Can you think of your favorite customer service experience? What was the name of the company? What made the experience so enjoyable?
I am fortunate to have enjoyed many pleasurable customer service experiences, so I would have to list a bunch of companies. However, I will not do that, but I will share some descriptive words, summarizing those experiences. Respectful, great attitude, pleasant smile, helpful, accommodating, good listening skills, kind, thoughtful, patient, and professional.
As business owners, we must fully grasp the power and impact of customer service on our business. Some entrepreneurs neglect putting emphasis on customer relations because they believe that the product/service will sell itself. This is a grave mistake. Check out the two statements below which show the importance of good customer service.
“New research from Qualtrics and ServiceNow revealed 80% of customers said they have switched brands because of poor customer experience, and 43% of respondents said they were at least somewhat likely to switch brands after only a single negative customer service interaction. Poor customer service was the most cited reason for switching brands.” Qualitrics.com
“A study by PwC found that 73% of customers cite experience as a key factor in their purchasing decisions, just behind price and product quality.” Forbes.Com
As a business owner who facilitates webinars/workshops on customer service, I have compiled a list of my top 10 tips for creating an excellent customer experience.
- Be a thermostat instead of a thermometer- A thermometer measures the temperature and reflects it while a thermostat controls it. We do not want to match or reflect negative energy or unpleasant interactions, but we want to shift them into a positive space. Being able to control our emotions and reactions will serve as keys to consistent, pleasant customer interactions.
- Smile right before you greet a customer- I always encourage individuals who represent the frontline or the first form of contact in a company to put a smile on their face right before they answer the phone or engage a customer (this is actually a good strategy for any employee to utilize). When we speak with a smile, our tone is much happier and lighter instead of dry and unfriendly.
- Extinguish as opposed to enflame- When there is confusion or dissatisfaction, become a fire extinguisher, not an accelerant. We want to minimize and mitigate any potential damage or problems, as opposed to exacerbating situations. I am often humored by individuals who blow the most minute things out of proportion. An incident can begin as a minor issue, but once certain people get involved, it turns into a catastrophe.
- Win an Oscar or Academy Award- Sometimes, there will be days when we do not feel upbeat and cheerful. It is during these times that we must become an award-winning actor or actress when engaging with customers. We do not want our lack of energy or negative disposition to adversely affect how we treat others. So, what should we do? Muster up the best cheery attitude we can and serve our customers in an excellent manner, despite our own personal emotional state.
- Empathize with your customers- If you were a customer, would you want to encounter you? Empathy is all about putting yourself in the shoes of others to see and feel things from their perspective. If our response is that we would not want to encounter ourselves, then adjustments must be made to improve our interaction with customers.
- Don’t take a customer’s displeasure personally- There will be cases where a customer is having a bad day and will carry it into their engagement with us. We should realize this and avoid taking it as a personal attack or an indictment against us or our company.
- Exemplify integrity- As the adage says, honesty is the best policy. Customers are appreciative of companies capable of righting their wrongs and honestly admitting when they make mistakes. I have experienced several occasions where a company made a faux pas and instead of being honest, issuing an apology, and making amends, they placed the blame on me. Remember…the customer is always right.
- Communicate clearly- Communication involves sending and receiving messages and information. As a sender, we want to communicate with sufficient facts and details to avoid misunderstandings. As a receiver, we want to listen with our ear for content and our heart for feeling, enabling us to effectively connect with our customers and meet their needs. When people believe they are “heard” and “felt”, their interactions are typically much better.
- Display competency regarding your products/services- One of the worst displays of poor customer service is when an individual needs assistance and nobody knows what to do. The person is passed from one employee to the next without any explanation or resolution to the problem. Not only should we as entrepreneurs and business owners thoroughly know our products/services, but also those who we employ must be knowledgeable as well.
- Show the utmost respect and appreciation for your customers- Always remember that our customers have a choice when it comes to our products and services. It is not mandatory that they do business with our company. One bad experience can offend a good customer and turn them into a motivated foe who will spread negative information about us and our company, so it is imperative that we roll out the red carpet and treat our customers like royalty.
