Customer service refers to assistance for any issue a customer faces after or before purchasing a product or service via phone, email, or in person. Therefore, businesses that focus on customer satisfaction and improve customer service develop a strong reputation and quickly become recognized brands.
Whether you are a job seeker in the customer service field, a hiring manager, a customer service professional, a business owner, or a consumer, you are in the right place because this article will help you thoroughly understand every aspect of customer service. Now, let the customer service cat out of the bag with all the juicy details.
Deconstructing “Good Customer Service”: The Core Pillars
Better customer service is the main component of a positive customer experience, so your customers’ experience is passively dependent on customer service. If a customer faces a poor experience, the customer’s entire experience will be ruined, impacting your business. Let’s get started reading the core pillars of good customer service.
Pillar 1: Responsiveness & Efficiency
Responsiveness focuses on speed, and efficiency focuses on quality and interactive results. Though both are used similarly, there are subtle distinctions. Let’s clarify both in terms of customer service.
- Responsiveness refers to the promptness of a customer service executive in responding to a customer. React more effortlessly to a customer’s query.
- Efficiency in customer service is defined as minimizing time and resources while providing proper solutions with a professional demeanor.
Pillar 2: Empathy & Understanding
Empathy and understanding of the customer are crucial for a call center business to establish a positive rapport with customers, effectively handle challenging situations, and enhance customer satisfaction. Let’s be more acute on empathy and understanding:
- Empathy: Imagine calling for service and being answered by a robot. It can be more than the worst service. A statistic says that 49% of customers seek an empathetic service. The distinction between empathy and sympathy matters in a call center. When you, as a call center executive, say that âI feel angry to hear your problem,â
It is sympathy, but it doesn’t heal the customer; showing empathy works by putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and feeling their pain. You can show empathy by saying, âI have experienced a similar problem recently, so I understand what you are saying. Let me see what I can do to help you out.â It relates to the customer’s emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
- Understanding: Understanding a customer involves several key aspects, including actively listening to them, trying to determine what they want you to understand, showing patience while listening, and demonstrating empathy as well.
Pillar 3: Knowledge & Competence
A call center agent needs competence and knowledge to manage a customer’s situation. Both are essential skills for any call center agent. Knowledge encompasses understanding of services or products, industry information, policies, and more, while competence refers to communication, technical, and problem-solving abilities, among other skills.
- Knowledge
- Product or service knowledge
- Industry knowledge
- Company policy and procedure
- Competence
- Communication skills
- Problem solving
- Technical skills
- Emotional intelligence
Pillar 4: Professionalism & Attitude
Professionalism in any business plays a significant role, making it essential to maintain a proper attitude. The demeanor of a customer service agent should always be professional. Both professionalism and a positive attitude are necessary for an agent.
A professional call answering service agent needs to understand company policies, possess knowledge of the products or services, and communicate empathetically. As an agent, remember to show respect to your customers, be courteous, and speak clearly and concisely.
Pillar 5: Personalization & Going the Extra Mile
The customer remembers the experience that feels human and tailored, not artificial intelligence-driven.
Personalization: When speaking with a customer, addressing them by name, greeting them, recalling previous concerns, understanding their situation, and providing an effective solution can all enhance the customer experience. Remember to make the customer feel valued, not just another ticket.
Going the Extra Mile: This phase defines the promptness of an agent, such as offering discounts based on customers’ moods, which can transform a satisfied customer into a brand advocate. These small actions can lead to significant changes for your company and your career.
Pillar 6: Reliability & Consistency
Consistency and reliability are two of the most significant pillars of customer service, so let’s dig into more key points:
- Build confidence
- Minimize customer effort
- Boost brand image
- Encourage loyalty
- Improves retention
The “To You” Factor: Why Perspective Matters
Here, the âto youâ factor refers to the various situations of different customers, more specifically, understanding each customer from their point of view, because not all customers think in the same way. Let’s discuss this in more detail in the points below:
How Personal History Shapes What One Considers “Good” Service
When a customer requests service, you, as an agent, should review their previous details and how they have experienced your company’s service. Someone who has previously faced indifference or neglect will seek empathy and attentiveness;
Conversely, a customer accustomed to prompt and effective service might prioritize speed and precision. Recognize these individuals and provide service according to their type and wants.
Varying Expectations (E.g., Urgency In Healthcare Vs Browsing In Retail)
A customer in need of emergency help, support, or guidance may require prompt and clear communication from an agent. In contrast, someone who is browsing products will be more comfortable in a relaxed conversation with details.
The situations are different, and you, as a call center agent or customer service provider, should recognize them according to their needs. Adapting to these contextual differences is essential for meeting the diverse needs of customers.
The Emotional Impact: How Service Makes the Customer Feel
Imagine a customer who is inherently complex and emotionally charged, having carefully chosen a birthday gift that was delivered damaged. This particular customer has called you, and a mere apology will not suffice.
