by: Kristin Beaver
This post originally appeared on ICMI.com.
As customer service reps, we’ve all had the experience of
dealing with unhappy customers and we’ve all had the experience where, in the
end, that same customer left happy. Unfortunately, we’ve also had the
experience of having the customer leave angry, and that’s never a good feeling.
How can we prevent this from happening? There
are many things that can be done to ensure every customer call is a positive
one.
Listen
Listening is the first thing you should do, and I can’t
stress that enough. If you don’t listen, you can’t get to the bottom of the
problem. Most times, customers just want us to listen and they want to know
that someone is there to handle their problem, no matter how big or small.
Understand the
Problem
When we understand the problem we are able to provide a
solution. If you don’t fully understand, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If
you don’t ask questions and don’t understand what’s going on, you’ll never find
a solution and you and the customer both will be going in circles. Along with
understanding the customer’s problem, you must understand their frustration and
apologize. Apologizing is key, in my opinion, as it helps calm things down. I
normally start with ‘I am so sorry to hear that, I know that’s frustrating as
that would frustrate me as well’.
No one has all the answers but don’t be afraid to put the
customer on hold to find the answer. Consider that a learning experience for
you and the customer. They will appreciate it much more if you are giving
accurate answers. Also, point the customer toward your Knowledge Base and let
them know they will find tons of useful information including tutorials, but let
them know they can always reach a live person just by calling or e-mailing.
Be personable
One thing that I have learned in my years in customer
service is to find a way to connect with the customer on a personal level. For
example, if you get a call and you notice that they’re calling from California
(or any place for that matter), you can start by talking about the weather or
some sports teams in their area. This will at least calm them down from being
angry and they will realize you are there to help them and you are a real
person and not just rushing them off of the phone.
I truly love working in customer service, because I feel
that I make a difference with each call and e-mail that I handle. I am helping
make someone else’s work flow a little easier even if they are just calling for
a quick training.
Customer service isn’t always easy, but keep in mind, we
have the power to turn any call around and make it a great one!
About Kristin
Kristin is a Support Coordinator for Citrix ShareFile. Kristin’s
been working in customer service for about 10 years and got her start in the
hospitality industry prior to coming to Citrix ShareFile. She has a Bachelor of
Science degree in Computer Information Systems and is currently working on
her MBA with a concentration in HR.
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