Customer service is an integral part of any business. Even if your product is by far the best on the market, your business will struggle if you have bad customer service. An impeccable customer care and customer relations department will make all of the difference in the feedback you receive, and even how well your company does overall. Providing good customer service in any industry requires a balance—there are things that customer call center agents should make sure they do, and there are others they should always avoid. But how can you tell what you should and shouldn’t be doing? The do’s and don’t of customer service in a call center can be complicated, but once you get them down pat, no customer will be left unsatisfied. Improve your customer care services and check out our list of the most important do’s and don’ts of customer service.
Do’s of Customer Service
Respond Quickly
Nothing will irk customers more than having to wait a long time for you to answer their e-mail. Make it a priority to respond to all customer inquires within 24 to 48 hours, even is it’s just to say thanks for their question and that a representative will be in touch soon. Customers will appreciate an acknowledgement to their message, and in cases where you do take a little longer to respond, they’ll know you’re not ignoring them.
Get Personal
It’s been proven that customers are more receptive to e-mails that are addressed to them, rather than those with a general “Dear Customer,” greeting. It’s easy to fall into the habit of treating your customers like just one of the many, but making a special effort to give them a personalized experience won’t go unnoticed. Consumers are the livelihood of your business, and putting in the work to make them feel special is a small price to pay for the value they’ll bring as a lifelong customer.
Keep Conversations Short and Simple
When it comes to the do’s and don’ts of a customer service representative, a huge “do” is to keep the conversation short and simple. Many customers dread having to call a customer care line in the first place, so they’ll appreciate your promptness. Its understandable that representative will try to sell customers additional products or service when they call, but remember to keep these sales pitches short—propose your offer briefly, and only go into detail if they express interest.
Evaluate Feedback
While it may not be the most fun thing to do, always go through feedback you receive after a customer has an interaction with your customer service department. You’ll be able to pinpoint areas that require improvement, as well as assess your strengths. Customer feedback is often one of the most reliable sources of information, as those who are leaving it are doing it because they want to. It’s not a survey they were given, so they have the freedom to express how they truly felt about their experience.
Don’ts of Customer Service
Don’t Neglect Customers
Be as attentive as possible when it comes to responding to customer inquiries—this includes e-mails and those on social media. Comments or complaints made on these platforms are sometimes overlooked, which can make customers feel unimportant and like their business doesn’t matter or won’t be missed. Neglecting customers is one of the leading reasons for lack of customer loyalty—paying attention to them and making them feel important can make more of a difference than you may think.
Don’t Make Empty Promises
This point sounds like it goes without saying, but many companies still make promises to customers that they’re unable to keep. While this may be a good tactic to draw customers in, you won’t gain any loyal customers this way. When clients find out that you won’t be able to deliver on what you promised, they’ll lose trust in your company and be more likely to choose your competition, as well as share negative reviews about you. This will likely hurt your reputation and end up costing you in the long run.
Don’t Over-Complicate Things
Customer care representatives should thoroughly understand all company policies and procedures, so that they can clearly communicate them to customers. When there’s a disconnect between agents and what they tell customers, it’ll get confusing for everyone. For example, say Julie calls your customer care line for help with a return and speaks to Todd. Todd explains to her the return policy, and she proceeds with her return. Julie forgot to ask Todd a question, and calls back for clarification—except this time, she’s speaking to Samantha, who tells her something completely different. She’ll be left confused and irritated, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
Don’t Blame the Customer
Since agents act as a representative of the brand when they’re interacting with a customer, it’s extremely important for them to refrain from stepping on toes or re-directing any blame towards the customer. Even if they feel something may be the fault of the customer, it’s their responsibility to work with them, and come up with a solution that everyone’s happy with. It’s not unusual for a conversation regarding a customer service issue to get a little heated every now and then, but agents need to remember that it’s their job to protect the reputation of the company and act accordingly.
If you don’t want to worry about whether you are following the do’s and don’ts of good customer service, hire 3C Contact Services to worry about them for you. By outsourcing your customer relations to us, you’ll be providing your customers with the best service possible. Our trained and experienced representatives can provide exceptional e-mail management, live chat, customer retention services, and more. With years of experience in the field, they know the ins and outs of good customer service, and will offer incomparable service to your customers. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help improve your company’s customer service.
