It doesn’t matter how great your product or service is. If your employees refuse to provide stellar customer service, there’s a huge possibility that you will lose your customers anyway.
According to one survey, as much as 50 percent of people will find another competitor after just one poor customer service experience. Also, only 19 percent of individuals feel like customer service, overall, is exceeding expectations.
That’s why we thought it was important to share tips for how to keep customers happy. If you follow through with these five things, we’re certain that you will have return customers for years to come.
- Be Thoroughly Well-Versed in the Business
There’s nothing like asking an employee at a grocery store where something is and them directing you to the wrong aisle. Or calling a cable service provider with a dilemma, them assuring you that they will take care of it, only for them not to follow through.
When people seek out customer service experience, they are expecting employees to be knowledgeable, thorough and honest about what they can and cannot provide them. This is how trust is established.
The only way you can provide excellent customer service in this way is if you know your company or service inside and out. So, make sure that all of your employees know the business like the back of their hand. That way, they’ll be ready to handle any customer service obstacle that may come their way.
- Listen (Really Listen)
Have you ever called a customer service line and the person on the other end kept cutting you off, talking over you or not answering the question that you asked? In order to establish solid customer connections, being a good listener has to be a top priority. You can do this by:
- Letting customers complete their thoughts
- Repeating what was said back to them to make sure that you’re on the same page
- Asking questions to gain clarity
- Refusing to let anything distract you until the matter is handled
A good listener cares about what the other person is saying because it conveys concern and empathy. Meanwhile, a poor listener comes off as flippant and dismissive. You always want to be a good listener. It’s essential for your brand.
- Be Solutions-Oriented
People don’t come to customer service just to have a shoulder to cry on. What they want is to walk away feeling better than they did before they shared their question, comment or concern. That’s why, no matter what the issue may be, you’ve got to remain solutions-oriented.
In other words, no matter how impossible the challenge may initially seem, be intentional about finding a remedy — or another employee who can brainstorm with you to create one. Even if it’s a coupon or discount for their troubles, never give up doing what you can to bring customers some peace of mind.
Out of all of the customer service tips that are in this article, the one that will please the customer most is probably this one. It was essential when it comes to how to keep customers happy.
- Stay Professional
One of the greatest challenges in customer service is accepting the fact that, more times than not, people are going to reach out to you to share a gripe or complaint rather than a compliment. It can be difficult to constantly deal with dozens of people’s personal dissatisfaction. Still, it’s imperative that you remain professional at all times. You can do this by:
- Staying positive
- Not letting the attitude or energy of the customer sway you
- Refusing to debate or argue
- Deciding not to take anything personally
- Treating every customer in the way that you would like to be treated
Remember, these are customers, not family members or friends. They are not attacking you as an individual; they just want a solution to their problem. The more you remain professional, the likely you will be able to deescalate their attitude and come to a faster resolve.
- How to Keep Customers Happy: Keep Your Word
An article on promise-breaking shared that two of the top reasons for why people do not keep their word is they make unclear agreements and/or they are afraid of facing any sort of criticism. That said, there is no point in telling a customer what they want to hear if you can’t back up what you said.
If you assured them that you will call them back by a certain time, do it.
If you told them that you would send out a replacement or a freebie, follow through.
If you said that a supervisor will get in touch with them by the end of the day, make sure that happens.
Good reputations are built on integrity. Integrity is all about keeping your word. No matter what.
Check Out Our Site for More Helpful Information
Our site offers more than just tips on how to keep customers happy. For insight on home improvement, health, finance and more, visit us at any time. Or, for assistance on how to improve your customer service, TrellisPoint.com.