Assessing the situation, you need to offer a solution for exchanging the item before the customer’s birthday; this can provide some comfort, but not necessarily resolve the issue altogether. Such situations require careful handling, approaching them with empathy and sorrow while delivering solutions.
As human beings, we are expected to behave rationally, and we would like to reason as well. However, surprisingly, when it comes to making decisions, most of us tend to go with our hearts. So there is a proverb, âaim for your customers’ hearts, not just their heads. ” In the end, if you, as a customer service agent, keep a good impact, it will always work like medicine.
Different Priorities: Some Value Speed Above All, Others Value Empathy
In this fast-paced world, customers expect faster services. Delayed service can lead customers to leave your company, leaving them frustrated; As a result, they may provide negative feedback, which can negatively impact your company. Fast service meets the high expectations of modern consumers.
On the other hand, customers who seek empathy are more likely to show long-term loyalty and build trust.
Example of empathetic sentences:
- You are absolutely right.
- Iâll get back to you as soon as possible.
- I’m happy to hear.
- Iâll work with our team here to resolve this.
- I get how this could be confusing
- I see the problem here!
These are sentences that make your customer happier and vital in customer interaction.
Answering “What Does Good Customer Service Mean to You?” (Especially in Interviews)
For a job seeker, an answer may look to me like this: customer service means providing the best possible service experience to the customer throughout their journey. When I worked at a cosmetics shop, I kept products organized. Whenever any customer asked for a specific product, I could give it to them responsively without wasting time. In case it was not available, I could suggest an alternative one.
Sometimes customers do not predetermine the product they want; in this case, I suggested keeping product knowledge and asking the reason to assist them in their buying decisions. This is an example of an answer; including an example in your response will increase your chances of getting the job because an example clarifies your knowledge to interviewers. Remember to go through the job description first, then prepare your answer accordingly. Here are some interview tips that may increase your confidence :
- Tip 1: Structure your answer (e.g., define it, provide examples, relate it to the role/company).
- Tip 2: Use concrete examples (from experience as a customer or provider).
- Tip 3: Emphasize key qualities (choose 2-3 from the pillars above, like empathy, efficiency, problem-solving).
- Tip 4: Focus on the customer’s perspective and outcome.
- Tip 5: (Optional): Align your answer with the company’s stated mission or values, if known.
Defining Why Good Customer Service is Crucial for Businesses
Good customer service always boosts a company’s impression on customers, and this positive perception circulates automatically among them. So, go deeper and find more aspects of it.
- Impact on customer loyalty and lifetime value: mostly, those customers who seek empathy and get it from your service become loyal customers. And they keep coming back to your business always. So, satisfying every customer is most important for any business.
- Building a positive brand image and word-of-mouth marketing: satisfying complex and charged customers, along with regular customers, can be beneficial in terms of traditional word-of-mouth marketing. Some customers will talk about your business and provide satisfying support to their friends, colleagues, relatives, and anywhere they get the chance. This will also help create a better image for your brand.
- Differentiating from competitors: Differentiating from competitors refers to how a buyer distinguishes your products from others and selects yours. In this case, the market is highly competitive, where price and quality are also factors. Here, your customer service can make a huge difference for customers, encouraging them to return to your business time and again.
- Reducing customer churn: Customer churn is when a customer decides to leave your business and go to another. It can be evaluated by how your business keeps customers on your side. And whenever a customer faces bad service, they leave you. Business is that simple. Let’s take a look at some points that can reduce customer churn:
- Target audience who are at risk
- Identify the churn reason
- Collect feedback from customers
- Work on feedback
- Analyse competitions
- Improve customer service
- Educate your customers
- Guiding employee training and setting clear expectations: keeping your employees informed is essential for your business. They actively run your business, so properly training them regularly, such as every 3 months, 6 months, or yearly, is necessary. Small sessions can also be practical; this depends on your business and situation.
Additionally, taking care of your employees’ expectations is essential. How they contribute to your company and what they receive in return is crucial. An imbalance between effort and expectations can reduce your company’s services and production as well.
Examples of Good Customer Service in Action
Let’s talk about a good customer service example of Trader Joeâs: an 89-year-old man was snowed in and stuck at his Pennsylvania home. His daughter was trying to order food. Every store she called refused to deliver due to the bad weather.
Finally, she called Trader Joeâs, and although they also typically do not deliver in bad weather, considering the situation, they decided to deliver the food.
They told her not to worry; the food would be delivered within 30 minutes, free of charge, and they also suggested other food options that might fit a low-sodium diet. Precisely 30 minutes later, the food was on the doorstep of the old man, saving him from starvation.
Conclusion
Whether you are a job seeker, an online or physical business owner, or a customer, good customer service is essential from every perspective. In recent times, better customer service has become a key aspect of successful businesses in call center services and physical stores alike.
Therefore, improving customer service means enhancing your business or career proactively. As you read this article, it indicates your connection to customer service. If youâre looking to partner with professionals who value these service pillars, reach out to CallingAgency for more info.
