they have in their life. They are looking for answers to a question. Be sure to offer them answers whenever possible. ‘I don’t know’ should never be your answer unless it is followed by ‘but I will find out for you.’
Know How to Apologize
We all make mistakes but we must learn how to accept our side of a mistake and apologize to a customer whenever necessary. The customer must ultimately get the ‘win’ which means we must make our apologies and offer corrections for the customer in order to keep them happy and keep them coming back.
Ask For Feedback
The best way to grow and continue to offer the best customer service possible is to ask for feedback. Ask customers for their input and listen to their comments and suggestions. Take that feedback into account and alter the way you work in order to provide the best service you can to at all times.
Sources:
https://www.thebalance.com/ten-commandments-of-great-customer-service-2295997
https://www.businesstrainingworks.com/training-resources/21-customer-service-tips